Vanilla Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style
Chocolate Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style
Aztec “Hot” Chocolate Ice Cream
Chocolate–Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Guinness–Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Date, Rum, and Pecan Ice Cream
Maple Walnut Ice Cream with Wet Walnuts
Toasted Almond and Candied Cherry Ice Cream
Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Maple-Glazed Pecans
Dried Apricot–Pistachio Ice Cream
Orange–Szechwan Pepper Ice Cream
For some of us, the perfect scoop is a simple dish of creamy Vanilla Ice Cream flecked with lots of aromatic vanilla seeds. Others get their frosty fix from a cone of Chocolate Ice Cream. But in between chocolate and vanilla, there’s a whole world of flavors to explore, and you’ll find them all in this chapter, from rosy-pink Strawberry–Sour Cream Ice Cream made from sweet, juicy strawberries to silky Lavender-Honey Ice Cream to the liveliest lemon ice cream you’ve ever eaten. While youngsters will certainly go wild for Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream (see variation on Peanut Butter Ice Cream), few adults can resist an eye-opening scoop of Coffee Ice Cream, richly infused with a jolt of dark-roasted coffee beans. And if there’s anyone who can resist a scoop of Tin Roof Ice Cream, chock-full of chocolate-dipped peanuts and gooey ripples of fudge, I’d like to meet them.
In this chapter you’ll find all the classic ice creams as well as myriad modern flavors that are sure to please. There are also a handful of frozen yogurts and a gelato or two. Many of these recipes are simple enough to whiz up in a blender before freezing them in an ice cream maker, while others involve custards gently cooked in a saucepan until rich and satiny smooth. If you’ve never made a stovetop custard before, it’s quite simple, and I’ve offered step-by-step instructions, with pictures and lots of pointers and tips to ensure success.
There’s no reason why you can’t create your own flavor combinations by adding mix-ins to your scoop—perhaps a swirl of Fudge Ripple, chewy nuggets of truffles, chopped bits of candied nuts, or chunks of buttery-soft Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. You’ll find all these and more in chapter 6, Mix-Ins. Your imagination is the only limit.
Everyone needs a terrific vanilla ice cream recipe in their repertoire, and here it is. Keeping a tub of homemade vanilla ice cream in my freezer is standard policy, since I can’t think of any dessert that isn’t made better with a soft scoop of vanilla ice cream melting alongside.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Chocolate Chip Ice Cream by drizzling in one recipe of dark chocolate Stracciatella.
I may not fit the profile of a bourbon drinker, but I do like (and sometimes need) a good shot of whiskey every now and then … even in my ice cream! To make Bourbon and Spiced Pecan Ice Cream, stir 3 tablespoons (45 ml) bourbon (I like Jack Daniels) into the custard just before freezing, then mix in one recipe coarsely chopped Spiced Pecans just after churning the ice cream.
Philadelphia-style ice cream is made with no eggs, so it can be mixed together in a New York minute. It gets it name because at one time there was a proliferation of dairy farms around Philadelphia. I’ve made this vanilla ice cream successfully with all heavy cream as well as with a mixture of cream and milk, and I like it both ways.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 cups (750 ml) heavy cream, or 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream and 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) cream (or the remaining 1 cup, 250 ml, cream and the milk) and the vanilla extract.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: To make Caramel–Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream, layer 1 cup each Fudge Ripple and Salted Butter Caramel Sauce into the just-churned custard.
My search for the ultimate chocolate ice cream ended the day I opened my ice cream maker and took a taste of this version. And before I knew it, I’d licked the dasher as clean as the day I bought it! Intense cocoa powder blended with unctuous dark chocolate results in a perfect chocolate ice cream that’s so irresistible you won’t be able to wait to dig in either. I don’t know why, but homemade ice cream always tastes best scraped (or, if no one’s watching, licked) directly from the machine.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons (21 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces (140 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Warm 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)
PERFECT PAIRINGS: To make Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream, stir ⅛ teaspoon mint oil or extract into the custard before freezing, then fold in one recipe of homemade Peppermint Patties or 2 cups crumbled store-bought peppermint patties.
To make Rocky Road Ice Cream, fold in 1½ cups (90 g) homemade (or miniature store-bought) Marshmallows and 1 cup (150 g) roasted peanuts or toasted, coarsely chopped almonds.
Unsweetened chocolate provides the maximum chocolate flavor in this non-custard-based chocolate ice cream. But bitter chocolate can be stubborn to melt, so whiz the mixture in a blender until it’s silky smooth.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2¼ cups (560 ml) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (50 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup (200 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
6 ounces (170 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until it’s completely melted, then whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Double Chocolate Ice Cream by folding in one recipe of Dark Chocolate Truffles or White Chocolate Truffles.
For Chocolate–Peanut Butter Patty Ice Cream, fold in one recipe of Peanut Butter Patties instead.
The Aztecs were such trendsetters. Although it’s become fashionably chic, from Soho to South Beach, to spice up chocolate with a bit of chile pepper, in fact it’s a custom that goes back more than a thousand years. And I wonder if, even back then, there were paparazzi stalking luminaries in Central America, hoping to catch them in spicy situations. When your guests taste this decadent, zippy chocolate ice cream, you’ll understand what all the fuss is about—and perhaps develop a few overzealous followers yourself.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2¼ cups (560 ml) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (50 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
3 ounces (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1¼ cups (310 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 to 3 teaspoons chile powder (see Note)
2 tablespoons brandy
Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, then whisk until it is completely melted. Stir in the milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, chile powder, and brandy. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE: I like the taste of smoky ancho or chipotle chile powder, available in Mexican markets. They can vary in intensity, so if you’re unsure of the strength of your chile powder, add the smaller amount and let it sit for a while, then see if you like it before adding more. The subtle warmth can heat up as it stands.
PERFECT PAIRING: For Mexican Chocolate and Cajeta Ice Cream, layer in one recipe of Cajeta. Include some Spiced Pecans if you’d like.
Two great tastes—smooth, creamy peanut butter and pure unadulterated cocoa—merge together to make one terrific ice cream.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2 cups (500 ml) half-and-half
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup (100 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup (130 g) smooth peanut butter
Whisk together the half-and-half, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, stirring until thoroughly blended.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: For Chocolate Fudge Swirl Peanut Butter Ice Cream, layer in one recipe of Fudge Ripple and mix in Peanut Butter Patties.
If you’re one of those people who finds the combination of raspberries with dark chocolate the ultimate luxury, you’ll adore this ice cream. It’s the perfect indulgence: rich, dark chocolate with the bright flavor of tangy raspberries.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 tablespoons (40 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
2 cups (240 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen
Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and add the raspberries. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Purée the mixture in a food processor or blender. If you wish, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
I finally understand the allure of milk chocolate. While writing a book exploring the world of chocolate, I became determined to get over my skepticism, and I taste-tested as many milk chocolates as I could. Yes, it was tough work, but I felt compelled to do it. I became a convert after sampling premium milk chocolates made with a high percentage of cocoa solids, and a whole new world opened up to me.
Mixing in cocoa nibs adds a crunchy counterpoint to this milky-smooth ice cream. I like biting into the little bits of pure, unadulterated chocolate, but I’ve made them optional, since you may not have them readily available (you can substitute chocolate chips). But once you taste a few, you’ll find yourself adding them to chocolate desserts all the time, like I do. (See Resources for online sources.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
8 ounces (230 g) milk chocolate with at least 30 percent cocoa solids, finely chopped
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Big pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons Cognac
¾ cup (120 g) cocoa nibs or semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
Combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture, add the Cognac, and mix together. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the cocoa nibs, if using.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Milk Chocolate and Brownie Ice Cream by folding 2 cups of crumbled Chewy-Dense Brownies into the just-churned ice cream.
