Bombe Moscovite

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1½-quart (1.5-liter) metal bombe mould or smooth stainless-steel bowl
• •Ice cream maker
• •Digital instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Electric mixer with whisk attachment
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Large bowl for an ice bath
• •Offset spatula or sturdy dessert spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill mould and fruit

   Set a 1½-quart (1.5-liter) metal bombe mould or freezer-safe bowl in the freezer. Dice the candied fruit into pieces no larger than ¼ inch (5 mm), blot away loose syrup, and spread the pieces on a plate in the refrigerator. Large or wet pieces tear through the filling and leave sticky pockets; small, dry, cold pieces remain suspended.

   Use true candied fruit, such as glacé cherries, citrus peel, and angelica, rather than ordinary dried fruit. The translucent colour and tender preserved texture belong to the Bombe Moscovite.
2. 2

   Cook the crème anglaise

   Bring the milk, the cream for the Kümmel ice, and half the salt just below a simmer. Whisk the five yolks with the first measure of sugar until smooth, then pour in the hot dairy gradually while whisking. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over gentle heat, stirring constantly, until the crème anglaise, a stirred custard, coats the spoon and reaches 180 to 183°F (82 to 84°C). Do not let it boil. If fine grains appear, remove it immediately, blend briefly, and strain it over ice. Ça se rattrape while the curdling is slight; solid scrambled curds require a fresh custard.

3. 3

   Chill and churn

   Strain the crème anglaise into a bowl set over ice and stir until thoroughly cold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then stir in the Kümmel liqueur. Churn until dense and softly mounded, usually 20 to 30 minutes. Alcohol keeps ice supple, so if it remains too loose to cling to a spoon, spread it in a shallow metal pan and freeze for 15 to 25 minutes before lining the mould.

4. 4

   Clothe the mould

   Chemiser, meaning to clothe the mould, with the Kümmel ice. Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) supplies this mould-clothing principle only: no fish preparation or jelly enters the dessert. Press a ½-inch (1.5-cm) layer of ice over the bottom and sides with the back of a cold spoon, freeze it for 20 minutes, then patch every thin or bare place with a second layer. Reserve about 1½ cups (360 ml) of ice for the final cap and freeze the clothed mould until hard, at least 45 minutes.

5. 5

   Whip the pâte

   Put the four yolks in a mixer bowl. Bring the water and second measure of sugar to 244°F (118°C), without stirring once it boils. Begin beating the yolks when the syrup reaches about 230°F (110°C), then pour the finished syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl, clear of the moving whisk. Beat until the pâte à bombe, a cooked yolk foam, is thick, pale, and cooler than 77°F (25°C). If hardened sugar collects on the bowl, leave it there rather than scraping it into the foam. If a few lumps enter, pass the warm mixture through a fine sieve and continue whipping. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Fold the filling

   Whip the cold cream with the remaining salt to soft peaks. Put exactly two drops of bitter-almond extract into the cooled pâte à bombe and mix well. The aroma should be clear but restrained; bitter almond is powerful, and more ruins the centre. Fold in one-third of the cream to loosen the foam, then fold in the remainder and the chilled candied fruit with broad, gentle strokes. If the filling softens, refrigerate it for 10 minutes. Do not beat the finished mixture, or its air will be lost.

7. 7

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the filling into the frozen shell, pressing it gently against the sides to remove air pockets, and stop about ¾ inch (2 cm) below the rim. Soften the reserved Kümmel ice just until spreadable, then cover the filling completely and level it flush with the rim. This cap completes the shell. Cover the surface directly with parchment, wrap the mould well, and return it to the freezer.

8. 8

   Freeze until firm

   Freeze the bombe for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. It must be hard through the centre before unmoulding. A bombe that has frozen for only a few hours may appear firm outside while the pâte à bombe remains soft enough to slump when released.

9. 9

   Unmould and serve

   Chill the serving platter. Dip the mould up to its rim in warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, dry it, and invert it onto the platter. If the bombe does not release, wrap the mould in a warm towel for 10 seconds and try again; never pry at the edge. If the surface softens, freeze the unmoulded bombe for 15 minutes. Cut it with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices, revealing the candied fruit within. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Kümmel is a clear, sweet liqueur led by caraway, commonly supported by cumin and fennel. Anisette is not its equivalent and pulls the dessert in the wrong direction. If Kümmel cannot be found, choose another frozen dessert rather than hiding a different liqueur under its name.
• •Use only commercial food-safe bitter-almond extract. Never improvise with raw bitter almonds or homemade extract. Begin with two drops, distributed through the whole filling, because the intended flavour is a cool almond perfume, not a wall of marzipan.
• •A metal bombe mould freezes fastest and releases most cleanly. A smooth stainless-steel bowl of the same capacity is the honest home equivalent; avoid thick ceramic or glass, which responds slowly to both freezing and unmoulding.
• •The shell should measure about ½ inch (1.5 cm) throughout. Hold the lined mould toward a strong light before its final freeze: translucent patches are thin patches and need another spoonful of Kümmel ice.
• •Serve the bombe without an ornamental thicket. Its clean dome and the first cut through the jewelled centre provide all the ceremony required. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.

Advance Preparation

• •The crème anglaise for the Kümmel ice can be cooked and chilled up to 2 days ahead. Add the liqueur only after the custard is cold, then churn and clothe the mould.
• •Assemble the complete bombe at least the night before serving. Once frozen hard and wrapped closely, it keeps well for 3 days without losing the scent of the Kümmel or the tenderness of the candied fruit.
• •The bombe may be unmoulded onto its chilled platter up to 30 minutes before serving and returned to the freezer. Slice only at the table, using a hot, dry knife.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 185g)