Iced Biscuit Napolitaine

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) metal loaf tin
• •Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Digital instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Blender or food processor
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Ice cream machine
• •Small offset spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare mould and fruit

   Line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin with two crossed sheets of food-safe wrap, smoothing them closely into the corners and leaving enough overhang to cover the top. Chill the lined tin. Toss the strawberries with their sugar, lemon juice, and cold water, then leave them for 15 minutes until glossy and juicy. Purée completely, press through a fine sieve, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour. A cold mixture churns finely; a warm one freezes slowly and grows coarse crystals.

2. 2

   Build the pâte à bombe

   Put the pasteurized yolks and salt in the mixer bowl and beat until loosened. Bring the remaining sugar and water to a boil in a small pan without stirring, then cook to 244°F (118°C). With the mixer running at medium speed, pour the syrup in a fine stream down the inside of the bowl, keeping it away from both whisk and yolk. Increase the speed and beat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pâte à bombe is pale, thick enough to fall in a ribbon, and no longer warm. If the syrup crystallizes before reaching temperature, stop and add 1 tablespoon of water, dissolve it gently, and begin the boil again. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Fold and divide

   Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cold cream, then whip the rest to soft peaks that bend at their tips. Fold one-third into the pâte à bombe to loosen it, then fold in the remainder without beating out the air. If the cream starts looking grainy, stir in the reserved liquid cream before folding. Divide the mixture about 55 to 45, giving the slightly larger share to the vanilla. Fold the vanilla paste into that portion. Stir a spoonful of the smaller portion into the Pralin paste until smooth, then fold this back through the rest. Cover the pralined biscuit mixture closely and refrigerate it.

4. 4

   Pack the vanilla

   Spoon the vanilla biscuit mixture into the base of the chilled mould. Press it gently into every corner, tap the tin once to settle hidden air pockets, and sweep the surface perfectly flat with a small offset spatula. Freeze for 60 to 90 minutes at 0°F (-18°C), until the surface is firm and a fingertip leaves no dent. The clock advises; the surface decides.

5. 5

   Churn the strawberry

   Churn the cold strawberry mixture according to your machine's directions until dense and softly set, usually 15 to 25 minutes. Check the vanilla layer before proceeding. Spoon the strawberry ice over it in small dollops, then spread it into a flat band without driving the spatula into the vanilla. If the lower layer buckles or ivory streaks appear, lift the strawberry back into its bowl and freeze the vanilla for another 20 minutes. Ça se rattrape. Level the strawberry band and freeze for another 60 to 90 minutes, until firm.

6. 6

   Add pralined biscuit

   Take the pralined biscuit mixture from the refrigerator and fold it two or three times if it has settled, stopping as soon as it is supple. Confirm that the strawberry layer is firm, then pack the pralined mixture into the mould, filling the corners first and levelling the top. Fold the wrap over the surface and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. These clean, fully frozen divisions are the Napolitaine, so don't bargain with them.

7. 7

   Unmould and slice

   Chill the serving platter. Uncover the mould and dip only its outside in warm water for 3 to 5 seconds, then invert it onto the platter and lift away the tin and wrap. Let the biscuit glacé stand for 8 to 10 minutes, just until a knife enters without cracking the layers. Warm and dry the blade between every cut, then serve thick slices with all three bands intact. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Pralined is the book's word: flavoured with Pralin, a smooth paste of caramelized nuts. Buy a proper hazelnut-almond Pralin paste, not plain nut butter, and stir it well before measuring because its oil can rise in the jar.
• •Strawberries carry the middle band, so use ripe fruit when it smells of itself. Out of season, thawed frozen strawberries are the honest classical-pantry answer; they were picked ripe and make a better ice than pale fresh berries.
• •Set the mould on the coldest, flattest freezer shelf. A tilted tin gives you wedges instead of bands, and a freezer crowded with warm food slows every layer.
• •Keep the finished biscuit glacé tightly wrapped for up to one week. Let it soften only enough to cut, then return the remainder to the freezer before its edges begin to slump.

Advance Preparation

• •The strawberry mixture can be puréed, strained, and refrigerated one day ahead. Churn it only when the vanilla layer is nearly firm.
• •Complete the mould the evening before the celebration and freeze it overnight. The longer final rest makes cleaner slices and removes all last-minute work.
• •The whole biscuit glacé can be unmoulded up to 2 hours before serving, covered without touching its surface, and returned to the freezer on its platter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 140g)