For Milk Chocolate and Chocolate-Covered Peanut Ice Cream, fold in one recipe of Chocolate-Covered Peanuts.
If you like the hearty taste of Guinness Stout, this is the ice cream for you. I was curious as to whether the beer flavor was too strong, so I asked my friend Heather, a knockout whose microscopic waistline belies the fact that the girl really knows her beer, to come by and taste. She gave this one a big thumbs up, so I sent her home with the whole container. The next day the phone rang. It was Heather, telling me that she offered some to her good-looking new neighbor, whom she’d been looking for an excuse to approach, and he was smitten enough to ask her out on a date between spoonfuls. While I can’t promise that sharing this ice cream will wind up being an icebreaker for you, I don’t see any reason not to give it a try.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
7 ounces (205 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (180 ml) Guinness Stout
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the milk chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is melted. Once the mixture is smooth, whisk in the cream, then the Guinness and vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Guinness, Milk Chocolate, and Oatmeal Ice Cream by folding one recipe of Oatmeal Praline into the just-churned ice cream.
Sometimes I’m afraid to admit that I love white chocolate. Purists argue, “It’s not real chocolate.” Although that may technically be true, who cares? (French fries aren’t “real chocolate” either … yet they’re pretty darn good.) So I don’t compare it to dark chocolate, since it’s a whole other ballgame.
White chocolate’s creamy-smooth, delicate cocoa butter flavor is perfect when melted and stirred into ice cream, and the result makes a truly outstanding dessert when topped with Sour Cherries in Syrup. And I’ve yet to come across any chocolate cake that couldn’t be improved by a scoop of white chocolate ice cream melting seductively alongside.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
8 ounces (230 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the white chocolate. Stir until the white chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, then stir in the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make White Chocolate–Cherry Ice Cream by folding very well-drained and coarsely chopped Sour Cherries in Syrup or Candied Cherries into the just-churned ice cream.
For Black and White Chocolate Ice Cream, layer one recipe of Fudge Ripple, Dark Chocolate Truffles, or Stracciatella into the just-churned ice cream.
When I was a kid growing up in puritanical New England, dessert was a seldom-seen treat. When temptation raised its devilish head, a few scoops of unadulterated ice cream were allowed and served forth without much fanfare. Our reward was often coffee ice cream, curiously one of the few “adult” flavors that kids seem to like as much as grown-ups. And in case you’re feeling sorry for my dessert-deprived childhood, not to worry; I’m definitely making up for lost time nowadays.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1½ cups (125 g) whole coffee beans
Pinch of salt
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon finely ground coffee
Warm the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the coffee-infused milk mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible, then discard the beans. Mix in the vanilla and the finely ground coffee and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Coffee Ice Cream Brownie Sundaes by topping Brownies with scoops of Coffee Ice Cream, then spooning Mocha Sauce over the top, and finishing with a final flourish of French Almonds.
When my father was in the army, he and his bunkmates would eagerly anticipate the care packages that would arrive from home, filled with cookies and cakes. But in lieu of homemade goodies, their Brazilian bunkmate would get sacks of aromatic coffee beans. He’d carefully prepare single, tiny cups of coffee by crushing a few of the highly prized beans between two metal spoons and then drizzling boiling water over them, creating perhaps the most labor-intensive cup of coffee ever. But I’m sure the effort was well worth it. Make sure the espresso you use for this recipe is excellent; your effort will be appreciated as well.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250 ml) brewed espresso, cooled to room temperature
¼ teaspoon finely ground dark roast coffee
Whisk together the yogurt, sugar, salt, cream, espresso, and ground coffee. Chill for 2 hours. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Vietnamese food is perhaps my favorite of all the cuisines in the world, and I would eat it every single night if I could. At the start of every Vietnamese meal, I order a Vietnamese coffee. A glass with a sweet dose of condensed milk is brought to the table with a well-worn stainless-steel filter balanced on top, dripping steaming hot coffee into the thick, sweet milk. Once brewed, it all gets stirred up and ice is added. I thought the flavors would make an excellent ice cream, and I was right.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (600 g) sweetened condensed milk
1½ cups (375 ml) brewed espresso (or very strongly brewed coffee)
½ cup (125 ml) half-and-half
Big pinch of finely ground dark roast coffee
Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half-and-half, and ground coffee. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Anise Cream Puffs, made with Anise Ice Cream, Profiteroles, and Lean Chocolate Sauce
If you’ve never tasted anise and chocolate together, prepare yourself for an unexpected treat. I don’t even like anise, but for some improbable reason this is one of my favorite ice creams, especially when nestled alongside a slice of dense chocolate cake or used to fill profiteroles doused in warm chocolate sauce (see the Perfect Pairings at the end of the recipe).
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2 teaspoons anise seeds
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
1½ tablespoons good-flavored honey
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
Toast the anise seeds in a medium saucepan over moderate heat for about 3 minutes, until they smell fragrant. Pour in 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, then add the milk, sugar, honey, and salt. Heat until warm, then cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the anise-infused milk mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm anise-infused mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Discard the anise seeds and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Biscotti Ice Cream, warm ½ cup (80 g) mixed dark and light raisins with ¼ cup (60 ml) Marsala, simmering until the wine is absorbed. Let cool. Coarsely chop ½ cup (65 g) toasted almonds. During the last few minutes of churning, add the soaked raisins and almonds to the ice cream.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Anise Ice Cream Puffs by tucking scoops of Anise Ice Cream into airy Profiteroles, then surround them with Lean Chocolate Sauce. Or finely chop Candied Citrus Peel made with orange peel and stir it in during the last few minutes of churning to make Orange-Anise Ice Cream.
Spicy cinnamon sticks give this ice cream a stronger, far more complex flavor than ground cinnamon does. Around the winter holidays, skip the bowl of whipped cream to accompany pumpkin pie or apple crisp and treat your lucky guests to cinnamon ice cream instead. It is also very good alongside any favorite chocolate dessert, such as devil’s food cake or perched atop a homemade Brownie.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
Ten 3-inch (8-cm) cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour
Rewarm the cinnamon-infused milk mixture Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard them. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Marble this ice cream with Aztec “Hot” Chocolate Ice Cream to make Aztec Cinnamon-Chocolate Ice Cream.
There’s something about the slightly smoky, potent, and fruity flavor of black currant tea that makes it the perfect complement to chocolate (see Perfect Pairings, below). But if black currants aren’t your cup of tea, substitute another aromatic infusion, such as Earl Grey, scented with bergamot, or smoky oolong instead.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
¼ cup (15 g) loose black currant tea leaves
5 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, sugar, and tea leaves in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the tea-infused milk. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer into the cream, pressing gently on the tea leaves to extract the maximum flavor from them, then discard the leaves. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Black Currant Tea and Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream by adding Dark Chocolate Truffles, or swirl this ice cream with Fudge Ripple to make Black Currant Tea and Fudge Ripple Ice Cream.
Green Tea Ice Cream sprinkled with kinako powder (see Perfect Pairings at the end of the recipe)
Green tea powder, called matcha, is found in tea shops and stores that sell Japanese products, which I’m always looking for an excuse to visit since they’re great places for poking around. Matcha has a slightly pungent yet powerful taste, but its color is the real showstopper. Frothing the tea turns the custard a vivid green color.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk in the green tea powder. Set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream, then whisk it vigorously until the custard is frothy to dissolve the green tea powder. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Green Tea and Red Bean Ice Cream by folding one recipe of drained Candied Red Beans into the just-churned ice cream. Or prefreeze scoops of Green Tea Ice Cream and sprinkle them with kinako powder (roasted soybean powder, available in stores selling Japanese groceries) before serving.
