Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Base
- 250 ml heavy cream, chilled
- 250 ml whole milk
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Raspberry Fluid Gel
- 250 g raspberry puree, strained, seedless
- 50 ml water
- 30 g sugar
- 3 g agar agar
Almond Brown Butter Sponge
- 100 g almond flour
- 90 g powdered sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 80 g unsalted butter, browned and cooled
Italian Meringue
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 40 ml water
- 3 egg whites
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare the ice cream base: Whisk yolks and sugar until pale. Heat milk, cream, and vanilla scrapings to a bare simmer. Temper the hot liquid into the yolks, then return to heat. Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (nappe consistency), reaching 82°C/180°F. Strain and chill completely before churning according to machine instructions.
Make the fluid gel: Whisk agar agar and sugar into water and raspberry puree in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and hold for 1 minute to activate the agar. Pour into a shallow container and refrigerate until set into a firm block (about 1 hour).
Finish fluid gel: Once the raspberry mixture has set into a solid gel, transfer it to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and glossy. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve if needed to remove bubbles. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.
Bake the sponge: Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Whisk egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding powdered sugar. Fold in almond flour. Gently fold in the browned butter. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Let cool, then tear into organic, bite-sized pieces.
Prepare Italian Meringue: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat to 118°C/244°F. While syrup heats, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly stream hot syrup into whites while whipping on high speed. Continue whipping until cool and stiff glossy peaks form.
Plate the dish: Pipe three distinct mounds of meringue onto chilled plates. Use the blowtorch to caramelize the meringue until golden brown. Arrange torn sponge pieces between the meringue. Dot with raspberry fluid gel. Finally, place a perfect quenelle of ice cream in the center.
Chef's Notes
- Chill your serving plates in the fridge for 30 minutes before plating. This keeps the ice cream intact while the meringue is still warm from the torch.
- For the cleanest quenelle, dip your spoon in hot water and tap it dry on a cloth before scooping the ice cream.
- The almond sponge relies on the brown butter for depth; take the butter to a deep hazelnut color (beurre noisette) for maximum flavor impact.
- When torching the meringue, move the flame constantly to create an even, marshmallow-like toast rather than burnt black spots.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Fluid gel and cake keep well; meringue must be made fresh.
Freezer: 1 month — Ice cream only.
