Monday, May 20, 2013

Ice Cream Bombe -- Summer's Easiest Dessert?


I like show-stopping, elaborate desserts as much as the next person, but when a dessert this easy gets the rave reviews this one does, it's hard to ignore! Right now sorbet and ice cream is BOGO at Publix, so if you live locally, you should try it now. It tastes like summer.

I used the flavors Ina Garten suggested in the original recipe (store-bought mango and raspberry sorbet and strawberry ice cream). The combination of tart, sweet, icy, and creamy was fantastic, but I'm sure other combinations would be great. Orange/pineapple/vanilla? Raspberry/chocolate/Cherry Garcia? Pineapple/mango/coconut ice cream? Banana split, with strawberry/pineapple/Chunky Monkey?

All you need is a few hours, a freezer, and an 8-inch metal bowl. I was a little worried about removing the bombe from the bowl, but it was pretty easy. Some ice cream bombe recipes advise beating the ice cream/sorbet with a mixer to make it easier to spread, but I just stirred it a little to make sure I could work with it.

Ice Cream Bombe

2 pts. mango sorbet
1 1/2 pts. raspberry sorbet
1 pt. strawberry ice cream

Put bowl in freezer until cold. Soften mango sorbet for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.  Spread it in an even layer around the bowl. I used Saran-wrapped hands, a rubber spatula, and an off-set metal spatula to do this. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Soften raspberry sorbet and repeat. Freeze for 30 more minutes and fill bowl with strawberry ice cream. Freeze until hard.

Dip bowl up to rim in a sink filled with hot water. Once the outer edge starts to loosen from the bowl, invert into a plate. Freeze until hard.

Cut into wedges and serve.