Bombe Batavia

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-liter metal bombe mould or deep stainless-steel bowl
• •Ice cream maker, or shallow metal pan and food processor
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula or the back of a sturdy spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pineapple base

   Combine the ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Warm gently, stirring only until the sugar has dissolved, then remove it from the heat without reducing it. Cool for 10 minutes. Blend the syrup with the drained pineapple until completely smooth, then pass it through a fine sieve if the fruit is fibrous. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours; a warm base freezes coarsely, while a properly cold one churns into a supple ice.

2. 2

   Churn the pineapple ice

   Churn the cold pineapple mixture in an ice cream maker until thick, smooth, and just firm enough to hold a ridge from the paddle. Without a machine, freeze it in a shallow metal pan and scrape it vigorously every 30 minutes until evenly slushy, then process it briefly until smooth. Chill the empty 1.5-liter metal mould in the freezer for at least 30 minutes while the ice churns.

   The pineapple ice must be spreadable, not liquid and not frozen solid. If it has hardened, leave it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and beat it smooth before lining the mould.
3. 3

   Clothe the mould

   Reserve ½ cup (120 ml / about 110 g) pineapple ice for sealing the bombe. The book points to Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) for chemiser, to clothe the mould with an even setting layer. Press half the remaining pineapple ice over the base and sides of the frozen mould, making an unbroken coat, then freeze it for 20 minutes. Add the rest wherever the shell looks thin, aiming for a wall 1 to 1¼ cm thick, and freeze until hard. If the ice slides toward the base, it is merely too soft: scrape it back into its bowl, chill it for 10 minutes, and begin again. Ça se rattrape. The brigade's rocking of a mould over broken ice was scaffolding; the continuous frozen shell is the dish and must stay.

4. 4

   Prepare the cold elements

   Purée the strawberries and press them through a fine sieve, measuring 1 cup (240 ml / about 250 g). Keep the purée cold. Whip the heavy cream until it holds soft, rounded peaks, stopping before it becomes stiff or grainy, then refrigerate it. Cut the candied ginger into exact 2 to 3 mm dice. A large piece freezes hard and stops the spoon, so this small knife work matters.

5. 5

   Build the pâte à bombe

   Begin beating the yolks at medium speed in a heatproof bowl. Put the ⅓ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small clean saucepan, bring them to a boil, and cook without stirring to 118°C or 244°F. If crystals form around the pan, add 1 tablespoon water, cover for 30 seconds, and let the moisture wash them down before continuing. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl, clear of the beaters and your hands. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the pâte à bombe, a cooked-yolk foam, is pale, thick enough to fall in ribbons, and no longer warm against the bowl.

6. 6

   Fold and fill

   Fold the cold strawberry purée into the pâte à bombe until the colour is even. Fold in one-third of the softly whipped cream to loosen the mixture, then the remainder with broad, gentle strokes. Fold in the finely diced ginger last. Spoon the filling into the hard pineapple shell, pressing lightly into the curve so no large pockets remain, and stop about 1 cm below the rim. If the shell begins to soften, return both mould and filling to the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing. Spread the reserved pineapple ice across the top to meet the frozen sides and seal the filling completely.

7. 7

   Freeze the bombe

   Cover the mould tightly and freeze it upright for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Do not hurry this freeze. The strawberry centre contains more cream and air than the pineapple shell, so it needs the full rest to become sliceable without turning hard and dull.

8. 8

   Unmould and serve

   Chill the serving platter. Dip only the outside of the mould into warm water for 5 seconds, wipe it dry, cover it with the platter, and invert firmly. If the bombe does not release, repeat the dip for 2 or 3 seconds rather than forcing it with a knife. Should the surface soften too far, leave the inverted mould and platter in the freezer for 10 minutes, then lift the mould away. Rest the bombe for 5 minutes before cutting it with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. The pineapple shell should yield cleanly to the spoon, revealing the rose-pink strawberry centre and its tiny amber dice of ginger. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use ripe fresh pineapple when it smells fragrant at the base. At any other time, unsweetened canned pineapple in juice is the honest classical-pantry answer; drain it thoroughly so excess liquid does not make the shell icy.
• •Frozen unsweetened strawberries work well outside the season. Thaw them in the refrigerator, drain away any watery liquid, and weigh the fruit before puréeing. A good preserved berry is better than a pale fresh one.
• •Cut the candied ginger no larger than 2 to 3 mm. This is not decorative fuss. Sugar and cold turn a large piece into a hard pebble, while the fine dice remain pleasant under the spoon.
• •A metal mould releases faster and freezes more evenly than glass or ceramic. A deep stainless-steel mixing bowl is a perfectly sound home substitute for a traditional bombe mould.
• •Serve the bombe in generous wedges with small glasses of demi-sec Champagne. Keep it frozen until the table is ready, especially for an outdoor meal.

Advance Preparation

• •The pineapple ice can be made up to 3 days ahead. Freeze it in a covered container, then soften it in the refrigerator and beat it smooth before clothing the mould.
• •Assemble the entire bombe 1 to 3 days before serving. Once it is frozen solid, wrap the mould tightly so the fruit flavours remain clear and the surface does not collect frost.
• •Finely dice the candied ginger several days ahead and keep it sealed at room temperature. Separate any pieces that cling together before folding them into the filling.
• •Leftover bombe keeps for about 1 week in the freezer, wrapped directly against its cut surfaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)