Plombières is a type of French ice cream made with almond extract, kirsch, and candied fruit.[1]
The origin of plombières ice cream is disputed.[2] It is unclear whether its name refers to the commune of Plombières-les-Bains. A folk etymology suggests that the dish was first served to Napoleon III at the signing of the Treaty of Plombières in 1858; but Marie-Antoine Carême provided a recipe for "plombière cream" in his 1815 book, Pâtissier royal parisien.[3] Similar recipes can be found in other French cookbooks from the 19th century.[4] [5]
According to Pierre Lacam in 1893, "plombière cream" takes its name from a utensil used to make it.[6] A similar etymological theory was proposed by Joseph Favre in his book Dictionnaire universel de cuisine, which says that "plombière is a synonym for bombe, which is used to grind the ingredients of the dish".[7] Other scholars have suggested that the dessert takes its name from the mold in which the cream is pressed.[8]
Plombières ice cream is mentioned in Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes, published in 1844 by Honoré de Balzac.[9]
Plombières should not be confused with Malaga ice cream, a vanilla ice cream served with dried raisins soaked in Malaga wine or rum.[10]
In the Soviet Union, plombir (Russian: пломбир) became a popular dish that is still seen in post-Soviet states.