A few years back, I visited Tokyo for the first time, and while there I detected a curious flavor in one of the desserts I tasted. None of the pastry-chef students I was there to teach was able to tell me exactly what it was. But later, when a couple of the students and I were poking around at the 100-yen shop (the fabulously fun Japanese equivalent of a 99¢ store), I randomly picked up a packet of beige powder with a colorful riot of Japanese lettering. My easily enthused guides got even more enthused, letting me know that I’d found exactly what I was looking for. When I got home, I discovered kinako in my local Japanese food shop and learned that it was roasted soybean powder. It has a taste similar to roasted nuts but more elusive and certainly more exotic.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
6 tablespoons (55 g) kinako powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
Whisk together the milk, sugar, kinako, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
Warm the kinako-flavored mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Pour the mixture into a blender and purée for 30 seconds.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make a nondairy version of this ice cream, warm 2½ cups (625 ml) plain soy milk with ¾ cup (150 g) sugar and whisk in 3½ tablespoons (35 g) kinako powder. Once warm, remove the mixture from the heat and chill thoroughly. Whiz it in the blender, and then freeze it in your ice cream maker.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Kinako Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches, using the Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies and rolling the edges of the sandwiches in finely chopped Salt-Roasted Peanuts.
The cleansing zing of fresh ginger is always welcome after dinner. Its not-so-subtle spiciness is a pleasing juxtaposition to the cool creaminess of ice cream. Ginger is also reputed to aid digestion, and adding nuggets of soft Dark Chocolate Truffles or layering the ice cream with Stracciatella would certainly make this “medicine” go down quite easily.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 ounces (85 g) unpeeled fresh ginger
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
Cut the ginger in half lengthwise (making it more stable for slicing), and then cut it into thin slices. Place the ginger in a medium, nonreactive saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ginger by about ½ inch (2 cm), and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain, discarding the liquid.
Return the blanched ginger slices to the saucepan, then add the milk, 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, sugar, and salt. Warm the mixture, cover, and remove from the heat. Let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the mixture. Remove the ginger slices with a slotted spoon and discard. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Lemon–Fresh Ginger Ice Cream, grind the zest of 2 lemons with the sugar in a blender or food processor and warm it with the milk.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Ginger and Candied Lemon Ice Cream by draining a handful of Candied Lemon Slices, coarsely chopping them, and folding them into the just-churned ice cream.
For Ginger-Gingersnap Ice Cream, mix in one recipe of Speculoos.
There seems to be no agreement as to the origin of the word “butterscotch.” Some culinary scholars argue that its name is taken from “butter-scorched,” a theory worthy of consideration, since the process does indeed require cooking butter. Yet others academically assert that the term is derived from the word “butter scoring,” as in “cutting.” Not as in, “Dude, I scored some awesome Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream from David!”
So I’d like to offer my own theory, one that’s a bit simpler: It’s because buttery butterscotch always tastes better with a shot of scotch in it.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
5 tablespoons (70 g) butter, salted or unsalted
¾ cup (170 g) packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon scotch whisky
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and salt until well moistened. Whisk in 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream and the milk.
Warm the brown sugar and cream mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm brown sugar mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the vanilla and scotch, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the Buttered Pecans.
PERFECT PAIRING: Go all out and make Blondie Sundaes, serving Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream atop Blondies, drizzling with Lean Chocolate Sauce or Classic Hot Fudge.
This is the perfect date ice cream. Ha ha … er, sorry about that.
Ahem. Anyway, sweet dates and rum make a good duo, but having lived in San Francisco for many years, where it’s often whispered that there’s no better way to liven up a pairing than by adding a third element, I offer you this ménage à trois of flavors in one sybaritic ice cream.
Be careful when heating the rum and dates: The rum can flame up, so keep an eye on the action before it gets too hot to handle.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
DATES
12 dates (4 ounces, 115 g), pitted
¼ cup (60 ml) dark rum
ICE CREAM
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Big pinch of salt
1¼ cups (310 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 cup (100 g) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (see Note)
To prepare the dates, chop them into ½-inch (2-cm) pieces. Combine the date pieces with the rum in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir. Cover and let macerate at room temperature for at least 4 hours (this can be done up to 1 day ahead).
To make the ice cream, warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla and rum, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the nuts and date pieces.
NOTE: Feel free to substitute 1 cup Wet Pecans (see variation on Wet Walnuts) or 1 cup Spiced Pecans for the toasted pecans.
Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato, made with Gianduja Gelato, Stracciatella, and Ice Cream Cones
On my first visit to Torino, I arrived in rabid pursuit of gianduja, a confection made from local hazelnuts ground with milk chocolate that is a specialty of the Piedmont region. I’d also never had gianduja gelato at the source. I did not leave disappointed. I watched with anticipation as the gelato maker at Caffè San Carlo smeared dense gelato from his gleaming freezer into a cone. It was hazelnut heaven. Use top-quality milk chocolate with at least 30 percent cocoa solids.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (185 g) hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
4 ounces (115 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to remove as much of the papery skins as possible, then finely chop them in a food processor or blender.
Warm the milk with 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Put the milk chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream in a medium saucepan until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the milk chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts.
Rewarm the hazelnut-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato (pictured above) by adding Stracciatella to the gelato. Scoop it into Ice Cream Cones to serve.
I once visited a sugar shack in Canada, a magical place where sticky maple sap gets boiled down into glistening maple syrup. I watched the process until I could stand it no more, and then my wildest dreams came true: We sat down to a lunch where everything came to the table drenched with pure, precious maple syrup. And in case there wasn’t enough, a big pitcher of warm maple syrup also sat within reach so we could help ourselves to as much as we wanted. If my shoulder bag had been syrup-proof, I would have been very tempted to take some of the obvious overflow off their hands. Maple syrup is usually graded dark amber or light amber. The darker the syrup, the deeper the flavor, so I always use the darker type, since there’s no such thing as too much maple syrup flavor. Adding Wet Walnuts drenched in maple syrup ensures a delivery of delicious maple flavor with each bite.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ cup (180 ml) dark amber maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Warm the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Add the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the Wet Walnuts.
PERFECT PAIRING: Use Salted Butter Caramel Sauce to make Maple Walnut Ice Cream Sundaes, resting the ice cream on a Chewy-Dense Brownie and topping it off with a Candied Cherry.
I really like frozen yogurt, but only if it’s homemade. So don’t expect this to taste like the frozen yogurt that squirts out of the machine at the mall. That kind is loaded with so much other stuff that any similarity to real yogurt is purely coincidental. Homemade frozen yogurt has a delightful tanginess and is a bit lighter than traditional ice cream. I choose to keep mine pure, relying on good whole-milk yogurt to provide much of the flavor. If you do want to make a dense, richer frozen yogurt, see the variation below.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 cups (720 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Rich Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, substitute 3 cups (720 g) of strained yogurt or Greek-style yogurt for the plain whole-milk yogurt and reduce the amount of sugar to ¾ cup (150 g).
PERFECT PAIRING: Yes, you can have yogurt and granola for dessert. Just top a scoop of Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with Honey-Crunch Granola.
Kids, naturally, love this ice cream. And it’s easy enough that kids can put it together themselves with a minimum of help from Mom or Dad. To make it even more fun, layer in a swirl of their favorite jam.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
¾ cup (180 g) smooth peanut butter
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 g) sugar
2⅔ cups (660 ml) half-and-half
Pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Purée the peanut butter, sugar, half-and-half, salt, and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream, as you remove the ice cream from the machine, layer it with ¾ cup (240 g) of your favorite jam or jelly.
