Bombe Suzanne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5-cup (1.2 L) metal bombe mould or deep stainless-steel bowl
• •Ice-cream machine with its bowl fully frozen
• •Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• •Instant-read or sugar thermometer
• •Small offset spatula
• •Chilled serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill mould and tools

   The source sends you to Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916) for chemisage, the physical method of clothing a mould with a thin layer that sets before the centre is added. It is a technique reference, not a savoury ingredient. Put a 5-cup (1.2 L) metal bombe mould or deep stainless-steel bowl, an offset spatula, and the serving platter in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Churn the rum ice

   Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes, just until perfectly clear. Cool the syrup quickly over an ice bath, then stir in the rum. Touch a toothpick to the pink colouring and dissolve that trace in a spoonful of syrup before adding it gradually to the rest. Stop at the palest blush; strong pink reads as candy. Chill thoroughly, then churn until thick and spreadable, about 20 to 25 minutes. Rum keeps an ice soft, so don't add an extra celebratory slosh. If the churned ice remains loose, spread it in a shallow tray and freeze for 20 minutes until it has the consistency of firm mortar.

3. 3

   Clothe the mould

   Reserve about ¾ cup (180 ml) of the rum ice for the closing layer and keep it covered in the freezer. Pack the remainder over the bottom and sides of the frozen mould in an even layer about ⅜ inch (8 mm) thick, pushing it firmly against the metal with the back of a cold spoon or offset spatula. Hold the mould toward the light and patch every thin spot, then freeze for 45 minutes, until a fingertip leaves no mark. If the coating slides down the walls, scrape it back into its container and chill both mould and ice for another 15 minutes before trying again. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Whip the pâte à bombe

   Put the yolks and vanilla seeds in the mixer bowl and begin whisking at low speed. Boil the sugar and water without stirring until the syrup reaches 244°F (118°C). Increase the mixer to medium and pour the syrup in a slender stream down the inside of the bowl, keeping it away from the whisk itself. Whip at high speed until the pâte à bombe is pale, thick enough to fall in a ribbon, and completely cool, about 7 to 10 minutes. Warmth is the danger here: if the bowl still feels warm, set it over ice water and keep whisking until cool. Fold cream into a warm base and it melts, so wait.

5. 5

   Fold in the cream

   Set aside 2 tablespoons of the liquid cream, then whip the remainder to soft peaks that bend at their tips. If it turns grainy, whisk in the reserved cream a teaspoon at a time until smooth again. Stir one-third of the whipped cream firmly into the pâte à bombe to lighten it, then fold in the rest with broad turns of the spatula, reaching to the bottom each time. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain; the air you preserve here gives the frozen centre its satin texture.

6. 6

   Vein with currants

   Stir the room-temperature Bar-le-Duc jam gently until spoonable without crushing its currants. Drop it over the vanilla mixture in small spoonfuls and make three or four broad folds, no more. You want garnet veins running through ivory cream, not a uniformly pink filling. If the preserve sits in one heavy clump, press that clump gently against the side of the bowl and fold once more.

7. 7

   Seal and freeze

   Spoon the filling into the frozen rum-ice shell, working it into the curve without leaving air pockets, and stop about ⅜ inch (1 cm) below the rim. Soften the reserved rum ice in the refrigerator for a few minutes if it has hardened, then spread it over the filling to close the bombe completely. Level the surface, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 5 hours, until solid through the centre. The shell, the vanilla pâte à bombe, and the Bar-le-Duc currants are the dish; this final freezing cannot be hurried.

8. 8

   Turn out cleanly

   Wrap the mould for 5 seconds in a kitchen towel dipped in warm water and wrung nearly dry. Invert it over the frozen platter and lift gently. If the bombe refuses to release, repeat for 3 seconds rather than warming it continuously. Should the shell soften at the edge, return the unmoulded bombe to the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices, revealing the pale rum shell, vanilla centre, and red-currant veins. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Bar-le-Duc jam is the proper preserve here, prized for whole red currants held in clear jelly. If it cannot be found, use a good red-currant preserve with a bright, tart finish; seedless jelly will give the flavour but not the little bursts of fruit.
• •Colour a spoonful of rum syrup first, then use that to tint the full batch gradually. The finished shell should resemble the inside of a seashell, not confectionery. Once the colour looks obvious in the saucepan, it is already enough.
• •Keep the measured rum exact. Alcohol softens an ice, which makes the shell pleasant to cut, but too much prevents a firm release from the mould.
• •For outdoor service, transport the bombe inside its mould in an insulated cooler surrounded by frozen packs. Turn it out onto a pre-frozen platter only when everyone is ready, then keep it in deep shade.
• •Serve with black coffee or a lightly sweet sparkling wine. A very dry wine can taste sharp beside the currant preserve.

Advance Preparation

• •The completed bombe can be frozen a day ahead and kept tightly covered. Its flavour and texture remain excellent for up to 3 days.
• •The rum syrup can be cooked and chilled up to 2 days ahead, but add the rum and churn it on the day the mould is clothed.
• •Freeze the serving platter for at least 30 minutes before unmoulding. A cold platter protects the delicate base while the bombe is carried to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)