Bombe Sélika

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1½-quart (1.4 L) metal bombe mould or deep stainless-steel bowl
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Food processor
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the mould

   Put a 1½-quart (1.4 L) metal bombe mould or deep metal bowl in the coldest part of the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Chill a serving platter beside it. A frozen mould catches the pralined ice on contact, giving you an even shell instead of a puddle at the bottom.

2. 2

   Make the pralin

   Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly coloured, then tip them onto a plate. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook without stirring until the syrup becomes a deep amber caramel. If crystals gather at the edge, cover the pan for 30 seconds so condensation washes them down, then continue gently. Add the warm nuts, turn them through the caramel, and pour everything onto parchment to cool hard. Break it up and pulse it to a very fine sandy pralin that just begins to clump.

3. 3

   Clothe the mould

   Fold the fine pralin through the softened vanilla ice cream until evenly distributed. Reserve about ¾ cup for sealing the base, then use Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) as the technical reference for clothing: it supplies the principle of fixing an even coat against a cold mould. Here, press the pralined ice firmly over the bottom and sides with a chilled spoon or offset spatula, turning the mould as you work, until the shell is about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Freeze it for 20 minutes, inspect for thin patches, and repair them before filling.

   The cross-reference concerns mould technique only. Its sole and jelly remain in their own entry; neither belongs in Bombe Sélika.

   If the ice cream turns glossy and loose while you work, return both bowl and mould to the freezer for 10 minutes. Spreadable is right; melted will freeze coarse.
4. 4

   Whisk the pâte

   Bring the sugar and water for the pâte à bombe to a clear bubbling syrup in a small saucepan. Put the yolks in a heatproof bowl and begin whisking, then pour in the hot syrup in a thin thread down the side of the bowl. Set the bowl over barely simmering water, never letting its base touch the water, and whisk continuously until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), triples in volume, and falls from the whisk in a broad ribbon that rests briefly on the surface. If the yolks begin to look grainy, lift the bowl from the heat at once, whisk in 1 tablespoon of the cold cream, and pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Cool and fold

   Remove the bowl from the heat and keep whisking until the pâte à bombe is completely cold, ideally no warmer than 70°F (21°C). Set the bowl over an ice bath if necessary, then whisk in the Curaçao. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the remaining cream and whip the rest to soft peaks. Fold one spoonful into the pâte à bombe as a test; if it melts and loosens immediately, stop, chill the base for 10 minutes, and try again. Once the base holds the cream, fold in the remainder in two additions with broad, deliberate strokes. If the cream was whipped too far and looks grainy, work in the reserved liquid cream before folding.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the Curaçao pâte à bombe into the frozen pralined shell, pressing it gently into the curve so no hollow pockets remain. Leave ½ inch (1.25 cm) clear at the top and freeze for 30 minutes, just until the filling firms enough to support its cap. Spread the reserved pralined ice over the centre, sealing it completely to the frozen edge of the shell. Smooth the base level, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

7. 7

   Unmould and serve

   Wrap the mould briefly in a towel dipped in lukewarm water, then invert it onto the chilled platter. Wait several seconds and lift straight up. If the bombe refuses to release, warm the sides for another 3 seconds rather than forcing it; if the surface softens too far, return the whole mould to the freezer for 20 minutes and begin again. Let the unmoulded bombe stand for 5 to 8 minutes, then cut it with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices. The spoon should meet a firm praline shell and a lighter Curaçao centre. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use dry orange Curaçao, not blue liqueur. The flavour should be bitter orange against roasted nuts, while the centre remains naturally pale. Keep to the measured amount; extra alcohol prevents a frozen dessert from setting cleanly.
• •Premium vanilla ice cream is the honest home equivalent for the separate plain ice base a pastry brigade kept ready. Choose one made chiefly from cream, milk, yolks, sugar, and vanilla; a highly aerated, low-fat product makes a weak shell.
• •No bombe mould is required. A deep 1½-quart (1.4 L) stainless-steel bowl gives the correct dome and conducts cold well. Glass freezes more slowly and is less forgiving during unmoulding.
• •Serve Bombe Sélika with black coffee or a small glass of the same Curaçao. It needs no sauce or ornamental fruit; the cut face, showing praline around the pale centre, is its decoration.

Advance Preparation

• •The pralin can be made up to one week ahead and kept airtight at room temperature. Humidity makes caramel sticky, so keep it away from the refrigerator.
• •Assemble and freeze the bombe up to three days before serving. Once fully firm, wrap the mould tightly so the pralined ice does not collect freezer odours.
• •Unmould it shortly before dessert and return it to the freezer on its chilled platter. Move it to the table 5 to 8 minutes before slicing so the centre yields without losing its shape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 140g)