This ice cream is for those who are nostalgic for those orange-and-cream-flavored popsicles. If you miss that taste, you’ll discover it again here.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Grated zest of 3 oranges, preferably unsprayed
1¼ cups (310 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (from 4 or 5 large oranges)
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
½ cup (125 ml) half-and-half
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur
In a blender, pulverize the sugar and orange zest until the zest is very fine. Add the orange juice, sour cream, half-and-half, and Grand Marnier and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: If you like oranges and cream, dip small scoops of Orange Popsicle Ice Cream in melted white chocolate, using the directions for Tartufi.
I froze lots and lots and lots of ice cream when writing this book. It was a treat having freshly made ice cream every day, but space in my freezer soon became an issue, and more than once a frozen brick of ice cream slipped out, nearly crashing down on my foot. I eventually realized that it was impossible (and a little dangerous) to coexist with too many flavors all at once. Consequently, I passed off lots of ice cream to friends, neighbors, local shopkeepers, and occasionally a startled delivery man. All were more than happy to take a quart off my hands. But I guarded this Malted Milk Ice Cream, saving it all for myself.
The recipe calls for malt powder, which is usually found in the ice cream aisle of your supermarket. Sometimes, however, it’s stocked alongside chocolate drink mixes like Ovaltine, which isn’t the same thing and shouldn’t be used here. The most common brands of malt powder are Carnation and Horlicks. (See Resources, for online sources.)
MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS (1½ LITERS)
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup (90 g) malt powder
6 large egg yolks
2 cups (350 g) malted milk balls, coarsely chopped
Warm the half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla, and malt powder and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and whisk it into the malted milk mixture. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, fold in the chopped malted milk balls.
PERFECT PAIRING: Add crumbled Chewy-Dense Brownies or Dark Chocolate Truffles for Chocolate–Malted Milk Ice Cream.
This ice cream tastes just like a big, moist, chewy oatmeal cookie, thanks to the winning combination of plump raisins and crunchy oatmeal praline folded into a custard made with just the right touch of brown sugar.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
RAISINS
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup (80 g) raisins
2 teaspoons whiskey
ICE CREAM
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
⅓ cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
To prepare the raisins, heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Add the raisins and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until all but about 2 tablespoons of the syrup has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the whiskey.
To make the ice cream, warm the milk, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon together into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the raisins and Oatmeal Praline.
PERFECT PAIRING: For Oatmeal-Raisin Tartufi, follow the instructions in the recipe for Tartufi.
The first time I discovered “gourmet” ice cream, the flavor was rum raisin, made by one of those premium brands with lots of vowels in its name. Aside from all those vowels, it also had lots and lots of raisins plumped in real, honest-to-goodness rum, and I had never had store-bought ice cream that was so smooth and so creamy. Coincidentally, at about the same time I discovered those little round pints of premium ice cream, I learned a new way to eat ice cream: right from the little round pint container. Which, by strange coincidence (or shrewd marketing, more likely), fit just perfectly in my hand.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
⅔ cup (100 g) mixed dark and light raisins
½ cup (125 ml) dark rum
1-inch (3-cm) strip of orange or lemon zest
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
Heat the raisins, rum, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Let simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for a few hours. (The raisins can be macerated 1 day in advance.)
Warm the milk, sugar, ½ cup (125 ml) of the heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath, then chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
When ready to freeze the ice cream, drain the raisins over a bowl and reserve the rum. Discard the orange zest. Measure the drained rum and add more, if necessary, so that you have a total of 3 tablespoons (45 ml). Stir the rum into the custard.
Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the rum-soaked raisins.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Rum Raisin Vacherins, filling Meringue Nests with Rum Raisin Ice Cream topped with Whipped Cream and thin strips of Candied Citrus Peel made with orange zest.
Do you know how tin roof ice cream got its name? Neither do I. Nor does anyone, it seems. I’ve tried to find out but have always come up empty-handed. I do know that it’s one of my favorite ice cream combinations, and I guess I need to be content with that. Tin roof sundaes are traditionally made of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and a scattering of red-skinned Spanish peanuts. I couldn’t resist using chocolate-covered peanuts instead and folding them into the ice cream, where they become embedded between layers of fudge ripple.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Warm the milk, sugar, salt and ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. With a sharp paring knife, scrape the flavorful seeds from the vanilla bean and add them, along with the pod, to the hot milk mixture. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Rewarm the vanilla-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Remove the vanilla bean, wipe it clean of any egg bits, and add it back to the custard. Stir in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
When ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean (it can be rinsed and reused). Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is freezing, chop the peanuts into bite-sized pieces.
Fold the peanut pieces into the frozen ice cream as you remove it from the machine, and layer it with Fudge Ripple.
PERFECT PAIRING: To make Tin Roof Sundaes, serve this ice cream with plenty of Marshmallow–Hot Fudge Sauce and Salt-Roasted Peanuts, topped off with a Candied Cherry.
True zabaglione—a foamy custard of egg yolks, wine, and sugar—is often made to order in Italian restaurants. Moments after the waiter takes your order, you’ll hear the frenetic “clang-clack-clang” of the whisk hitting the copper bowl in the kitchen. Once it’s reached a billowy peak, it’s heaped into a glass quickly but not necessarily neatly (speed trumps presentation with zabaglione) and served straight up and warm. In season, you’ll often find sliced strawberries buried underneath all that delicious froth. Zabaglione Gelato captures the taste of a true zabaglione in a cool scoop of ice cream without the last-minute flurry of activity, and it’s just as good served with lots of juicy strawberries.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Big pinch of salt
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (125 ml) dry Marsala wine
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Zest half of the lemon directly into the warm milk. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm lemon-infused milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the Marsala and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Pair Zabaglione Gelato with Mixed Berry Coulis, or spoon lots of sugared strawberries into a wine goblet and top with a scoop of the ice cream.
Maybe I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer. When I visited the Chartreuse distillery in the French Alps, our guide told us that the exact recipe for the famed herbal liqueur was a closely guarded secret, known only by three brothers who worked at the monastery.
Astounded, I spoke up. “Wow, that’s incredible. What is the likelihood of three brothers going into the same business together, as well as becoming monks at the same monastery?” The other guests on the tour simply stopped and looked at me with their mouths slightly agape. Then our guide enlightened me and we moved on, but not before I overheard a few hushed conversations evaluating my intellect.
This is a very light ice cream, and it’s so simple that anyone, regardless of their intelligence level, can easily put it together.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2⅔ cups (660 ml) whole milk
1⅓ cups (320 g) sour cream
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
3 tablespoons (45 ml) green Chartreuse liqueur
Purée the milk, sour cream, sugar, and Chartreuse in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: Substitute another liquor or liqueur for the Chartreuse, such as dark rum, Cognac, or Grand Marnier.
PERFECT PAIRING: Fill Profiteroles with Chartreuse Ice Cream, then ladle warm Lean Chocolate Sauce over them, topping them with a shower of crisp French Almonds.
If you need to liven things up around your holiday table, this tipsy ice cream will do the trick. Warm apple crisp, cranberry upside-down cake, or the ever-popular pumpkin pie—all are improved with a sidecar of this frozen version of eggnog. This will definitely make those obligatory family get-togethers a bit less traumatic … which I offer on very good authority.
The simplest way to measure freshly grated nutmeg, which is the only kind you should use, is to fold a sheet of paper in half, reopen it, and grate the nutmeg over the paper. Then fold the paper again to direct the nutmeg into the measuring spoon.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or more to taste
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Mix in the nutmeg, brandy, rum, and vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. Once the mixture is cold, taste it, and grate in more fresh nutmeg if you wish. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Eggnog Ice Cream Cups by serving scoops of Eggnog Ice Cream in punch cups, drizzled with Whiskey Caramel Sauce (see variation on Lemon Caramel Sauce) and dusted with freshly grated nutmeg.
Crème fraîche is the cultured French cousin to American sour cream, although it’s far richer and more unctuous, with a distinct nutty-tangy-sweet flavor.
