Bombe Hilda

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-liter bombe mould or round-bottom stainless steel bowl, about 18 cm across
• •Ice cream machine
• •Food processor
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Electric stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Digital sugar thermometer
• •Flexible and offset spatulas

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast and skin hazelnuts

   Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Spread the hazelnuts in one layer and toast them for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the tray once, until the nuts smell deep and buttery and the exposed flesh is golden. Tip them immediately into a clean towel, fold it over, and rub firmly while they're warm. Discard every loose skin you can; a few stubborn flecks do no harm, but leaving the full papery coat makes the filbert ice bitter.

2. 2

   Infuse the dairy

   Pulse the warm-skinned hazelnuts with a spoonful of the measured sugar until they resemble fine damp sand, stopping before they release enough oil to become a heavy paste. Put them in a saucepan with the milk and 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g) cream. Bring the dairy just below a simmer, cover, and leave it to infuse for 30 minutes. Blend briefly, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to recover the fragrant dairy without forcing coarse nut particles through.

3. 3

   Cook filbert custard

   Whisk the 6 yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until smooth. Reheat the infused dairy, then pour one-third into the yolks while whisking. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a flexible spatula, until the custard coats it and reaches 82 to 84°C (180 to 183°F). Do not boil. If tiny grains appear, remove the pan at once, blend for 20 seconds, and strain into a cold bowl. Ça se rattrape. Set the bowl over ice, stir until cool, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

4. 4

   Churn filbert ice

   Churn the cold custard according to your machine's instructions until it holds the texture of firm soft ice cream. Freeze the empty bombe mould or metal bowl while the machine works. Use the filbert ice immediately for clothing the mould; if it has already hardened, let it soften in the cold until a spatula passes through it without melting the edges.

5. 5

   Clothe the mould

   Set the cold mould in a folded towel so it cannot roll. Using about two-thirds of the filbert ice, coat the bottom and sides in an even layer about 1.5 cm thick, rotating the mould as you press. This adapts the coating motion from Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916): jelly becomes ice, but clothing the mould still means building one continuous, even skin. Reserve the remaining ice for the base. Freeze the lined mould for 45 to 60 minutes. If the lining slides or exposes metal, stop and freeze it for 10 minutes, then patch the gap with colder ice.

6. 6

   Whip pâte à bombe

   Put the 5 yolks in the mixer bowl and begin whisking at medium speed. Combine the ½ cup (120 ml / 100 g) sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil without stirring, and cook to 118°C (244°F). With the mixer running, pour the syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl, never onto the whisk, then beat until the pâte à bombe is thick, pale, and cool enough that the bowl no longer feels warm. If the syrup crystallizes in its pan, add a spoonful of water and dissolve it gently before continuing; dry sugar crystals cannot be beaten smooth once they reach the yolks.

7. 7

   Fold the filling

   Fold the Green Chartreuse and the filbert Pralin (No. 2352) into the cool pâte à bombe until evenly dispersed. Reserve 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) of the cold cream, then whip the remainder only to soft peaks. If it becomes grainy, fold in the reserved liquid cream to relax it. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the pâte à bombe, then fold in the rest with broad, patient strokes. If the filling loosens because the pâte was still warm, set the bowl over ice for several minutes before filling the mould.

8. 8

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the Chartreuse filling into the frozen shell, pressing it gently into the curve so no large air pockets remain, and stop about 1 cm below the rim. Spread the reserved filbert ice over the opening to form a complete base, level it flush with the rim, and cover the surface directly with baking parchment. Wrap the mould tightly so the freezer cannot dry the ice.

9. 9

   Freeze until firm

   Freeze the assembled bombe on a level shelf for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the centre is firm. Chartreuse keeps the filling softer than the shell, which is part of the pleasure, but the bombe must be frozen through before unmoulding or its centre will push the shell apart.

10. 10

    Unmould and serve

    Remove the wrapping and dip the mould in warm water for 4 to 6 seconds, keeping water away from the bombe itself. Dry the mould, invert it onto a chilled platter, and lift straight upward. If it resists, wrap the outside briefly in a warm towel rather than soaking it again. Let the bombe stand in the cold for 8 to 10 minutes, then cut it with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. Serve without extra sauce; hazelnut, caramel, and Chartreuse have finished the conversation. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Skin the hazelnuts while they're warm. Once cool, the skins cling stubbornly, and their bitterness is especially obvious in a cold dessert because there is nowhere for it to hide.
• •Prepare the filbert Pralin (No. 2352) separately, exactly as the cross-reference intends, using toasted hazelnuts in place of almonds. Keep it dry and airtight; moisture turns its crisp caramel powder into a sticky mass.
• •Green Chartreuse gives the filling its firm herbal spine. Yellow Chartreuse is gentler and sweeter, but it changes the balance and produces a less distinct centre.
• •A bombe mould is helpful, not sacred. A round-bottom stainless steel bowl gives the same domed construction and releases cleanly, provided it is thoroughly cold before the filbert ice goes in.
• •Serve small wedges with black coffee or a modest glass of Chartreuse. No coulis, no decorative cream, no fuss. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the filbert Pralin (No. 2352) in advance and store it in a tightly closed container in a dry cupboard. Have the full measured quantity ready before beginning the bombe.
• •The filbert ice can be churned up to 2 days ahead. Press parchment directly against its surface and let it soften slightly in the cold before clothing the mould.
• •The assembled bombe may be frozen for up to 3 days. Wrap it tightly and unmould only when ready to serve, since its smooth filbert shell marks easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)