No-Churn Candied Fruit Ice Cream (Glace Plombières)

Published: Oct 2, 2012 · Modified: May 24, 2024 by Jill Colonna25 Comments

A classic French dessert of candied fruits in a custardy based no-churn ice cream, served with a light apricot coulis or sauce. Named after the signing of the Treaty of Plombières in 1858 between Napoleon III and Count Cavour.

individual ice cream with candied fruits on plate with lavender, apricot sauce and a macaron

Most Popular Ice Creams in Paris

I'd promised the children a taste of the best ice creams in Paris during the summer holidays.

Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis is a Parisian institution. So much so that, come August - finally in the wonderful heat of the City of Light - their doors were... closed. Shut. Fermé - on holidays, en vacances, like most of Paris. Luckily, their ice creams and sorbets are usually served by their more commercial neighbours.

One of the tempting ice creams on Berthillon's list is Plombières ice cream, packed with candied fruits. If you haven't tried it yet, I urge you to taste it. It's not overly sweet as the recipe is careful on the sugar quantity.

plate full of candied half clementines — candied clementines, just some of the best '*fruits confits*' in Apt, Provence

Where to Find the Best Candied Fruits in France

As my lucky French parents-in-law live in the Luberon near Apt, the world capital of candied fruits, I've an excuse to often visit the famous local Candied Fruit factory. Candied (crystallised) orange peel strips, lemon peel cubes, glacé cherries and - my favourite - candied ginger are all good in this.

The good news is that it's easy to make your own candied fruit or Plombières ice cream at home.

For more on candied fruits, see my guides to both
clementine oranges and cherries.

What I Love about Candied Fruit Ice Cream (Plombières)

This recipe is adapted from my favourite French coffee-table cookbook, France: the Beautiful Cookbook by Gilles Pudlowski with recipes from the Scotto sisters.

As we love to make egg white recipes, the 10 egg yolks means plenty leftover whites to make macarons or French chocolate mousse. Just keep them in a jam jar in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze them for later.
The recipe bonus is that the recipe doesn't need an ice cream maker - it's no churn!

So I 'ad-Apt-ed' it (pun groan), making individual portions for dessert rather than one giant ice cream. This will make a light, fruity, stress-free dessert - and even a handy dessert recipe to have on your holiday menu.

Plombieres French Glazed Fruit no churn ice cream

Plombières Ice Cream History

In 1858 Napoleon III met Count Cavour (Prime Minister of Sardinia) at Plombières-les-Bains in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. As they were secretly negotiating the Treaty of Plombières, the local chef came up this dessert and it has been a local speciality ever since.

Serve with macarons - don't forget you can freeze your homemade macarons too - just defrost before serving and voilà!

mixing chopped fresh sweet mango to a pulp with a little squeezed orange juice and powdered sugar — quick and easy mango sauce is great with the ice cream

How to Serve Glace Plombières

The original recipe suggested to serve Plombières ice cream with warmed apricot jam. Although delicious with this apricot jam with lavender, it's rather a lot of sugar overload, even if the jam is reduced in sugar!

So, for something less sweet, I recommend serving with fresh mango sauce.