This ice cream is made in a slightly different manner than other recipes, since mixing the crème fraîche with the other ingredients too far in advance can cause the whole batch to turn into a whole lot of crème fraîche, perhaps more than you bargained for.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Big pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups (480 g) crème fraîche (see Note)
Prepare a medium-sized bowl with a mesh strainer over the top and set it in an ice bath.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof plastic spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
Once cool, whisk in the crème fraîche, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE: Crème fraîche is available at cheese shops and well-stocked supermarkets. You can make your own version by stirring together 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream and ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours, until thick. Refrigerate until ready to use.
VARIATION: If crème fraîche is your refined cousin from France, mascarpone is the rugged Italian uncle from New Jersey that no one in the family likes to talk about. To make Mascarpone Ice Cream, substitute 2 cups (480 g) mascarpone for the crème fraîche. Mascarpone ice cream makes a terrific affogato: douse a couple of scoops with a shot of warm espresso.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Cherries Jubilee by warming Candied Cherries with 2 tablespoons kirsch or curaçao (or another liqueur) and then spooning the warm cherries over scoops of Crème Fraîche Ice Cream.
Almond, Cherry, and Chocolate Ice Cream, made with Toasted Almond and Candied Cherry Ice Cream and Fudge Ripple
Crack open a cherry or apricot pit and you’ll discover a soft kernel inside with the pronounced scent of bitter almonds. I took a cue from whatever higher power designed these two flavors together and paired cherries with almonds in one heavenly ice cream. Adding anything chocolate makes this ice cream amazingly good.
Be sure to drain the cherries in a strainer very well before folding them into the ice cream. They should be dry and sticky before you chop them up and mix them in.
MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS (1½ LITERS)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
2 cups (270 g) whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
5 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (200 g) well-drained Sour Cherries in Syrup or Candied Cherries, coarsely chopped
Warm the milk, sugar, salt, and 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. Finely chop 1 cup (135 g) of the almonds and add them to the warm milk. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Strain the almond-infused milk into a separate medium saucepan. Press with a spatula or squeeze with your hands to extract as much flavor from the almonds as possible. Discard the almonds.
Rewarm the almond-infused milk. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir in the almond extract and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the remaining 1 cup (135 g) chopped almonds. When you remove the ice cream from the machine, fold in the chopped cherries.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Try layering this ice cream with Fudge Ripple for Almond, Cherry, and Chocolate Ice Cream (pictured above), or add Dark Chocolate Truffles or Stracciatella instead.
The first time I ever saw fresh goat cheese was when we started serving it on salads at Chez Panisse. This being Berkeley, most of the customers thought it was tofu. Nowadays goat cheese has become far more familiar. Especially in Berkeley.
Adding goat cheese to ice cream gives it the surprising taste of a blue-ribbon cheesecake. Use a moist, fresh goat cheese for best results.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
8 ounces (230 g) fresh goat cheese
6 large egg yolks
Warm the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. While the milk is warming, crumble the goat cheese into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the goat cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Mix the cheese course and dessert by serving Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Honey and Walnuts. Toast some very delicious walnut halves and let cool. To serve, drizzle a scoop of Goat Cheese Ice Cream with strongly flavored honey (I like chestnut or lavender honey). Scatter the toasted walnut halves over the top.
When I first started to travel to France regularly, the French, when they found out I was American, would rhapsodize “J’adore le Philadelphia!”
It took me a while to realize they were enthralled with our cream cheese, which is indeed worthy of international acclaim. They’ve adopted cheesecake too, calling it le gâteau fromage or simply le cheesecake.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
½ cup (125 ml) half-and-half
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
Cut the cream cheese into small pieces. Zest the lemon directly into a blender or food processor, then add the cream cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, sugar, and salt, and purée until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: For Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, layer Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Sauce.
I live above a huilerie in Paris, a shop that sells top-quality oils from all over the world. I decided that Colette, the owner, would be my primary ice cream taste tester. Not only did she have an excellent palate and love to taste things, but I knew that, being French, she’d have absolutely no problem expressing her opinions, good or bad. This was her favorite of all the ice creams I made. Her eyes rolled back in her head when she slipped the first spoonful in her mouth. “Oh lá lá,” she exclaimed.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
2 cups (450 g) mascarpone
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
¼ cup (60 ml) coffee-flavored liqueur, such as Kahlúa
3 tablespoons (45 ml) brandy or dark rum
Mocha Ripple (see variation on Fudge Ripple)
Purée the mascarpone, half-and-half, sugar, salt, liqueur, and brandy together in a blender or food processor until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove it from the machine, alternate layers of Mocha Ripple with the frozen ice cream in the storage container.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make a classic affogato, which means “drowned” in Italian, by pouring warm espresso over Tiramisù Ice Cream served in a small bowl.
The Marché d’Aligre is the liveliest market in Paris. In the center, there’s a marvelous épicerie, with bins brimming with things familiar and unusual: various grains and spices, plump dried fruits, organic honey, bars of chocolate, and artisan candies from all over France. It’s my one-stop shop for anything délicieux!
When I stopped by to get some lavender flowers, José Ferré, the proprietor, shooed me away from the basket in his window and stepped into the back room. A minute later he returned dragging an enormous sack of dark purple lavender flowers that had just arrived from Provence. He gestured toward the bag, so I stuck my head in and inhaled deeply. The perfumed bouquet of the freshly harvested lavender flowers was ethereal. Of course, those lavender flowers made amazing ice cream.
Try to find the most fragrant lavender flowers you can, wherever you live, and be sure to use lavender flowers that are intended for consumption.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
½ cup (125 ml) good-flavored honey
¼ cup (8 g) dried or fresh lavender flowers
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
Heat the honey and 2 tablespoons of the lavender in a small saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat and set aside to steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. Pour the lavender-infused honey into the cream through the strainer, pressing on the lavender flowers to extract as much flavor as possible, then discard the lavender and set the strainer back over the cream.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lavender flowers and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, before churning, strain the mixture, again pressing on the lavender flowers to extract their flavor. Discard the flowers, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Honey-Sesame Ice Cream, follow the recipe but omit the steps that call for infusing lavender flowers in the honey and the custard. Prepare one recipe of Honey-Sesame Brittle and crumble it into the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning.
PERFECT PAIRING: To make Figs Roasted in Pernod, for 4 to 6 servings, slice 10 fresh figs in half and place them in a baking dish. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of good honey (such as lavender honey) and 2 tablespoons Pernod. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes, until tender. Serve the figs warm or at room temperature, along with some of the sauce and a scoop of Lavender-Honey Ice Cream. Top with a few strips of Candied Citrus Peel if you like.
This curious combination of flavors will surprise you, as it did the unsuspecting friends I invited over to taste test it. One was so enamored of it that she kept digging her spoon in until the container was scraped clean! I like to serve this with warm oven-baked pears. Not only do they taste very good together, but the combination does double duty as the cheese course and the dessert.
A few helpful tips: You can replace the Roquefort with a favorite blue cheese, with excellent results. Also, if your honey is very strong, you may wish to use the smaller amount indicated. And be a bit careful when making the custard; because it has no sugar, it will cook quickly.
MAKES 3 CUPS (750 ML)
6 to 8 tablespoons (90 to 125 ml) good-flavored honey
4 ounces (115 g) Roquefort or blue cheese
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
Warm the honey in a small saucepan, then set aside. Crumble the cheese into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cheese. Stir until most of the cheese is melted (some small bits are fine and are rather nice in the finished ice cream, I think). Stir in the cream and honey, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Roquefort-Honey Ice Cream is lovely drizzled with warm honey and served with toasted pecans or walnuts scattered over the top.
