Bombe à la Valençay

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.75 litre metal bombe mould or 20 cm deep metal bowl
• •Ice cream maker
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Food processor
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula
• •Electric mixer and chilled mixing bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pralin

   Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Toast the almonds for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden through and distinctly nutty in aroma. Melt the ½ cup sugar in a wide, clean saucepan over medium heat, turning the pan rather than stirring, until it becomes a deep amber caramel. If the sugar clumps, lower the heat and leave it alone; the clumps will melt as the surrounding caramel warms. Add the hot almonds, turn them through the caramel, and immediately spread the mixture on baking paper. Once completely cold, break it up and process it into very fine, slightly oily crumbs. This is pralin, and pralined means treated with this mixture.

2. 2

   Cook the custard

   Bring the milk and 1¼ cups cream just to the edge of a simmer. Whisk the yolks with the ⅓ cup sugar until blended and slightly pale, then pour in the hot dairy gradually while whisking. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly across the bottom and corners, until the custard reaches 82 to 84°C (180 to 183°F) and nappes, meaning it coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. If a few curds appear, take it off the heat at once, blend until smooth, and pass it through a fine sieve. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Finish the praline ice

   Blend the pralin and salt into the hot custard until the mixture is as smooth as the nuts allow. Set the bowl over an ice bath and stir until thoroughly cold, then refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Churn in an ice cream maker until it holds the soft, dense shape of freshly made ice cream. A machine replaces the old salted-ice tub honestly: the equipment changes, but the fine freezing and constant movement remain.

4. 4

   Clothe the mould

   Freeze a 1.75 litre metal bombe mould or deep bowl until very cold. Reserve about 1 cup of the praline ice for the final seal, then spoon the rest into the mould. With a cold spoon or small offset spatula, spread it over the bottom and sides in an even layer about 1.25 cm (½ inch) thick. This is chemiser, clothing the mould, the operation preserved through Another Method of Preparing Aspics de Filets de Soles (No. 916). If the ice slides toward the bottom, freeze the mould for 10 minutes and patch the thin places. Ça se rattrape. Freeze the finished shell for 45 minutes, until firm.

5. 5

   Fold the Chantilly

   Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cold cream, then whip the remainder with the confectioners' sugar in a chilled bowl until it holds soft-to-medium peaks. This is Chantilly, sweetened whipped cream, and it must stay supple enough to fold. If it turns grainy, add the reserved cream and fold gently until it smooths. Add the cold, dry raspberries in two batches, lifting the Chantilly over them with a broad spatula. Do not stir or press. Crushed berries stain the cream pink and release enough juice to make the filling loose and weeping.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Spoon the raspberry Chantilly into the frozen shell without packing it down, leaving about 1.25 cm (½ inch) clear at the top. Soften the reserved praline ice for a few minutes in the refrigerator, just until spreadable, and draw it gently over the filling to make a complete seal. Work quickly enough that the shell remains firm. Cover the mould tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

7. 7

   Turn out and slice

   Chill the serving platter. Press a warm, wrung-out towel around the mould for 10 seconds, invert it over the platter, and lift carefully. If it holds fast, repeat with the towel for another 5 seconds rather than forcing it. If the surface softens before release, return the whole mould to the freezer for 20 minutes. Let the unmoulded bombe stand for 8 to 10 minutes before slicing with a hot, thoroughly dried knife, wiping the blade between cuts. À table!

Chef Tips

• •This dish truly needs sound fresh raspberries. Thawed berries collapse and bleed into the Chantilly, so when raspberries are out of season, keep Bombe à la Valençay for its proper moment rather than asking a tired berry to perform.
• •If the berries must be rinsed, do it several hours ahead. Spread them on towels in a single layer and chill them uncovered until every surface is dry; one wet berry can loosen a surprising amount of cream.
• •The praline shell should be even, not massive. A thick wall freezes hard enough to fight the knife, while a thin or patchy one exposes the Chantilly during unmoulding. Aim for 1.25 cm (½ inch) throughout.
• •Temper the bombe briefly before cutting, but keep it in deep shade for outdoor dining and return unused portions to the freezer promptly. The ideal slice is firm at the shell and softly yielding at the centre.
• •Serve with a small glass of demi-sec sparkling wine or coffee. No sauce is needed; the whole point is the clean meeting of praline, cream, and raspberry.

Advance Preparation

• •The pralin and custard base can be prepared a day ahead. Keep the base covered and thoroughly chilled, then churn it when you are ready to clothe the mould.
• •The complete bombe can be frozen up to two days ahead. Once solid, wrap the mould tightly so the praline ice does not collect freezer aromas.
• •Chill the serving platter and dessert plates for 30 minutes before unmoulding. This buys useful time at an outdoor table without changing the texture of the dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)