Issue number 5

Installed: 01-9-2000

Bottom Pineapple presents:

How to make a bomb

You will have heard many tales of the instructions for a bomb being available on the web. Here at Bottom Pineapple, we are proud to present below the instructions we have found.

You will need:

For the bomb:

• 16 brandy snaps
• 300ml (10fl oz) ready-made custard
• 300ml (10fl oz) double cream
• finely grated zest of 1 well-scrubbed orange
• holly leaves for decoration
• icing sugar to dust

  

  For the flaming chocolate sauce:

• 115g (4oz) cocoa powder
• 115g (4oz) soft brown sugar
• 200ml (7fl oz) water
• 115g (4oz) butter
• 115g (4oz) plain chocolate
• 50ml (2fl oz) brandy
• matches and a taper to ignite

  For the brandy snaps:

• 50g (2oz) butter
• 50g (2oz) caster sugar
• 85g (3oz) golden syrup
• 50g (2oz) plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp orange juice

Brandy Snap Ice Cream Bombe:

1. Whisk cream to soft peaks.
2. Fold cold custard into cream.
3. Freeze until semi-frozen (1 1/2 hours).
4. Meanwhile, break up 8 of the brandy snaps into small pieces.
5. When semi-frozen beat mixture to disperse ice crystals. Stir in the broken brandy snaps and orange zest. Pack the ice cream into an 850ml (1 pint 10fl oz) bombe mould or pudding basin. Freeze until firm.
6. To serve, run the mould or basin under a lukewarm tap to loosen the ice cream. Turn out onto a plate, surround with brandy snaps, decorate with holly, and sift a little icing sugar over the top. Serve with Flaming Chocolate Sauce.

How to cheat: customise best quality bought vanilla ice cream by mixing it with broken brandy snaps and orange zest.

Flaming chocolate sauce:

1. Choose a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan that is respectable enough to take to the table. Blend cocoa powder and sugar together in the saucepan, crushing all lumps with a wooden spoon.
2. Add water, butter and chocolate. Stir over low heat until bubbling, smooth and thick (about 5 minutes).
3. When you are ready to serve, warm the brandy in a small pan, until steaming. Pour the warm brandy over the hot chocolate sauce, take to the table, turn down the lights and ignite with a taper. Stir very gently until the flames are extinguished. Do not splash or spill any of the flaming sauce. Serve with Brandy Snap Ice Cream.

Brandy snaps:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
2. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Warm butter, sugar and syrup gently until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in flour, ginger and orange juice. Space out 3 teaspoons of mixture on each baking sheet. Try to judge it so that you have 16 brandy snaps.
3. Bake one tray at a time until flat and golden (10 minutes). Leave (briefly) until pliable then roll them up on the handle of a wooden spoon. If they harden prematurely, pop them back in the oven briefly to soften.

To store brandy snaps, interleave them with greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

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