While navigating my way through the Barcelona train station, I was suddenly surrounded by a squadron of Spanish police, guns drawn, barking orders at me in Spanish. Aimed and ready, they gestured to me to open up the suspiciously overstuffed valise I was dragging.
I carefully unzipped my bulky suitcase, revealing rows and rows of peculiar brown paper-wrapped bundles, all packed neatly in rows. An officer demanded that I unwrap one of the packages. I slowly tore the paper off the first one and held it high for all to see. The policemen let down their guns and had a good laugh. My crime? Smuggling home blocks of crispy Spanish turrón.
This ice cream duplicates the taste of turrón with crispy almonds, honey, and a touch of candied orange, and it can be made, without raising any suspicions, in your ice cream maker at home.
MAKES 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
1½ cups (375 ml) half-and-half
½ cup (100 g) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) good-flavored honey
Pinch of salt
1 orange, preferably unsprayed
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange-flower water
2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel (see Note)
⅔ cup (75 g) almonds, toasted and very coarsely chopped
¼ cup (30 g) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts, very coarsely chopped
Warm the half-and-half, sugar, honey, and salt in a medium saucepan. Zest the orange directly into the mixture. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm half-and-half into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Add the orange-flower water and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove it from the machine, fold in the candied orange peel, almonds, and pistachio nuts.
NOTE: To order candied orange peel, see Resources. You can also make Candied Citrus Peel using orange zest.
I’ve spent many a summer night enjoying an ice cream cone, flanked by Mexican and Filipino families, at Mitchell’s Ice Cream in San Francisco’s Mission District. This ice cream is inspired by ube, the sweet potato ice cream they serve up in addition to all the other exotic flavors they offer. Mitchell’s is so popular that the place is just as packed when the inevitable summer fog rolls in and chills things down as it is when the sun is shining. There’s always a line. But don’t think for a minute that the flavor of this ice cream is too adventurous. Imagine a nice slab of spiced pumpkin pie; this ice cream delivers that classic flavor in one neat scoop of ice cream.
The best sweet potatoes to use are a vivid, electric orange. I try to find the brightest orange ones when shopping. Don’t tell, but sometimes I scrape a bit of the skin off one, just to check.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 pound (450 g) sweet potatoes, peeled
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (280 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (140 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch (3-cm) cubes. Place the cubed potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender when poked with a sharp knife. Drain the sweet potatoes and let cool to room temperature.
Pour the milk into a blender and add the brown sugar, sweet potato pieces, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Purée until very smooth, at least 30 seconds. Add lemon juice to taste. Press the mixture through a mesh strainer, using a flexible rubber spatula.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the pecans and their syrup.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Top with Whiskey Caramel Sauce (see variation on Lemon Caramel Sauce or Pecan-Praline Sauce.
Fortunately, I once worked with pastry chef Mary Canales. Unfortunately, our time together lasted merely a few hours. I was ending my tenure at Chez Panisse, and she was just beginning hers. But I liked her instantly, and we kept in touch. Years later, she decided to open an ice cream shop, Ici, in Berkeley, and I was thrilled when her ice creams became legendary in the Bay Area. Here’s the most popular flavor from her vast repertoire. Panforte is a Italian cake, a Tuscan specialty that’s so dense and delicious that it’s practically a confection. And like the best panforte, Mary’s ice cream has the perfect balance of spices, toasted almonds, and candied orange peel.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons (45 ml) full-flavored honey
¼ cup (30 g) mixed candied citrus peel (see Note)
½ cup (65 g) almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
Warm the half-and-half, sugar, and spices in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Rewarm the spice-infused mixture. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and mix it into the cream. Discard the cinnamon stick. Stir the custard until cool over an ice bath. While it’s cooling, warm the honey in a small saucepan, then stir it into the custard.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the candied citrus peel and almonds.
NOTE: You can find good-quality candied peel in well-stocked markets (but no icky green things, please!) or by mail order (see Resources). Or you can use the recipe for Candied Citrus Peel.
PERFECT PAIRING: Pair Panforte Ice Cream with a scoop of Black Pepper Ice Cream.
Many apartment buildings in Paris, including mine, have a gardienne. Although their official duties are accepting deliveries and overseeing maintenance, they’re equally famous for being a steady (and remarkably reliable) source of gossip about your neighbors.
My gardienne is Madame André, who has young children, so she was always quite happy to accept ice cream while I churned out recipes for this book. Of all the ice creams I gave her, this was her absolute favorite, and she went into Gallic raptures whenever she saw me for days and days afterward. I should probably recommend her for a job as my publicist too, since shortly thereafter I got a reputation in the building as being L’Américain qui fait des glaces, toujours! (the American who makes ice cream, all the time!). If you’re a rice pudding lover, this is the ice cream for you. And be sure to spread the word.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
½ cup (100 g) Italian Arborio rice
3 cups (750 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
Two 1-inch-wide (3-cm) strips of orange zest
5 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half or cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
To cook the rice, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a 2-quart (2-liter) baking dish, stir together the rice, milk, ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar, and the salt. Add the vanilla bean and strips of orange zest. Cover the dish snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
Remove the rice from the oven and remove the foil. Stir in the remaining ½ cup (100 g) sugar, then continue to bake the rice, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, until it is tender. There should be about ½ inch (2 cm) of milk covering the rice.
Remove the rice from oven, remove the vanilla bean (it can be rinsed and saved for another use), and briskly whisk in the egg yolks all at once. Then whisk in the half-and-half or cream and nutmeg.
Purée half of the rice mixture in a blender or food processor until chopped quite fine, then stir it back into the cooked rice.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE: It’s best to serve this ice cream the same day you churn it, or remove it from the freezer at least 5 to 10 minutes before you plan to scoop it, so the grains are chewy-soft.
PERFECT PAIRING: Sour Cherries in Grand Marnier are perfect over Rice Gelato. For about 6 servings, combine ¾ cup (90 g) dried sour cherries, 6 tablespoons (90 ml) Grand Marnier, 2 tablespoons water, and 3 tablespoons (45 g) sugar in a small, nonreactive saucepan. Heat until the liquid comes to a full boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until cool. Spoon the cherries over the Rice Gelato.
Bill Fujimoto, the produce expert at Monterey Market in Berkeley, grew up in Japan. He once told me about the produce market where his father worked, which featured a wall covered with tarantulas, each individually nailed in place. In days past, native islanders would hoist bunches of bananas onto ships heading landward, and the bananas would sometimes include a little something extra from the jungle lurking beneath the stem. Sometimes people would bring home bananas only to discover an unwelcome houseguest the next day, enjoying a morning stroll across the kitchen counter.
In spite of their risky reputation, bananas have become the most popular, and least intimidating, fruit in America. I’ve eaten more than my fair share and have yet to see any hazardous signs of life. (But that doesn’t mean I don’t take a peek every now and then.)
Roasting bananas in butter and brown sugar gives them a deep, rich butterscotch flavor, which enhances their abundant natural sweetness.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 medium-sized ripe bananas, peeled
⅓ cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, salted or unsalted, cut into small pieces
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Slice the bananas into ½-inch (2-cm) pieces and toss them with the brown sugar and butter in a 2-quart (2-liter) baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring just once during baking, until the bananas are browned and cooked through.
Scrape the bananas and the thick syrup in the baking dish into a blender or food processor. Add the milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt, and purée until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the chilled mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisking will thin it out.
PERFECT PAIRING: Roasted Banana Ice Cream makes a terrific foundation for an updated banana split. Drench the ice cream in warm Classic Hot Fudge, and add ripe banana slices and Whipped Cream or Marshmallow Sauce. Top it off with a Candied Cherry, of course!
What do you say when a nice Jewish boy gives up a promising career as a lawyer to become a self-appointed “amateur gourmet”? (“Oy!” his mom probably said.)
