Bombe Formosa

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-litre metal bombe mould or deep round mixing bowl
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Blender and fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula or sturdy dessert spoon
• •Freezer-safe chilled serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the mould

   Put a 1.5-litre metal bombe mould or deep round mixing bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes. Chill the serving platter as well. If making the purée now, blend the hulled strawberries until smooth, press them through a fine sieve, and measure ¾ cup (180 ml / 190 g); keep it cold. The sieve is useful scaffolding here, removing seeds that would interrupt the silk of the filling.

2. 2

   Clothe the mould

   Reserve about ½ cup (120 ml / 100 g) of the softened vanilla ice cream for the final seal. Press the rest over the bottom and sides of the frozen mould in an even layer about 1 cm thick, using the back of a cold spoon or a small offset spatula. The book points to Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) for the operation called clothing the mould; the motion is the same, but softened ice cream replaces jelly in this frozen application. Freeze for 45 minutes, until the lining is hard. If the ice cream slides down the sides, stop and freeze the mould for 10 minutes, then patch it. Ça se rattrape.

   Hold the mould against the light before freezing. Thin patches show as darker shadows; cover them now or the strawberry centre will break through when the bombe is turned out.
3. 3

   Cook the syrup

   Put the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Warm gently, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then raise the heat and boil without stirring until the syrup reaches 118°C (244°F), the soft-ball stage. If crystals spread across the syrup, take the pan off the heat, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) water, and warm gently until clear before continuing. Ça se rattrape; forcing a grainy syrup onward does not.

4. 4

   Build the pâte

   Begin whisking the pasteurized yolks at medium speed as the syrup reaches temperature. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup down the inside of the bowl in a thin, steady ribbon, keeping it away from the moving beaters. Raise the speed and whisk for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pâte à bombe is pale, very thick, and cool enough that the bowl no longer feels warm. If it remains warm, set the bowl over cold water and keep whisking. Do not fold cream into a warm base; the cream will melt and the centre will freeze dense.

5. 5

   Fold the filling

   Whip the cold cream to soft peaks, reserving 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) unwhipped. Fold the cold strawberry purée into the pâte à bombe, then fold in the whipped cream in three additions, turning the bowl and lifting from underneath so the air stays in the mixture. If the cream goes grainy from overwhipping, work in the reserved liquid cream a teaspoon at a time until it becomes supple again. The finished strawberry preparation should be light, smooth, and thick enough to fall from the spatula in a broad ribbon.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Spoon one-third of the strawberry preparation into the frozen vanilla shell. Arrange the whole strawberries through the centre with a little space between them, keeping them away from the mould wall so every slice retains its white border. Cover with the remaining filling and tap the mould gently against a folded towel to release hidden air pockets. Leave about 1 cm at the rim, spread the reserved vanilla ice cream over the top as a seal, and smooth it level.

7. 7

   Freeze it solid

   Press reusable wrap or baking parchment directly against the surface, cover the mould, and freeze on a level shelf for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This waiting is part of the dish. A bombe that is firm only around the edges will slump when unmoulded, so test the centre through the covering; it must feel hard and unyielding.

8. 8

   Unmould and slice

   Remove the covering and pass a warm, damp towel around the outside of the mould for 5 to 8 seconds. Invert the chilled platter over it, turn both together, and lift the mould straight up. If it refuses, repeat the towel briefly; do not soak the mould, or the vanilla shell will melt before the centre releases. If the bombe softens too far, return it to the mould and freeze for 30 minutes. Let the turned-out bombe temper for 10 to 15 minutes, then cut it with a warm, dry knife, wiping between slices. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The entry asks for big strawberries, meaning berries that show proudly in every slice. Choose large fruit that is firm, dense, and fragrant, not swollen hollow berries full of water; those freeze unpleasantly hard.
• •Use a dense vanilla ice cream made with real cream. Very airy ice cream leaves a thin, fragile shell, while ice cream allowed to melt completely refreezes coarse. You want it pliable, never liquid.
• •Pasteurized yolks are the honest home choice for a preparation that receives hot syrup but is not held at a cooking temperature. The syrup builds structure; the pasteurization handles safety.
• •For an outdoor celebration, carry the bombe in its mould inside a well-packed cooler and unmould it at the table. Keep it in the shade and chill the platter beforehand. Frozen desserts have patience, but not diplomacy.
• •A demi-sec Champagne or a lightly sparkling rosé has enough fruit and sweetness to sit beside the strawberries without making the dessert taste sharp.

Advance Preparation

• •The strawberry purée can be made one day ahead and kept covered in the cold.
• •The vanilla shell can be clothed and frozen one day before filling; cover it once firm so it does not absorb freezer aromas.
• •The complete bombe keeps well for up to three days, tightly covered in its mould. Unmould only shortly before serving so the vanilla exterior stays clean and sharply defined.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)