Plombières (dessert) facts for kids
Plombières is a special kind of French ice cream. It is known for its unique flavor, which comes from almond extract and a touch of kirsch. Kirsch is a type of clear fruit brandy made from cherries. This delicious ice cream also has small pieces of candied fruit mixed into it. Candied fruits are fruits that have been preserved and sweetened with sugar.
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The Story Behind Plombières Ice Cream
The exact beginning of plombières ice cream is a bit of a mystery. People are not entirely sure if its name comes from a town called Plombières-les-Bains in France. There are a few interesting ideas about how this ice cream got its name.
Early Mentions and Recipes
One popular story suggests that plombières ice cream was first served to Napoleon III. This happened when he signed an important agreement called the Treaty of Plombières in 1858. However, this story might not be true. A famous chef named Marie-Antoine Carême wrote down a recipe for "plombière cream" much earlier. He included it in his cookbook, Pâtissier royal parisien, which was published in 1815. Other French cookbooks from the 1800s also have similar recipes. This shows the ice cream was known before Napoleon III's time.
How the Name Plombières Might Have Started
Some people believe the name "plombière" comes from the tools used to make the ice cream. In 1893, a writer named Pierre Lacam suggested this idea. He thought the name came from a special utensil. Another food expert, Joseph Favre, agreed with this idea. He wrote that "plombière" was another word for a "bombe." A bombe was a tool used to grind and mix the ingredients for the dish. Other experts think the dessert got its name from the mold. This was the special container where the cream was pressed and shaped.
Plombières in Books and Other Countries
Plombières ice cream was even famous enough to be mentioned in books. It appears in a novel called Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes. This book was written by Honoré de Balzac and published in 1844.
It is important not to confuse plombières with Malaga ice cream. Malaga ice cream is usually vanilla flavored. It has dried raisins that have been soaked in Malaga wine or rum. Plombières has a different flavor and different fruits.
In the Soviet Union, a similar type of ice cream became very popular. It was called plombir (Russian: пломбир). This plombir ice cream is still enjoyed today in many countries that were once part of the Soviet Union.