When the audacious amateur himself, Adam Roberts, used my recipe for Strawberry Frozen Yogurt as inspiration for churning up a batch of Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt, he posted the results on his web site, www.amateurgourmet.com. It was an idea too delicious not to include in this book. However, when pressed for minor details like, say, a recipe or exact quantities, Adam played the amateur card and feigned ignorance, forcing a certain professional to do his duty.
This recipe calls for sour cherries, which are different from their sweeter counterparts and sometimes require a bit of foraging to find (Adam found his at Manhattan’s Greenmarket). Their tiny little pits can easily be slipped out by squeezing the cherries with your fingers or with the help of a cherry pitter.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
1 pound (450 g) fresh sour cherries (about 3 cups, measured unpitted)
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt (see Note)
2 drops almond extract
Stem and pit the cherries. Put them in a medium, nonreactive saucepan with the sugar. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to encourage the juices to flow, until the cherries are tender and cooked through. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Purée the cooked sour cherries and any liquid in a blender or food processor with the yogurt and almond extract until smooth.
Chill for 2 hours, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE: I don’t recommend using Strained Yogurt for making this, as I find the flavor too tart when combined with the sour cherries. If you’d like to make it richer, use Greek-style yogurt instead.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Sour Cherry Profiteroles by filling Profiteroles with Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt and topping them off with a few Sour Cherries in Syrup and a scribble of Lean Chocolate Sauce.
Apricot-Pistachio Crêpes, made with Dried Apricot-Pistachio Ice Cream, Crêpes, honey, and pistachios
I love, love, love dried apricots. They’re one of my favorite foods on earth, as long as they’re the ones from California. People are often tempted by Turkish and Chinese dried apricots, since they’re usually more colorful and far more plump (and cheaper), but I find them terribly sweet, and ice cream made with them lacks the delicious flavor and intensity of dried apricots.
The combination of pistachio nuts and apricots is particularly good. Don’t toast the pistachio nuts or they’ll lose their lovely green hue. Make sure the pistachio nuts you’re using are fresh and crisp.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
5 ounces (140 g) dried California apricots, quartered
¾ cup (180 ml) white wine, dry or sweet
½ cup (70 g) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) half-and-half
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
In a small saucepan, warm the apricot pieces in the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Coarsely chop the pistachio nuts.
Purée the apricots with the wine in a blender with the sugar, half-and-half, and lemon juice until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the chopped pistachio nuts.
PERFECT PAIRING: You can make Apricot-Pistachio Crêpes (pictured above) by warming Crêpes and serving them, folded, on plates, topped with scoops of Dried Apricot–Pistachio Ice Cream, a drizzling of acacia honey, and a scattering of chopped pistachios.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where fresh apricots are bountiful in the summer, be sure to take advantage of their brief season by churning up a batch of this ice cream. Don’t be put off by apricots that are übersoft, as plump and fragile as an overfilled water balloon, seemingly ready to burst at the slightest touch. Those are invariably the best-tasting fruits.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 pound (450 g) squishy-ripe fresh apricots (10 to 16, depending on size)
½ cup (125 ml) water
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
3 drops almond extract
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Slice open the apricots and remove the pits, then cut each apricot into sixths. Cook the apricot pieces with the water in a covered medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until tender, about 8 minutes, and stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until disolved. Let cool to room temperature.
Once cool, purée the apricots and any liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste a big spoonful; if there are any small fibers, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove them. Stir in the cream, almond extract, and lemon juice.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: It’s easy to assemble Apricot Vacherins with Sour Cherries in Syrup. Fill Almond Meringue Nests (see variation on Meringue Nests) with Fresh Apricot Ice Cream and top with Sour Cherries in Syrup. You might want to add some Whipped Cream and candied French Almonds.
For many years, I was delighted to work with Lindsey Shere, the founding pastry chef at Chez Panisse. She was constantly surprising us with amazing fruits and berries from neighbors’ backyards and nearby farms. Without fail, Lindsey would come in one weekend each summer carrying a big plastic Tupperware container, which, due to its distinctive rounded shape, left no question that it was precisely designed to hold a canned ham. But instead of a ham, inside would be a jumble of tiny, tender, smushed wild plums picked by her mother. Eaten raw, they were puckery-tart, but once stewed, they made an incredibly flavorful plum ice cream. Each year I would wait patiently for that one late-summer weekend when Lindsey would walk though the door lugging her now-infamous canned ham container. Although wild plums may be hard to come by, you can use whatever plums are available with equal success.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 pound (450 g) plums (about 8)
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon kirsch
Slice the plums in half and remove the pits. Cut the plums into eighths and put them in a medium, nonreactive saucepan with the water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
Once cool, purée in a blender or food processor with the cream and kirsch until smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: To make Plum–Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream, layer the just-churned plum ice cream with Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream, or make Plum–Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream by substituting blackberries for the raspberries.
One winter I visited my friend Kate Hill, who lives in Gascony, a region famous for its tasty prunes, les pruneaux d’Agen. As a means of prying me away from the cozy kitchen hearth, where I could happily eat cassoulet and drink Armagnac all day by the fire, we decided to do something cultural and visit the local prune museum. It was all rather exciting: an entire museum full of educational displays on the history of prunes, including informative dioramas showing the various phases of prune production. We ended our visit with a thrilling film explaining prune cultivation and harvesting, which was a real nail-biter.
On our way out, near the prune-filled gift shop (there was a comic book about a prune-fueled superhero … I’m not kidding), was a shrine with a jar holding what they claimed was the world’s oldest prune, dating back to the mid-1800s.
For this recipe, you should use prunes that are wrinkled but not necessarily that old, and be alert that it’s become au courant to call them dried plums in America.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
PRUNES
20 large prunes (about 10 ounces, 280 g), also known as dried plums
½ cup (125 ml) Armagnac
2 tablespoons sugar
ICE CREAM
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
To prepare the prunes, remove the pits and cut the prunes into quarters. Put the prune pieces in a small saucepan with the Armagnac and the 2 tablespoons sugar. Heat until the Armagnac starts bubbling. Stir the prunes, then cover and let stand for at least 2 hours. (The prunes can be macerated a few days in advance.)
To make the ice cream, purée the prunes and any liquid in a food processor or blender along with the sour cream, milk, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pulse the mixture until it’s almost smooth, with a few bits of prune remaining.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: If you’ve never had prunes and chocolate together, try studding this ice cream with Dark Chocolate Truffles.
This ice cream combines the best of two worlds: deeply caramelized sugar and sweet, juicy pears. Use the ripest, most flavorful pears you can find, since you want the flavor of the pears to stand up to the slightly burnt taste of the caramel. I recommend Comice or Bartlett pears, which have a heady, roselike aroma when ripe. Don’t be alarmed if the sugar hardens and crackles when you add the pears. Keep cooking, and the pears will dissolve the caramelized sugar nicely.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 medium-sized ripe pears, peeled and cored
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dice the pears into ¼-inch (1-cm) pieces.
Spread the sugar in a large, nonreactive, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook the sugar over medium heat, watching it carefully. When it begins to liquefy and darken at the edges, use a heatproof spatula to very gently stir the sugar, encouraging the heat of the liquefied sugar around the edges to moisten and melt the sugar crystals in the center.
Once the sugar becomes deep amber, stir in the pear pieces. Some of the caramel will seize and harden, but as you cook the pears, use a heatproof utensil to stir them and melt any bits of hard caramel. Continue to cook the pears for 10 minutes, until the pieces are cooked through.
Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream, then mix in the remaining cream, along with the salt and a few drops of lemon juice.
