Surprise Omelet Milady

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Ice cream maker with at least 1 1/2-quart (1.4 L) capacity
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •1 1/2-quart (1.4 L) stainless steel bowl, about 7 1/2 inches (19 cm) wide
• •Broiler-safe metal serving platter
• •Offset spatula
• •Piping bag with a large star tip

Instructions

1. 1

   Build raspberry ice

   Combine the sugar and water for the raspberry ice in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 minutes and cool for 10 minutes. Purée the raspberries with the syrup and lemon juice, then press everything through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Chill the base thoroughly, at least 3 hours; a warm base churns slowly and grows coarse crystals.

   Taste the base cold. It should seem slightly sweeter and sharper than the finished ice needs to be, because freezing mutes both sugar and acidity.
2. 2

   Poach vanilla peaches

   Halve the peaches and remove the stones, leaving the skins on for now. Bring the poaching water, sugar, vanilla seeds, and pod to a bare simmer in a wide saucepan. Add the peach halves and cover them with a round of parchment so they remain beneath the syrup. Poach gently for 4 to 8 minutes, just until a fine knife enters with slight resistance. Lift them out, slip away the skins, and return them to the syrup to cool. If a peach begins softening at its edges, remove it immediately and chill it over an ice bath; ça se rattrape, and a neat trim will restore its shape. Drain the cold halves and blot them very dry.

3. 3

   Churn and mold

   Line a chilled 1 1/2-quart (1.4 L) stainless steel bowl with two crossed sheets of food-safe film, leaving enough overhang to cover the top. Churn the raspberry base until thick and close-textured. Spread a layer about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick over the bottom and sides of the lined bowl. Arrange the six peach halves in a ring around its widest part, rounded sides against the film and cut sides facing inward. Pack the remaining raspberry ice firmly around and above them, pressing out every hollow, then level the top. Cover and freeze for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight, until a firm press leaves no dent.

   The peaches must be cold and dry before molding. Syrup left on their surfaces creates icy pockets and lets the fruit slip away from the raspberry ice.
4. 4

   Unmold onto génoise

   Set the génoise on an ovenproof metal serving platter and chill both for 20 minutes. Uncover the mold, invert it onto the center of the cake, and lift away the bowl and film. If it clings, wrap the outside of the bowl with a warm damp towel for 3 seconds, no longer. The peach crowns should form a visible ring around the raspberry dome. Return the whole assembly to the freezer for at least 30 minutes. If any edge has softened, smooth it with a cold spatula and freeze until solid before continuing.

5. 5

   Flavor the meringue

   Preheat the broiler at its highest setting for a full 15 minutes, position the rack 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) below the element, and clear a level space in the freezer. Fold the Maraschino into the freshly made Meringue à l’Italienne (No. 2383), adding it in three small portions so the meringue keeps its body. If it loosens, whisk briefly until the stiff gloss returns. Reserve about one-quarter in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

6. 6

   Mask and decorate

   Spread the remaining maraschino meringue over the raspberry ice and the exposed edges of the génoise in an even layer about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Seal every gap between cake and ice, but leave the rounded peach crowns completely bare; that showing fruit is the signature of Milady. Pipe the reserved Meringue à l’Italienne (No. 2383) in close ribs, shells, or rosettes over the masked surface without covering the peaches. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes. If the meringue slides instead of holding its ridges, stop and return the dish to the freezer. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Glaze in seconds

   Dust the meringue lightly and evenly with icing sugar, then brush any stray sugar from the bare peach crowns. Set the platter beneath the fully heated broiler and watch without turning away. Rotate once if needed and remove it after 20 to 45 seconds, when the piped ridges are pale gold with deeper bronze points. If the color is uneven but the ice begins to soften, freeze the dish for 10 minutes before giving it another brief pass. Heat comes second to keeping the center firm.

8. 8

   Slice and serve

   Let the omelette surprise stand for 3 minutes, no longer. Cut six wedges with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between every slice, giving each serving one vanilla-poached peach half, raspberry ice, génoise, and glazed meringue. Serve immediately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Frozen raspberries are excellent here when fresh fruit lacks perfume. They were picked ripe, and the ice cares far more about concentrated flavor than an unblemished berry.
• •Peaches must be firm-ripe, fragrant but still able to hold a clean half. Outside their season, use good jarred peach halves in light syrup, warm them for 2 minutes in the vanilla poaching syrup, then cool and dry them well.
• •The home broiler is the salamander's honest equivalent, but only after a full preheat. A lukewarm broiler melts the dessert while it thinks about coloring it.
• •A demi-sec Champagne suits the raspberry, peach, and Maraschino better than a very dry bottle. Pour small glasses and serve the omelette surprise at once.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the raspberry base and poach the peaches up to 2 days ahead, keeping both covered and cold. Drain and dry the peaches only when you are ready to mold the ice.
• •The molded raspberry ice and peaches can remain frozen overnight. Unmold onto the génoise several hours before serving, wrap without touching the fruit, and keep frozen.
• •Prepare the Meringue à l’Italienne (No. 2383) fresh from its own entry shortly before masking the dome. Once covered, hold the dessert in the freezer for no more than 2 hours before glazing, or the meringue may lose its fine gloss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)