Bombe Nabab

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-liter metal bombe mould or deep freezer-safe bowl
• •Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• •Candy thermometer
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Small offset spatula
• •Long slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill and dice

   Freeze a 1.5-liter metal bombe mould or freezer-safe bowl for 30 minutes. Chill the mixer bowl and whisk as well. Dice the candied fruit into 5 mm pieces, smaller than a pea, and blot away any sticky surface syrup. Combine the Cognac and orange liqueur, pour them over the fruit, and leave it for 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly, reserving the fragrant liquid, then return the fruit to the cold.

   Large or wet pieces of fruit are heavy enough to sink through the filling. Small, dry dice remain scattered and give every slice a little color.
2. 2

   Clothe the mould

   Chemiser, to clothe the mould, is the technique for which the source points to Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916). Spoon about two-thirds of the softened praline ice cream into the frozen mould and spread it over the point and sides in an even layer about 1 cm thick. Freeze for 20 minutes, inspect the shell against a light, and patch every thin place with more ice cream. Reserve about 1/2 cup (120 ml / 100 g) for sealing the base, then freeze the clothed mould until completely hard. If the ice cream slides instead of holding, stop and freeze everything for 10 minutes before continuing.

3. 3

   Cook the syrup

   Put the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and warm gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring it to a boil without stirring and cook to 118°C or 244°F. If crystals collect around the edge, cover the pan for 30 seconds so condensation washes them down. If the syrup turns opaque and grainy, add a spoonful of water, dissolve it gently, and begin the boil again. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Build the pâte

   Begin whisking the yolks at medium speed as the syrup reaches temperature. Reduce the mixer to low and pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl, keeping it away from the moving whisk so it doesn't splatter or spin into hard threads. Increase the speed and whisk for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pâte à bombe is pale, greatly increased in volume, and falls in a thick ribbon from the whisk. The bowl must feel no warmer than your hand. If it remains warm, set it over an ice bath and keep whisking; warm pâte à bombe melts the cream and weakens the frozen center.

5. 5

   Fold in cream

   Beat the reserved Cognac-orange liquid into the cool pâte à bombe a teaspoon at a time. In the chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks that hold their shape but still bend at the tip. Fold one-third of the cream into the pâte à bombe to lighten it, then fold in the remainder with broad, deliberate strokes. If the filling becomes loose or glossy, chill it for 10 minutes before filling the mould. Don't try to repair it by beating harder, which only knocks out the air you need.

6. 6

   Layer the filling

   Return the hard praline shell to the freezer until the moment you are ready to fill it. Spoon in one-third of the pâte à bombe, scatter over one-third of the drained candied fruit, and repeat until the mould is filled to within 1 cm of the rim. Do not stir all the fruit through the filling and do not thump the mould on the counter; either action sends it toward the point. Smooth the surface, cover it with the reserved praline ice cream, and freeze immediately.

7. 7

   Freeze it firm

   Press parchment directly against the ice cream base, wrap the entire mould well, and set it level in the coldest part of the freezer for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Alcohol and sugar keep the center tender, which is lovely on the spoon but demands a full freeze. A Bombe Nabab that has had only a hurried chill will slump when turned out.

8. 8

   Turn out and slice

   Chill the serving platter. Remove the wrapping and press a warm, well-wrung towel around the mould for 5 to 8 seconds, then invert it onto the platter. If the bombe refuses to release, give it another 3 seconds of warmth, no more. If the surface begins to soften before serving, return the unmoulded bombe to the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a dense praline ice cream with a clear toasted-nut flavor. Too much incorporated air makes a fragile shell that melts quickly once unmoulded.
• •If praline ice cream is unavailable, soften 2 2/3 cups (640 ml / about 530 g) dense vanilla ice cream and work in 1/3 cup (80 ml / 90 g) smooth almond-hazelnut praliné paste. Keep the combined volume near 3 cups (720 ml). This preserves the required pralined shell; plain vanilla does not.
• •Candied cherries, orange peel, citron, and angelica make a handsome mixture, but the exact assortment matters less than the cut. Dice everything small and blot it dry before it enters the filling.
• •Keep the alcohol measured. Cognac and orange liqueur provide fragrance and keep the center softly spoonable, but a generous free pour prevents a clean freeze.
• •Serve the Bombe Nabab with black coffee or a small glass of Cognac. It already contains its sauce, fruit, and ceremony, so it needs no extra garnish.

Advance Preparation

• •The praline shell can be clothed, patched, wrapped, and frozen a day before the filling is made.
• •The completed bombe is best frozen overnight and may be held, tightly wrapped in its mould, for up to 3 days.
• •Chill the serving platter and dessert plates before unmoulding. Cold crockery buys the cook a calmer ten minutes at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)