Glace Carmen

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5 litre fluted metal charlotte or bombe mould with lid
• •Small offset spatula
• •Two tightly rolled kitchen towels for supporting the mould
• •Chilled serving platter
• •Long sharp slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the mould

   Set the freezer to -18°C / 0°F or colder. Chill a clean 1.5 litre fluted metal mould, the serving platter, and a small offset spatula for 30 minutes. Make room on a level shelf, then lay the mould on its side in a cradle of two tightly rolled towels, with its long axis horizontal and its open rim tipped slightly upward. Gravity will make each horizontal layer become a vertical stripe when the dessert is finally stood upright.

   Metal carries the fluting sharply and releases predictably. A flexible silicone mould bows as you press in the layers, which makes straight stripes much harder to keep.
2. 2

   Lay raspberry first

   Take out only the raspberry sorbet and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes, just until it yields to a spoon while remaining matte and firm. Measure 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 238 g), return the rest to the freezer, and pack the portion into the lowest side of the cold mould from the closed base to the open lip. Press it into every flute, then smooth its exposed face straight and parallel to the work surface. Freeze for 40 to 50 minutes, until a fingertip leaves no dent.

   The sorbet should behave like cold clay, not sauce. If its edges become glossy or liquid, return it to the freezer for 10 minutes before spreading; melted and refrozen sorbet turns coarse.
3. 3

   Add the coffee

   Temper 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 238 g) of the coffee sorbet until pliable. Test the raspberry before proceeding: if it dents, give it another 15 minutes. Spread the coffee gently across the frozen raspberry face without digging into it, keeping the band even from base to lip. If pink streaks begin drawing into the coffee, stop and lift off the stained portion with the spatula. Ça se rattrape: freeze the mould and coffee separately for 20 minutes, then spread again. Freeze the completed coffee stripe for 40 to 50 minutes.

4. 4

   Set the vanilla

   Soften 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 225 g) of vanilla ice cream only until spreadable. Make certain the coffee stripe is hard, because dark smudges show plainly against vanilla. Press the ice cream over the coffee in an even band, working with short strokes and a clean spatula. Smooth the face, return the mould to its towel cradle, and freeze for 40 to 50 minutes.

5. 5

   Repeat the raspberry

   Temper the remaining 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 238 g) of raspberry sorbet. Confirm that the vanilla is firm, then spread the raspberry from the closed base to the lip, pressing out trapped air without disturbing the pale stripe beneath. Level the face and freeze for another 40 to 50 minutes. Patience, not pressure, keeps the colours separate.

6. 6

   Repeat the coffee

   Soften and spread the remaining 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 238 g) of coffee sorbet over the hardened raspberry. Follow the same straight line established by the earlier bands, packing the coffee firmly into the fluting and smoothing its face. Freeze for 40 to 50 minutes, until completely firm.

7. 7

   Finish with vanilla

   Spread the remaining 1 cup (250 ml / approximately 225 g) of vanilla ice cream into the last space, pressing it carefully into the mould and levelling the open end so the finished Glace Carmen will stand squarely. Cover the opening with parchment and a fitted lid or snug foil. Keep the mould on its side for 1 hour, then stand it upright and freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

8. 8

   Unmould and slice

   Remove the cover and dip the mould to just below its rim in comfortably warm water for 5 to 8 seconds. Dry it, invert the chilled platter over the mould, then turn both together and lift gently. If the Glace Carmen refuses to release, wrap the mould in a warm damp towel for 5 seconds and try again; never pull at the dessert. If the outside begins softening before the centre releases, return the mould and platter to the freezer for 20 minutes, then begin again with less warmth. Once unmoulded, freeze for 15 minutes to reset the fluting. Cut with a warm, dry knife, wiping it between slices so every band stays distinct. À table!

   Warmth releases the mould, but water must never touch the ice itself. A wet surface freezes into a glassy shell and dulls the colours.

Chef Tips

• •The raspberry and coffee components must be water ices, not dairy ice creams. Their tart fruit and clean bitterness are meant to cut through the vanilla cream; making all three layers creamy blurs the composition.
• •Coffee sorbet is the only real errand. Ask a good ice-cream shop for a strongly brewed, water-based coffee ice without chocolate, caramel, or liqueur. Those additions may be pleasant, but they make another dessert.
• •Choose three ices of comparable firmness. If one is rock hard while another collapses at the freezer door, move the softer tub to the coldest part of the freezer for several hours before assembly.
• •The pattern is the finish. Glace Carmen needs no berries, coffee beans, piped cream, or decorative clutter. Bring the whole fluted mould to the table and let the first clean slice provide the occasion.

Advance Preparation

• •Harden all three frozen components in the coldest part of the freezer overnight before assembly. Soft tubs make muddy borders before the work has properly begun.
• •Glace Carmen can be assembled up to 3 days ahead. Once completely firm, keep the covered mould inside a second well-sealed bag so the vanilla does not collect freezer odours.
• •For a dinner party, unmould the dessert 20 to 30 minutes before serving and return it to the freezer on its platter. This leaves only the slicing for the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 175g)