Go to the Article: How to Make a Rocher
Totally trivial question for Chris.... I was taught that "quenelle" refers to exactly what's in the video, however, in the same breadth, I was also told that "rocher" at TFD refers specifically to the standing/backwards quenelles (cf. pp. 409, 191). I can totally understand my own confusion if rocher is the general UK kitchen term for quenelles..but I just wanted to know if the distinction is made in that kitchen. Thanks!
A traditional quenelle, as I learned it, has three sides like a football. The word also refers to a French dish traditionally made with pike. A smooth quenelle with no distinct seams was what we called a rocher at The Fat Duck. Some folks also call it a one-handed quenelle. The particular shape the rochers had at The Fat Duck was a result of the spoon we used, which had a very tear-drop shaped bowl. They were made by Robert Welch and were the Vista spoons. Does this help answer the question?
Perfectly! Thanks for the clarification.
Thank you for following the hare and hounds, UK. Great website & fantastic help
I am having some trouble with this technique. I think it is partially because I can't seem to get the timing for when the ice cream is the right temperature. In particular the pistachio recipe takes a long time to reach the consistency of butter. I have tried the refrigerator, but it seems to take hours to temper to the right temperature. Is there a right temperature?
Wish I'd watched this before I served my Broccoli-English Cheddar puree last night. It was just the consistency of room temperature butter.
Can you recommend any spoons that have that tear drop shape/deep bowl that are in the U.S.? Having trouble sourcing any I'm satisfied with.
Thanks... from now on Rocher....
Pretty sure ours are from CB2, but I don't think they sell them anymore. Might want to periodically check in there and westelm.
this is amazing, thanks to chefsteps, its an eye opener
What's second best thing to practice this? Whipped butter?
Definitely, that's what I used to learn. Practice stacking them too, it's fun.
I would love some more in depth discussion on this—particularly on getting ice cream or other soft ingredients to the perfect temperature. I find that when ice cream is at perfect temperature, the actual rocher part is quite easy. The challenge is getting it to the right temperature.
Does anyone have any additional info or references on tempering ice cream and other soft ingredients for doing a rocher? Also, when making homemade ice cream, is there an ideal storage vessel? I find that small paper pint containers (like Ben & Jerry's) work well sometimes but other times not so much. The edges melt before the center, which makes the spoon get stuck.
Lastly, does anyone have any experience on plating rochers for larger groups? By the time I get to the 10th plate, the ice cream has already begun melting on the first plate. I suppose pre-freezing the plates could help. It's an uphill battle.
Have been trying to find out what spoons they used for their rochers' since seeing them on professional masterchef, thank you for this chris! by the look of the spoons' bowl its easy how they can get the rochers' to stand on end like they do so now im on the lookout for the robert welch spoons! may have to take a trip to the fat duck to "borrow" one or two! ;-P
I found this video beautiful and helpful! I do have a semi-related question. I have seen similar shapes to a quenelle when cooking pieces of meat, like cut up chicken breast. This shape lends itself well to meat since it's thick enough to stay moist but a more pleasing appearance than cubes or slices. Obviously you cannot shape meat the way you can ice cream, is there a name or knife method for meat preparation that yields a result of a similar size/shape to a quenelle?
So when catering for large groups, its best to pre-scoop the ice cream or sorbet, lay on a chilled tray with baking paper and store until needed.
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Helpful video. But it didn't work for me. I think I let the fromage blanc dry ice sorbet get too cold in the freezer before trying to do the rocher. Maybe turn up the temp on the freezer to max, and minimize the time before serving.
LOL, I even bought the same spoon as CS.
It was helpful but it was challenging
Before i use to to do it at one angle and come back same and it just would not happen but now i will try it this way
And also can i do it with a chocolate crémeux
Is there a way to do a rocher from 1 or 2 portions instead of having to pacotise an entire beaker?
As long as it is tempered and soft enough you should be able to.
What I meant is I find it impossible to get a nice scoop out of a single or two portions (in a pacojet)
The ice cream gets spun and rounded to the side of the container and spoon can't go deep enough. From what I read elsewhere, reshaving and/or rethawing the product is far from optimal
Take the spun ice cream, and transfer it to a smaller container and place it back in the freezer, should be easier that way.
Yes.
