Surprise Omelet with Cherries

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •7-inch (18 cm), 1 1/2-quart bowl
• •10-inch (25 cm) ovenproof metal platter or heavy rimmed baking sheet
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Offset spatula or broad metal spoon
• •Small saucepan and instant-read thermometer
• •Long match and metal lid for the flambé

Instructions

1. 1

   Sugar the cherries

   Toss the sour cherries with the 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar in a nonreactive bowl. This is the home equivalent of half-sugared cherries: sugar equal to half the fruit's weight, enough to protect their texture without turning them into candied fruit. Leave them for 45 minutes, add the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Kirsch, then cover and chill for another 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve for at least 15 minutes and blot lightly. They must be cold and remarkably dry; loose syrup cuts melting channels through the ice.

   Frozen sour cherries are an honest choice outside their season. Thaw them completely before weighing, then drain away the thawing liquid before adding the sugar.
2. 2

   Shape the frozen heart

   Line a 7-inch (18 cm) bowl with two crossing sheets of plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. Soften the sorbets separately for 5 to 10 minutes, only until a spoon passes through with resistance. Stir the red-currant and raspberry sorbets together to make 1 1/4 cups of raspberry-scented red-currant ice, then fold it with an equal volume of cherry sorbet and the drained half-sugared cherries. Keep broad streaks rather than beating everything smooth. Pack the mixture firmly into the bowl, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours, until the centre is solid and pressure leaves no dent. If the mixture slumps while you work, stop and freeze it in the bowl before handling it again. Ça se rattrape; a longer freeze costs nothing, while a soft centre costs the dessert.

3. 3

   Seat it on Génoise

   Set the Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) on an ovenproof metal platter. Uncover the frozen fruit dome and invert it in the centre of the cake, leaving a narrow Génoise border all around. If the dome refuses to release, press a warm towel against the outside of the bowl for 3 to 5 seconds, then try again; do not run water over it. Remove the plastic wrap and return the entire platter to the freezer for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Whip the meringue

   Set a rack in the centre of the oven and heat it to 500°F (260°C). Beat the pasteurized whites in a spotless bowl at medium speed until they form an even foam, then raise the speed and add the 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar a tablespoon at a time. Continue until the meringue is dense, glossy, and holds a stiff peak. Rub a little between two fingers: if it feels gritty, keep beating until the sugar has dissolved. A soft meringue slides from the ice, so don't proceed until the peak stands cleanly.

5. 5

   Seal the ice

   Take the frozen dome from the freezer and cover it immediately with meringue, making a layer about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick over the top and sides. Carry the meringue all the way down to the platter so no ice, cherry, or Génoise remains exposed. The seal is insulation, not decoration; one bare seam gives the oven a door into the centre. Raise loose ridges with the back of a spoon, then freeze the covered omelette for 20 to 30 minutes while the oven finishes heating.

6. 6

   Brown it fast

   Transfer the omelette directly from the freezer to the fully heated oven. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, watching continuously, until the ridges are hazelnut brown and the hollows remain ivory. Rotate the platter once if the colour develops unevenly. Do not wait for every pale patch to darken; lingering is how the centre melts. If a little ice begins to seep, remove the dessert at once and serve it immediately. The meringue has given you all the protection it can.

7. 7

   Flame and serve

   Arrange the drained brandied cherries in a generous ring around the hot-browned omelette. Have every guest seated, the plates ready, and a metal lid close at hand. Warm the 1/4 cup (60 ml) Kirsch in a small saucepan over low heat to about 120°F (50°C), warm but never simmering, then turn off the burner and move the pan away from the stove. At the table, pour the measured Kirsch over the cherry ring and touch a long match to its edge. Never pour alcohol from a bottle near a flame, and never add more once it is lit. Let the blue flame subside, or cover it with the metal lid to extinguish it, then cut through the meringue and frozen centre without delay. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Red-currant sorbet is the difficult purchase. Order it from a good ice maker, or prepare it from frozen red currants picked ripe; don't replace it with cassis, which is darker, muskier, and powerful enough to change the whole dessert.
• •Choose smooth fruit sorbets without pieces of fruit. Large frozen pieces interfere with the equal-volume mixture and make the dome difficult to cut cleanly.
• •Drain both sets of cherries with conviction. The half-sugared cherries carry Kirsch inside the ice, while the brandied cherries make the ring outside, but excess syrup from either one weakens the structure.
• •The brief oven time browns the meringue without thoroughly cooking its deepest layer. Pasteurized whites preserve the method and make the dessert safer for every guest; carton whites must be labeled suitable for whipping.
• •Flambéing is service, not bravado. Measure the Kirsch before lighting, move the bottle away, keep sleeves and hair clear, and have a metal lid ready. The flame should be brief and controlled.

Advance Preparation

• •Macerate and drain the half-sugared cherries earlier the same day or the evening before. Keep them covered and cold, then blot them once more before folding them into the sorbets.
• •The fruit dome can be frozen up to 3 days ahead. Once solid, wrap it tightly in its bowl so it doesn't collect frost or freezer aromas.
• •The Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) can be prepared a day ahead and kept tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• •The dome can be seated on the Génoise and sealed under meringue up to 4 hours before service. Keep it frozen uncovered until the meringue is firm, then shield it loosely from contact with other food.
• •Drain the brandied cherries and measure the flaming Kirsch before dinner, but warm and ignite the spirit only after the omelette leaves the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 270g)