Glace Francillon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1 to 1.1 liter square metal mould, about 13 cm wide
• •Ice-cream maker
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small offset spatula
• •Long slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the equipment

   Set a 1 to 1.1 liter square metal mould on a flat freezer shelf for at least 30 minutes. Chill an offset spatula and a small covered container beside it. The ice-cream maker's bowl must already be completely frozen according to its maker's instructions; a half-frozen bowl gives you sweet cream slush, and no amount of ceremony will persuade slush to hold a square corner.

2. 2

   Infuse the coffee

   Reserve ¼ cup (60 ml) of the coffee-ice milk. Put the remaining milk, the coffee-ice cream, and the cracked beans in a saucepan. Heat until tiny bubbles gather at the edge, then remove from the heat, cover, and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve without crushing the beans, which would bring bitterness, then add the reserved milk. The infusion should smell almost too strong for a cup of coffee because freezing will soften its aroma.

3. 3

   Cook the coffee anglaise

   Whisk the 4 yolks with the coffee-ice sugar and half the salt until smooth, not frothy. Bring the infused dairy back to a gentle heat, whisk one-third of it into the yolks, then return everything to the saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the anglaise reaches 80 to 82°C (176 to 180°F) and becomes nappé (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Never let it boil. If fine grains appear, pull the pan off the heat at once, set its base in ice water, blend briefly, and strain; it can be rescued while the grains are small, but a fully boiled custard cannot be returned to silk.

4. 4

   Make the brandy anglaise

   Heat the brandy-ice milk and cream until bubbles gather around the edge. Whisk the remaining yolks with the brandy-ice sugar and remaining salt, temper them with one-third of the hot dairy, then return the mixture to the pan. Stir over low heat to the same nappé stage, 80 to 82°C (176 to 180°F), and strain immediately into a clean bowl. Do not add the Cognac while the custard is hot; heat throws away its perfume.

5. 5

   Chill both bases

   Set both bowls over ice water and stir until thoroughly cold, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir the Cognac into the cold brandy anglaise. Keep to the measured amount: more brandy does not make a finer ice, it makes one too soft to hold its place inside the mould.

6. 6

   Chemiser the mould

   Churn the coffee anglaise until dense and softly ridged. The chemisage follows Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916): spoon the coffee ice into the frozen mould and use the chilled spatula to spread an even layer about 1½ cm (⅝ inch) thick across the bottom and up all four sides, pressing it firmly into the corners. Reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of coffee ice for the top. Freeze the clothed mould and the covered reserve for 35 to 45 minutes. If the walls slide, the ice is still too loose. Ça se rattrape: scrape it back into its container, freeze for 10 minutes, stir well, and chemiser again.

   Check the shell against the light before freezing it. Thin patches look darker and glossy; fill them now, because the plain exterior leaves every uneven wall visible when sliced.
7. 7

   Fill and seal

   Churn the liqueur-brandy anglaise until it holds soft ridges. Pack it into the coffee shell a spoonful at a time, pressing toward the corners so no air pockets remain, and stop 1½ cm (⅝ inch) below the rim. If the brandy ice stays slushy after a normal churning cycle, spread it in a shallow chilled pan and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, before filling. Let the reserved coffee ice soften for a few minutes if necessary, then spread it across the top to seal the brandy ice completely. Level the surface, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 4 hours.

8. 8

   Unmould and serve

   Chill a flat serving platter. Dip the mould only to its rim in lukewarm water for 3 seconds, dry it, invert it onto the platter, and lift. If it refuses, repeat for 2 seconds rather than tugging; patience keeps the square sharp. Return the unmoulded Francillon to the freezer for 10 minutes if its surface has softened. Cut it with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. Serve it bare, exactly as intended. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The coffee ice carries the dessert, so use freshly roasted beans with a deep chocolate and toasted-nut character. An oily, nearly black roast turns bitter in the custard, while a very pale roast disappears once frozen.
• •Measure the Cognac. Three tablespoons perfume the ice and keep it tender; an enthusiastic extra pour lowers the freezing point until the center slumps when the mould is cut.
• •Metal gives the cleanest square because it freezes quickly and releases after a brief dip in water. A square freezer container also works, but allow several extra seconds before expecting the shell to release.
• •No garnish. The source is exact about this, and it is right. Fruit, cream, or chocolate would blur the conversation between coffee and brandy.

Advance Preparation

• •Freeze a removable ice-cream machine bowl for the full time specified by its maker. Most require a long, uninterrupted freeze before churning.
• •Both anglaises can be cooked and chilled up to 24 hours ahead. Keep them separately covered, and add the Cognac to its base only after that base is cold.
• •The assembled Francillon can remain tightly covered in the freezer for up to 3 days. Transfer it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before unmoulding if it has frozen extremely hard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 205g)