Mont-Rose

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.2-litre (1¼-quart) shallow metal Madeleine-mould or 20 cm (8-inch) shallow oval stainless-steel bowl
• •Countertop ice cream machine
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Macerate the candied fruit

   Combine the diced candied fruit with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the kirsch and leave it for 30 minutes. Drain it over a small bowl, pressing nothing, and reserve every drop of the kirsch for the biscuit syrup. Chill the drained fruit. It must be cold and fairly dry before it enters the churned custard, since loose alcohol prevents a firm freeze.

2. 2

   Cook the crème anglaise

   Reserve 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the measured cream in the refrigerator. Warm the milk, remaining cream, vanilla pod, and scraped seeds until small bubbles gather at the edge, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk the yolks with the ½ cup (100 g) sugar and salt until smooth, pour in the hot dairy gradually while whisking, and return everything to the pan. Stir constantly over gentle heat until the crème anglaise reaches 82 to 84°C (180 to 183°F) and coats a spoon in a clean, creamy film. Do not let it boil. If fine grains appear, take it off the heat immediately, blend in the reserved cold cream, and strain it. Ça se rattrape. Strain the custard into a bowl set over ice, discard the vanilla pod, and stir until cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly cold.

   A finger drawn through the custard on the back of a spoon should leave a clear path. That is the nappe, the coating consistency that tells you the yolks have given their full body without curdling.
3. 3

   Line the Madeleine-mould

   Combine the water and the ¼ cup (50 g) sugar in a small pan, boil for 1 minute, and cool completely. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) kirsch and the liquor drained from the fruit. Brush the flat sides of the biscuits à la cuillère lightly with this syrup. Do not dip them, since soaked biscuits turn pasty when the charlotte thaws. Arrange the biscuits snugly over the bottom and sides of a chilled 1.2-litre shallow Madeleine-mould or oval metal bowl, trimming them to the rim and reserving enough to close the exposed surface. Freeze the lined mould for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Churn and fill

   Churn the cold crème anglaise according to the machine's directions until it holds the texture of firm soft ice. Fold in the chilled candied fruit during the final minute, adding none of the loose macerating liquid. Pack the Plombière into the lined mould in three additions, pressing each layer gently into the scalloped recesses so no empty pockets remain. Close the surface with the reserved biscuits, brush them sparingly with syrup, and press them level. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until solid through the centre.

5. 5

   Make the raspberry purée

   Crush the fresh raspberries with half the confectioners' sugar, then work them through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. You should have about ½ cup (120 ml / 120 g) of brilliant, raw raspberry purée. Do not cook it. The fresh acidity and perfume are what keep the cream from tasting merely sweet. Refrigerate the purée until completely cold.

6. 6

   Whip the Chantilly

   Reserve 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the cold cream. Whip the remainder with the remaining confectioners' sugar until it makes firm folds whose tips still bend, then fold in the cold raspberry purée in three additions. Stop as soon as the colour is even and the Chantilly stands on a spoon. If it loosens, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and whisk gently again. If it turns grainy from overwhipping, fold in the reserved liquid cream a teaspoon at a time until smooth. Ça se rattrape. Keep the Chantilly cold while you turn out the charlotte.

7. 7

   Unmould in one second

   Chill the serving platter. Fill a basin with warm water, dip the mould in for one second, no longer, wipe it dry, and invert it firmly onto the platter. Lift the mould straight upward. If the charlotte refuses to release, repeat the one-second dip rather than leaving it in the water. A long soak melts the scalloped detail and leaves a puddle around the biscuits. If the surface has softened, return the turned-out charlotte to the freezer for 10 minutes before adding the cream.

   Use warm water, not boiling water. You want to release the thinnest outer film, not thaw the dessert.
8. 8

   Build the rocky peak

   Cover the top of the turned-out charlotte with generous tablespoonfuls of raspberry Chantilly, stacking them in narrowing tiers until they form a rough pyramidal rock. Leave the spoon marks visible. Mont-Rose should look craggy and abundant, not piped or polished. Serve immediately, cutting with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between portions. À table!

Chef Tips

• •A Madeleine-mould here means one large, shallow mould shaped like a narrow scallop shell. A 1.2-litre shallow oval stainless-steel bowl is the honest home equivalent; the charlotte loses the shell ribs but keeps its broad base and rising cream summit.
• •Choose candied fruit that tastes of fruit, not only sugar. Candied cherries, orange peel, citron, and a little angelica give the proper jeweled effect, but keep the dice small so the frozen charlotte cuts cleanly.
• •The written dish asks for fresh raspberries, and fragrant ripe berries give the brightest Chantilly. Outside their season, unsweetened frozen raspberries thawed in a sieve make a respectable purée, though the perfume will be softer.
• •Do not add extra kirsch for bravado. Alcohol softens frozen custard, and more than the measured amount may leave the Plombière slumped when it is turned out.
• •With its raspberry and kirsch, Mont-Rose wants a lightly sweet sparkling wine, such as demi-sec Champagne, served properly cold.

Advance Preparation

• •The crème anglaise and kirsch-soaked candied fruit can be prepared a day before churning and kept separately refrigerated.
• •The filled Charlotte Plombière can be frozen up to 3 days ahead. Once solid, wrap the mould closely so the biscuits do not collect freezer aromas.
• •Make the raspberry purée earlier on the serving day, but whip and fold the Chantilly shortly before unmoulding. The finished cream holds for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)