Bombe Mercédès

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-liter metal bombe mould or smooth 18 cm stainless-steel bowl
• •Countertop ice-cream machine
• •Small saucepan
• •Heatproof mixing bowl
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Electric mixer or sturdy balloon whisk
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Flexible spatula or small offset spatula
• •Long slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the apricot base

   Put the 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Warm gently, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then bring it to a brief simmer and remove it from the heat. Cool the syrup completely, whisk it into the apricot purée, and pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Chill it until very cold, at least 1 hour. A warm base churns slowly and grows coarse ice crystals, so don't hurry this cooling.

2. 2

   Churn the apricot ice

   Chill the 1.5-liter mould while the apricot base rests. Churn the cold mixture according to the machine's directions until it holds the texture of firm soft ice, usually 20 to 25 minutes. It must be spreadable but no longer fluid. If it slumps from a spoon, give it 10 minutes in the freezer before clothing the mould.

   Without a churn, freeze the mixture in a shallow metal pan and beat it thoroughly every 30 minutes until evenly frozen and spreadable. The grain will be slightly coarser, but the shell will still hold.
3. 3

   Clothe the mould

   Use the mould-coating motion preserved in Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916), borrowing only the technique, never the savory preparation. Chemiser, to clothe the mould, by turning the chilled bowl as you press about three-quarters of the apricot ice over its base and sides in an even layer 1.5 cm thick. Reserve the remaining ice in a covered container. Hold the lined mould against the light, patch any thin places, then freeze it for 45 minutes, until hard.

   Keep the shell even, especially where the sides meet the bottom. A thick ridge freezes hard enough to fight the spoon, while a thin patch exposes the center when the bombe is unmoulded.
4. 4

   Cook the pâte à bombe

   Bring 2 cm of water to the barest simmer in a saucepan. Whisk the yolks with the 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl, then set it over the pan without letting the bowl touch the water. Whisk constantly over this gentle bain-marie until the mixture reaches 71°C, turns pale and thick, and falls from the whisk in a ribbon that remains visible for several seconds, about 7 to 10 minutes. If egg begins to catch around the rim, lift the bowl off at once and whisk in 1 tablespoon of the measured cold cream, then strain it into a clean bowl. Ça se rattrape. Fully scrambled yolks cannot be smoothed, so keep the heat modest and the whisk moving.

5. 5

   Cool and scent

   Set the bowl over ice water and continue whisking until the pâte à bombe is cool, thick, and no warmer than 24°C. Whisk in the Green Chartreuse only after cooling so its herbal perfume remains clear. If the base becomes too stiff to fold, let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk in a spoonful of the measured cream. It should hold a ribbon but still move willingly.

6. 6

   Fold in the cream

   Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cold cream, then whip the remainder to soft peaks. The cream should mound gently and curl at the whisk, not stand in stiff clumps. If it becomes grainy, fold in the reserved unwhipped cream until smooth. Stir one-third into the cool pâte à bombe to lighten it, then fold in the rest with broad turns of the spatula. If the mixture loosens because the yolk base was still warm, set the bowl over ice and fold gently until it regains body.

7. 7

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the Chartreuse pâte à bombe into the frozen apricot shell, working it into the curve without leaving air pockets, and stop about 1 cm below the rim. Soften the reserved apricot ice just until spreadable, then cover the center completely and level it flush with the rim. This final layer closes the apricot shell around the filling, which is the construction the dish depends upon. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

8. 8

   Freeze and unmould

   Chill the serving platter. Dip the outside of the mould in warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, dry it, and invert it onto the platter. If the bombe doesn't release, repeat the dip for only 2 seconds; too much warmth blurs the apricot surface. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then cut with a long knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry between slices. Serve without unnecessary decoration. The orange shell and pale Chartreuse heart have already done the work. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use unsweetened apricot purée. Ripe fresh fruit is splendid in season, but thawed frozen apricots are the honest classical-pantry answer when the fresh ones are tired; blend and sieve them before measuring.
• •Green Chartreuse supplies the firm herbal counterpoint that keeps the rich center from becoming merely sweet. Measure it carefully. More liqueur does not mean more elegance, and excess alcohol prevents the center from freezing cleanly.
• •A 1.5-liter metal bombe mould is ideal, but a smooth 18 cm stainless-steel bowl works perfectly. Metal conducts cold quickly and releases more neatly than thick glass or ceramic.
• •The bombe wants no sauce, fruit border, or ornamental piping. Bring it whole to the table, cut the first wedge where everyone can see the apricot shell, and offer small glasses of Chartreuse only if the evening asks for them.

Advance Preparation

• •Freeze the ice-cream machine canister according to its directions, commonly overnight, and chill the metal mould for at least 30 minutes before clothing it.
• •The apricot base can be mixed and refrigerated up to 2 days before churning. Whisk it well before it enters the machine.
• •The assembled bombe may be frozen up to 3 days before serving. Wrap the mould tightly once the surface is firm so the apricot ice does not absorb freezer aromas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)