Apple Ice Water (Eau de Pommes)

Ingredients

• 1 pound (approximately 450 g) apples (Peeled, cored and roughly chopped. A tart variety such as Bramley or Granny Smith works well.)
• 1 pint (approximately 570 ml) water (For cooking the apples.)
• 1 small strip lemon peel (Use a vegetable peeler to remove a thin strip of peel, avoiding the bitter white pith.)
• 1 small pinch (approximately ¼ teaspoon ground or 1 small cinnamon stick) cinnamon (The original calls for 'a little' cinnamon. Use ground cinnamon or a small cinnamon stick; remove the stick before blending.)
• 1 lemon, juiced (approximately 2–3 tablespoons) lemon juice (Freshly squeezed.)
• 4 ounces (approximately 115 g) sugar (For cooking the apples. Plain white caster sugar dissolves easily.)
• 4 sheets gelatine sheets (Modern leaf gelatine (platinum or gold grade) is a direct substitute for Marshall's gelatine sheets. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes before use.)
• 1 pint (approximately 570 ml) water (To be sweetened with sugar and combined with the purée.)
• 4 ounces (approximately 115 g) sugar (To sweeten the additional pint of water. Alternatively, use 8 tablespoons of simple sugar syrup if you have it prepared.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the 4 gelatine sheets into a shallow bowl of cold water. Leave them to soak for 5 minutes until they become soft and floppy. Do not use hot water — cold water prevents the gelatine from dissolving prematurely. Set aside until needed.
2. 2Peel, core and roughly chop the 1 pound of apples into even chunks — they do not need to be neat as they will be puréed later. Juice 1 lemon, catching and discarding any pips. Using a vegetable peeler, pare a small strip of peel from the lemon, avoiding the white pith underneath.
3. 3Place the chopped apples into a medium saucepan. Add 1 pint (570 ml) of water, the strip of lemon peel, the cinnamon (a pinch of ground cinnamon or a small cinnamon stick), the lemon juice and 4 ounces (115 g) of sugar. Stir briefly to combine. Place the pan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until the apples are completely soft and breaking apart. If using a cinnamon stick, remove and discard it now.
4. 4Remove the pan from the heat. Lift the softened gelatine sheets from the cold water, gently squeezing out any excess water with your hands. Add the squeezed gelatine sheets directly to the hot cooked apple mixture and stir until completely dissolved. The residual heat of the apple mixture will melt the gelatine — if the pan has cooled too much, return it briefly to a very low heat, stirring, but do not allow it to boil. Also remove and discard the lemon peel strip at this stage if not already removed.
5. 5Set a fine-mesh sieve or strainer over a large bowl. Pour the cooked apple and gelatine mixture into the sieve in batches. Using the back of a large spoon or a ladle, press and push the mixture firmly through the sieve until only dry pulp and any remaining peel or spice remain in the sieve — discard these solids. This step (equivalent to passing through a 'tammy cloth' in the original) gives you a smooth, silky purée. You should aim to collect approximately 1 pint (570 ml) of purée. Allow the purée to cool to room temperature.
6. 6In a small saucepan or jug, combine 1 pint (570 ml) of water with 4 ounces (115 g) of sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved — you can gently warm it over a low heat to help this along, but allow it to cool before using. Once the sweetened water is at room temperature, pour it into the bowl containing the 1 pint of apple purée and stir well to combine. The final mixture should be a pale, lightly sweet apple liquid.
7. 7Pour the combined apple mixture into your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a slushy, granita-like or soft sorbet consistency — this typically takes 20–30 minutes. If you do not have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container, cover and place in the freezer. Every 30–45 minutes, remove the container and vigorously stir or scrape the mixture with a fork to break up ice crystals. Repeat this 3–4 times over approximately 3 hours until you achieve a light, icy texture.
8. 8To serve moulded: pack the frozen apple ice water firmly into a chilled jelly mould or individual pudding moulds, smooth the top and return to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up. When ready to serve, briefly dip the outside of the mould in warm (not hot) water for 5–10 seconds, then invert onto a chilled serving plate. To serve roughly: simply spoon the frozen ice water directly from the container into chilled glasses or bowls. Serve immediately.