Various Surprise Omelets

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) rimmed baking sheet
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Heatproof mixing bowl and saucepan for the bain-marie
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Heavy metal baking sheet safe under the broiler
• •Pastry brush
• •Long slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Bake the biscuit génoise

   Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the whole eggs, ½ cup caster sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer until very pale, tripled in volume, and thick enough to leave a ribbon on the surface for several seconds. Fold in the sifted flour in three additions, keeping as much air as you can. Stir a large spoonful of batter into the melted butter, then fold that lightened butter mixture gently through the bowl. Spread the batter about 1 cm thick and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until pale gold and springy under a fingertip. Cool completely.

   Fold from the bottom and turn the bowl as you work. If the batter loses some volume, don't panic; it will still make a sound base, only a slightly firmer one.
2. 2

   Shape the three ices

   Let each ice soften separately for 5 to 10 minutes, only until it can be pressed without turning liquid. Spoon each flavor onto its own sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a compact oval log about 13 cm long, 6 cm wide, and 5 cm high (5 by 2½ by 2 inches). Wrap tightly, label each flavor, and freeze on a level tray for at least 4 hours, until solid through the center. If an ice grows glossy or slumps while shaping, stop and return it to the freezer for 15 minutes before continuing.

3. 3

   Make the soaking syrup

   Bring the water and 3 tablespoons caster sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute, then cool completely and stir in the orange liqueur, if using. The syrup should perfume and moisten the biscuit, not saturate it; a sodden base cannot support the ice.

4. 4

   Build the frozen centers

   Use the wrapped ice logs as guides to cut three oval biscuit bases, each about 1 cm wider than its ice on every side. Set the bases on separate labeled pieces of parchment and brush each lightly with about 1 tablespoon of syrup. Unwrap the ice, place each log on its matching base, and trim away any biscuit extending more than 1 cm. Freeze the assembled centers for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the meringue.

5. 5

   Whip the meringue suisse

   Combine the egg whites, 1¼ cups caster sugar, and lemon juice in a spotless heatproof bowl. Set it over a saucepan holding 2.5 cm (1 inch) of barely simmering water, making certain the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F). Remove it from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until the meringue is dense, glossy, cool, and holds a firm peak, about 6 to 8 minutes. If it feels grainy, the sugar hasn't dissolved; return it to the bain-marie and whisk gently until smooth. If it remains loose, keep beating until the bowl is cool. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Seal every surface

   Work with one frozen center at a time and keep the others in the freezer. Cover the ice with a layer of meringue about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick, carrying it down to meet the biscuit and pressing the join closed all the way around. No ice may remain visible. Shape broad ridges with the back of a spoon, then repeat with the other flavors. Reserve a little meringue for repairs. Freeze the coated omelettes-surprises uncovered for at least 1 hour. Inspect them before browning; if a crack or thin patch appears, cover it with reserved meringue and freeze for another 20 minutes.

7. 7

   Brown under fierce heat

   Heat the broiler for a full 10 minutes with a rack about 15 cm (6 inches) beneath the element. Chill a heavy metal baking sheet in the freezer, then transfer one omelette-surprise to it. Broil for 45 to 90 seconds, turning the sheet once if necessary, until the ridges are deeply golden while the hollows remain ivory. Watch without looking away. Brown the remaining two the same way. If one side colors too quickly, move that area away from the element; if the ice begins to soften at the base, stop and return the dessert to the freezer for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Name and serve

   Transfer the omelettes-surprises to a chilled platter and identify them as vanille, chocolat, and framboise before cutting, because the exterior gives nothing away. Dip a long knife in hot water, dry it thoroughly, and slice each dessert in half. Serve at once while the meringue is browned and supple and the centers remain firm. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose dense ice cream with a clean flavor and little overrun. Very airy ice cream collapses quickly once softened and leaves pockets beneath the meringue; a compact ice gives a neat, generous slice.
• •The source's naming rule is part of the dish. Change the frozen center freely, but change the title with it: Omelette-surprise au café for coffee ice, au praliné for praline, or au cassis for blackcurrant sorbet. The outside never tells.
• •The meringue seal matters more than decorative peaks. Keep it thick at the shoulders and close it firmly against the biscuit, because heat enters through gaps, not through properly built meringue.
• •Use butter in the biscuit, not margarine. The sponge is thin, so its butter flavor remains clear beneath the ice and toasted meringue. We don't apologize for butter.
• •A broiler varies wildly from oven to oven. Test its fiercest area with a marshmallow or a spoonful of spare meringue, then position the dessert where the color develops evenly.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake the biscuit génoise up to 2 days ahead, cool it completely, and keep it airtight. It may also be frozen for up to 1 month.
• •Shape and label the ice logs up to 1 week ahead. Keep them tightly wrapped so their flavors remain distinct and their surfaces don't dry.
• •The desserts may be assembled and covered with meringue up to 24 hours before serving. Freeze them uncovered until firm, then shield them loosely without touching the meringue.
• •Brown the omelettes-surprises only when the table is ready. Once they leave the broiler, they wait for no one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)