Creamy ice cream with candied fruits
6 servings
600 minutes
Creamy plombir with candied fruits is a true embodiment of the sophistication of Russian cuisine. This ice cream has a rich creamy flavor, where the tenderness of egg yolks combines with the velvetiness of whipped cream. Almond milk adds subtle nutty notes to the dessert, while candied fruits provide a sweet, slightly tart fruity freshness. Skillfully prepared syrup with cherry vodka makes the candied fruits aromatic and rich. Historically, plombir was served in lead crystal bowls to keep it cool longer. Such a dessert was popular among Russian nobility as it symbolized luxury and culinary mastery. Today, creamy plombir with candied fruits is not just a treat but a true gastronomic ritual that allows one to enjoy the depth of flavors and richness of textures.
1
Crush 100 grams of sweet and 10 pieces of bitter almonds very finely in a mortar, adding water. Mash the almonds by hand in the mortar. The blender will lose the taste of the oil. Don't overdo it with water (no more than 50 ml), it's only needed to prevent the nuts from becoming too oily. Keep an eye on this. Mix them with 3 cups of milk.
- Sweet almond: 100 g
- Bitter almonds: 10 pieces
- Water: 450 ml
- Full-fat milk: 3 glasss
2
Mix the yolks of 5 eggs with 200 g of brown sugar. Place on medium heat and, stirring, pour in almond milk. Cook while constantly stirring with a wooden spatula.
- Egg yolk: 5 piece
- Sugar: 250 g
3
When the mixture thickens slightly and the foam disappears from the surface, remove it from the heat and strain it through a sieve into the 'ICE CREAM MAKER' (Read in the notes how to make and use an ice cream maker) and cover with a lid.
- Full-fat milk: 3 glasss
4
We freeze the mixture for about 40 minutes.
5
During these 40 minutes of freezing, you need to add 500 g of thick cream (with at least 30% fat), previously whipped with 50 grams of sugar. When adding, mix them well into the frozen mass.
- Heavy cream: 500 g
- Sugar: 250 g
6
When the ice cream thickens, we open the ice cream maker, remove the mixture, and close the lid again. Then we send it to the cold for about another hour to firm up completely.
7
You need a total of one cup of fruits and berries, which you can choose at your discretion. Candied fruits are made from very high-quality and ripe fruits and berries. Wash them and drain in a sieve.
- Fruits: 0.5 glass
- Fresh berries: 55 g
8
Pour 400 ml of water into a basin or pot, add 250 g of brown sugar, and heat the pot over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Water: 450 ml
- Brown sugar: 250 g
9
Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and cool to 60 degrees. Pour in all the vodka and add the fruits and berries, then put it back on the heat. Bring to a boil and cook for another 5-6 minutes (I was guided by the cherries; they started to burst).
- Cherry vodka (kirsch): 12 tablespoons
- Fruits: 0.5 glass
- Fresh berries: 55 g
10
After cooking, we steep the berries and fruits in syrup for at least 8 hours, then strain them to let the syrup drain.
11
After that, we spread them on the board. We also dry them either in a not very hot oven or in the sun (in this case, covering them with gauze beforehand).
12
When serving the ice cream, we place it in dessert cups (preferably lead ones, I'll explain why later), add candied fruits on top (5-7 berries per 100g of ice cream), gently mix without touching the bottom of the cup to keep the candied fruits in the top layer of the ice cream. Then we decorate with lemon zest spirals and mint leaves.
- Mint: to taste
- Lemon zest: to taste