Bombe Aïda

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-litre metal bombe mould or stainless-steel mixing bowl
• •Blender and fine-mesh sieve
• •Ice-cream machine, or shallow metal tray and food processor
• •Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• •Small heavy saucepan and digital thermometer
• •Offset spatula or sturdy spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the strawberry base

   Chill the metal mould in the freezer. Blend the strawberries, 125 g sugar, and lemon juice for a full minute, until the sugar has dissolved and the purée runs smoothly. Press it through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, then chill it for at least 1 hour. Taste it cold: it should seem a shade sweeter than you want at the table, because freezing mutes both sweetness and perfume.

   Do not cook the strawberries. Aïda depends on their fresh acidity and vivid colour; boiling turns both dull before the freezing has even begun.
2. 2

   Churn the strawberry ice

   Churn the cold purée until it resembles soft, packable snow, usually 20 to 25 minutes. Without an ice-cream machine, freeze it in a shallow metal tray until firm at the edges and slushy in the middle, process it until smooth, then freeze it briefly until packable. If it becomes hard before you line the mould, move it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes and work it firmly with a spoon. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Clothe the mould

   Apply the mould-clothing action from Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) with strawberry ice: press about two-thirds of the ice evenly over the bottom and sides of the prechilled mould, making a shell about 1.25 cm thick. Freeze for 20 minutes, then hold the mould toward the light and patch every thin or translucent place. If the ice slides down the sides, it is too soft; return both mould and ice to the freezer for 10 minutes, then continue. Reserve the remaining strawberry ice for the closing layer and freeze the clothed mould until rigid, about 45 minutes.

   An offset spatula makes the upper rim easier to level, but the back of a sturdy spoon does the same work. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.
4. 4

   Cook the pâte à bombe

   Begin beating the yolks at medium speed until they are loose and lightly foamed. Put the 115 g sugar and 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 45 g) water in a small heavy saucepan, heat without stirring once it boils, and cook to 118°C. With the mixer running slowly, pour the syrup in a fine stream down the inside of the bowl, clear of the whisk and your hands. Increase the speed and beat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is pale, tripled in volume, and falls in a thick ribbon. If the syrup crystallizes before reaching temperature, add the reserved tablespoon of water, warm gently until clear, and begin the boil again. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Finish the Kirsch centre

   Keep beating until the pâte à bombe feels no warmer than the room, then beat in the measured Kirsch. Whip the cold cream to soft peaks that curl rather than stand stiffly. Fold one-third of it into the pâte à bombe to loosen the mixture, then fold in the rest with broad, deliberate strokes. If the yolk mixture is still warm, do not add the cream; set the bowl over ice and whisk until cool. If you folded too soon and the centre has loosened, set it over ice and fold gently every minute until it regains a mousse-like body. The Kirsch stays at 22 ml. More perfume is not more skill here.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Check that the strawberry shell is completely hard, then spoon in the Kirsch pâte à bombe, pressing gently into the curve so no large air pockets remain. Stop about 1.25 cm below the rim and freeze for 30 minutes, until the surface is firm. Soften the reserved strawberry ice in the refrigerator just until spreadable, then close the bombe with an even layer. If the ice drags through the pale centre, stop and freeze the centre for another 15 minutes before trying again. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

7. 7

   Unmould and slice

   Chill the serving platter for 20 minutes. Dip only the outside of the mould into lukewarm water for 5 to 8 seconds, dry it, invert it onto the platter, and lift. If it holds fast, repeat for 2 or 3 seconds; patience, not hot water. Should the shell soften or turn glossy, return the bombe to the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut generous wedges with a knife warmed in water and wiped dry between slices. Strawberry, Kirsch, cream, and nothing else to hide behind. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use strawberries that smell ripe before you cut them. Out of season, unsweetened frozen berries picked at their peak are the honest choice; thaw them in a sieve and weigh 600 g after draining away only the excess water.
• •Kirsch means the dry, clear cherry eau-de-vie, not a sweet cherry liqueur. Measure the 22 ml. Too much alcohol lowers the freezing point and leaves the centre soft, however long you wait.
• •The source's cross-reference to Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) concerns geometry, not flavour: the same mould-clothing action works first with jelly and here with strawberry ice. No sole belongs near the freezer.
• •Let the finished bombe stand in the refrigerator for 8 minutes before slicing if your freezer runs very cold. The shell should yield to the knife without losing its clean outline.

Advance Preparation

• •Freeze the ice-cream machine bowl according to its instructions, usually overnight, before beginning the strawberry ice.
• •The strawberry ice and clothed mould can be prepared a day ahead. Cover the frozen shell tightly so its surface does not collect ice crystals.
• •The completed bombe needs at least 6 hours in the freezer and is better left overnight. Once firm, wrap it well; it keeps its best texture for up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)