Bombe Tutti-Frutti

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5 litre bombe mould or deep stainless-steel mixing bowl
• •Ice-cream machine
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Digital sugar thermometer
• •Hand or stand mixer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Flexible spatula or small offset spatula
• •Long slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill fruit and mould

   Spread the dry candied-fruit dice on a small tray and freeze them for at least 45 minutes. Set the clean 1.5 litre bombe mould or stainless-steel bowl beside them so it becomes thoroughly cold. The fruit may remain slightly pliable because of its sugar, but it must feel cold and firm before it meets the cream.

   Syrupy fruit is too wet for this filling. Blot every piece carefully, then dice it small and evenly so it stays suspended and cuts cleanly.
2. 2

   Make strawberry base

   Combine the sugar and water for the strawberry ice in a small saucepan. Bring them just to a simmer, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then cool completely. Blend this syrup with the strawberries, lemon juice, and salt until smooth, pass it through a fine sieve, and chill it for at least 2 hours. A cold base churns finely; a warm one freezes into coarse crystals.

3. 3

   Churn strawberry ice

   Churn the strawberry mixture in an ice-cream machine until it is thick, smooth, and firm enough to mound on a spoon. Transfer it to the freezer for 15 to 25 minutes if it is flowing rather than spreading. You need the texture of soft plaster: yielding beneath the spatula, but capable of staying against the side of a cold mould.

4. 4

   Clothe the mould

   Reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of strawberry ice for sealing the base. Use the coating principle named in Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916), turning the cold mould as you spread the remaining strawberry ice over its point and sides in an even ½-inch (1.25 cm) layer. Freeze for 45 to 60 minutes, until hard. If the ice slides downward, both mould and ice are too warm; freeze them for 10 minutes and continue. If a crack appears, press in a spoonful of soft strawberry ice. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Cook sugar syrup

   Put the sugar and water for the pâte à bombe in a small clean saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring until the syrup reaches 118°C (244°F). If crystals gather on the pan wall, brush them down with a little water; stirring once the syrup boils encourages the whole pan to turn grainy.

6. 6

   Whip pâte à bombe

   Begin whipping the egg yolks at medium speed when the syrup approaches temperature. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the inside of the bowl, never directly onto the beaters, then whip at high speed until the pâte à bombe, the hot-syrup yolk foam, is thick, pale, and completely cool, about 7 to 10 minutes. If syrup catches on the beaters and spins into threads, stop, remove the hardened strands, and continue with the remaining syrup more slowly.

7. 7

   Fold lemon filling

   Mix the lemon zest and juice into the cooled pâte à bombe. In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold one-third into the yolk mixture to loosen it and fold in the remainder without knocking out its volume. Add the frozen candied-fruit dice last. If the fruit begins sinking or the cream turns slack, set the bowl over ice water and fold gently for 2 or 3 minutes, just until the filling holds the dice in suspension.

8. 8

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the lemon filling into the frozen strawberry shell, pressing it gently into the point and against the sides so no large air pockets remain. Stop ½ inch (1.25 cm) below the rim. Spread the reserved strawberry ice over the filling to seal the base level with the mould, then cover closely and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. If the reserved ice has hardened, leave it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes; don't heat it.

9. 9

   Unmould and serve

   Chill the serving platter. Dip the mould in warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, dry it thoroughly, invert it onto the platter, and lift straight upward. If it refuses to release, repeat the dip for 3 seconds rather than forcing it. Return a softened bombe to the freezer for 15 minutes, then cut it with a long knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry between slices. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Fresh strawberries in season give the brightest perfume, but good frozen berries are the classical pantry's honest answer when the fresh ones are pale. Thaw and drain them before weighing so excess water doesn't dilute the ice.
• •Choose dry candied fruit with distinct pieces, not a wet spoonful from syrup. Orange peel, citron, red glacé cherries, and green angelica give the traditional tutti-frutti mosaic without adding another flavouring the source never asked for.
• •No ice-cream machine is not a verdict. Replace the homemade strawberry ice with 1 quart (950 ml / about 700 g) of a smooth, strongly flavoured strawberry sorbet, soften it only until spreadable, and proceed with the mould.
• •The syrup temperature matters. Below 118°C (244°F), the centre can freeze too soft; much above it, the syrup becomes difficult to incorporate before it hardens.
• •Serve with brut Champagne or unsweetened coffee. The bombe already carries fruit, sugar, cream, and celebration enough.

Advance Preparation

• •The strawberry base can be blended and chilled up to 2 days before churning. The candied-fruit dice can be cut, dried, and frozen the night before.
• •The assembled bombe needs at least 6 hours to harden and is better frozen overnight. Once firm, wrap the mould closely; it keeps its best texture for up to 3 days.
• •Unmould it no more than 20 minutes before serving and keep the platter frozen until needed. Return the unmoulded bombe to the freezer if the room is warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 205g)