Name: Bombe Africaine
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 h
Yield: One 5-cup (1.2 litre) bombe, 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2½ cups (600 ml / 500 g) dense dark chocolate ice cream, softened until spreadable but not melted; 1 cup (240 ml / 250 g) smooth unsweetened apricot purée, thoroughly chilled; 4 large egg yolks (about 72 g), preferably pasteurized; ½ cup (120 ml / 100 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (60 ml / 60 g) water; 1¼ cups (300 ml / 300 g) heavy cream, at least 35 percent fat, thoroughly chilled; Technique reference: Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916), used only for clothing the mould; no food from that preparation enters the dessert

Question 1

Can I make Bombe Africaine without a bombe mould?

Accepted Answer

Use a smoothly rounded stainless-steel bowl with a 5-cup, or 1.2-litre, capacity. Metal freezes quickly and releases the Bombe Africaine cleanly after brief warming. Avoid bowls with corners, ridges, or a flat interior base because they make the thin chocolate ice cream shell difficult to spread and unmould.

Question 2

How thick should the chocolate shell for Bombe Africaine be?

Accepted Answer

Spread the dark chocolate ice cream into an even 5-to-7-millimetre shell with no bare metal or heavy bottom ridge. If the ice cream slides or pools, chill the mould and ice cream separately for 10 minutes, then patch the wall. Do not add extra thickness, which overwhelms the apricot centre.

Question 3

How do I add hot sugar syrup to the egg yolks without making hard threads?

Accepted Answer

Boil the sugar syrup to exactly 118°C, or 244°F, then pour it in a very thin stream down the inside of the bowl while beating the egg yolks at medium speed. Keep the stream away from the moving beaters. Beat for 7 to 10 minutes, until tripled, ribboning, and barely cool.

Question 4

What can I substitute for unsweetened apricot purée in Bombe Africaine?

Accepted Answer

Use canned apricot halves packed in juice when unsweetened apricot purée is unavailable. Drain the fruit thoroughly, purée it until completely smooth, and weigh 250 grams of finished purée. Chill the apricot purée before folding it into the pâte à bombe so the whipped filling remains thick and light.

Question 5

How do I unmould and slice Bombe Africaine cleanly?

Accepted Answer

Dip only the mould’s exterior in warm water for 5 seconds, dry it, invert it onto a chilled platter, and lift gently under a warm towel. If necessary, dip for 2 more seconds without forcing. Rest the Bombe Africaine for 5 to 8 minutes, then slice with a hot, dry knife.

Question 6

How far ahead can I make Bombe Africaine, and how should I store it?

Accepted Answer

Assemble Bombe Africaine up to three days ahead and freeze it covered at minus 18°C, or 0°F, for at least 8 hours before unmoulding. Covering prevents freezer aromas from reaching the dessert. Closely wrapped leftovers keep frozen for one week, although the texture is best during the first few days.

Ingredient	Quantity
dense dark chocolate ice creamsoftened until spreadable but not melted	2½ cups (600 ml / 500 g)
smooth unsweetened apricot puréethoroughly chilled	1 cup (240 ml / 250 g)
large egg yolkspreferably pasteurized	4 (about 72 g)

Culinary Explorer

Bombe Africaine

Ingredients

dense dark chocolate ice cream

smooth unsweetened apricot purée

large egg yolks

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