Let cool to room temperature, then purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Press the mixture through a mesh strainer with a flexible rubber spatula to remove any tough pear fibers.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: For Pear, Caramel, and Ginger Ice Cream, add ⅓ cup (35 g) very finely chopped candied ginger to the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Pear-Caramel Cream Puffs with Salted Butter Caramel and Chocolate Sauces and Buttercrunch Toffee Bits. Fill Profiteroles with Pear-Caramel Ice Cream, and set them on a pool of Salted Butter Caramel Sauce. Scribble Lean Chocolate Sauce over the cream puffs, then top with bits of well-crumbled Buttercrunch Toffee.
Surprisingly, a lot of people have never seen a fresh fig. When they do, they invariably ask, “What is that?” Indeed, a majority of the fig harvest gets dried and made into the familiar bar cookies. But fresh figs have a sweet succulence that is unmatched by their dried counterparts. A fig is ripe when the sides crack and split and a dewy drop of juice starts to ooze from the tiny hole in the bottom. Once picked, figs don’t ripen any more, so buy only figs that are dead-ripe. For best results, use Black Mission figs, which will give the ice cream a lovely deep-violet color.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
2 pounds (1 kg) fresh figs (about 20)
½ cup (125 ml) water
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in a medium, nonreactive saucepan with the water, and zest the lemon directly into the saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the figs are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, add the sugar, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the figs are a jamlike consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, purée the fig paste in a blender or food processor with the cream and lemon juice. Taste, then add more lemon juice if desired.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When friends found out I was writing a book on ice cream, many felt compelled to “help out” by passing along really odd flavor combinations they’d either seen or heard of. But somehow, I just couldn’t seem to get enthusiastic about combinations like Clam-Raisin or Duck Fat Swirl. However, when Judy Witts raved about this combination, which she’d enjoyed at her local gelateria in Florence, it piqued my interest.
After a bit of trial and error, I discovered that the key to preserving the character of pecorino is to very finely dice the cheese rather than grating it. The little bites of salty cheese are the perfect counterpoint to the fruity, pear-flavored custard.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 ripe pears, such as Bartlett or Comice, peeled and cored
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
4 ounces (115 g) pecorino cheese
½ cup (120 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
3 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cut the pears into ½-inch (2-cm) pieces. Cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pears are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Purée in a food processor or blender until smooth. You should have about 1½ cups (375 ml) purée.
Use a chef’s knife to cut the pecorino into very thin slices, then chop the slices into small pieces about the size of grains of rice. Put them in a large bowl, add the sour cream, and set a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm half-and-half into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the pecorino and sour cream. Mix in the lemon juice and pear purée, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve with Marsala-Roasted Pears. For 6 servings, lop a small piece off the bottom of 6 Bosc pears. Set them upright in a baking dish just big enough to fit them all snugly and pour ¾ cup (180 ml) Marsala wine over the pears. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup (65 g) sugar, then bake in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 40 minutes, basting the pears with the juices occasionally. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a scoop of Pear-Pecorino Ice Cream and a spoonful of the Marsala syrup.
My well-meaning hostess, knowing that I had come to Italy to sample chocolate and gelato, planned a special dinner in my honor. As we drove up the mountain to the restaurant, she turned to me and said, “We’ve arranged a special dinner just for you. Each and every course is going to have chocolate in it!” Gulp.
Dinner was, um, interesting, and chocolate was indeed incorporated into each and every course—except for dessert! However, the chef presented us with a selection of ice creams, including one flavored with a fruity, locally pressed olive oil.
Olive oil ice cream pairs remarkably well with summer fruits such as strawberries and apricots, and if you use a fruity Spanish Arbequina olive oil, you’ll find this ice cream is sublime drizzled with Lean Chocolate Sauce too. Be sure to try it flecked with a few grains of coarse sea salt over the top.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1⅓ cups (330 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (125 ml) fruity olive oil
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Whisk the olive oil into the custard vigorously until it’s well blended, then stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: For Lemon–Olive Oil Ice Cream, very, very finely grate the zest of 1 lemon, preferably unsprayed, into the olive oil and warm it gently. Remove from the heat and let it infuse while you make the custard. Whisk the oil along with the zest into the ice cream custard.
PERFECT PAIRING: To make Honey-Roasted Apricots to serve along with Olive Oil Ice Cream, for 6 servings, split 12 fresh apricots in half and remove the pits. Arrange them cut side down in a baking dish and drizzle with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey, 6 tablespoons (90 ml) white wine, and ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the apricots are tender, basting them with their juices midway during baking. Serve the apricots warm or at room temperature with a scoop of Olive Oil Ice Cream and some French Almonds.
After a big meal, when I feel like I can’t eat another bite, I like a dessert that’s been infused with an intriguing flavor, like Szechwan pepper, to coax my taste buds back to life. This ice cream starts off comfortably, with the familiar flavor of orange, and then comes alive with a kick from the Szechwan peppercorns.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 tablespoons (10 g) Szechwan peppercorns
1½ cups (375 ml) whole milk
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (200 g) sugar
4 oranges, preferably unsprayed
6 large egg yolks
Coarsely grind the Szechwan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, or place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag and crack them with a rolling pin or hammer.
Heat the milk, ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream, and sugar with the crushed Szechwan peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Zest the oranges directly into the saucepan. Once warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the Szechwan pepper–infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATIONS: For Orange-Cardamom Ice Cream, substitute 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, crushed, for the Szechwan pepper.
For Orange-Clove Ice Cream, substitute 10 to 15 crushed whole cloves (depending on how clovey you want your ice cream) for the Szechwan pepper.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve with Red Wine–Poached Rhubarb Compote.
This recipe comes from Barbara Tropp, the woman who introduced many Americans to the wonders of Chinese cooking. But she was also one of those people who was just absolutely lovely to be around in every respect. She was deservedly popular in the food community and left many great recipes behind as her legacy, including this famous lemon ice cream. It was passed on to me by Susan Loomis, a dear friend we both had in common. I made it, ate one spoonful, and immediately found another reason to love, and miss, Barbara. It’s superbly lemony and clean … and as zesty as Barbara was herself.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
2 lemons, preferably unsprayed
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
2 cups (500 ml) half-and-half
Pinch of salt
Zest the lemons directly into a food processor or blender. Add the sugar and blend until the lemon zest is very fine. Add the lemon juice and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. Blend in the half-and-half and salt until smooth.
Chill for 1 hour, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make Mock Lemon Meringue Pie by folding Marshmallows into the just-churned ice cream or by topping it off with fluffy Marshmallow Sauce.
The Belgians have their own version of gingersnaps, called speculoos (SPEC-ou-looze). They’re meant to be nibbled alongside the copious amounts of beer that Belgians drink, which was one of the many lessons I learned when I went to chocolate school there, at Callebaut College. The Belgians like their beer so much that the outdoor beer gardens are busy all year long, even during the freezing cold winters. You have to brush the snow off your table to put down your glass! The good news is that you don’t have to worry about your beer getting warm.
Back home, I found that speculoos go equally well when crumbled and folded into lemon ice cream, which can be consumed any time of the year.
MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS (1½ LITERS)
3 large lemons, preferably unsprayed
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
Pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
Speculoos, crumbled
Zest the lemons directly into a food processor or blender. Add the sugar and blend until the lemon zest is very fine.
Warm the milk with the lemon-scented sugar, ½ cup (125 ml) of the heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from the heat, and let infuse for 1 hour.
Rewarm the lemon-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1½ cups (375 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour warm lemon-infused milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Discard the lemon zest and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove it from the machine, fold in the crumbled speculoos.
PERFECT PAIRING: Since speculoos are meant to be enjoyed with beer, try pairing this ice cream with a fruity Belgian beer for dessert. I recommend the sour cherry–flavored kriek (the best brand is Lindemans), which you can find in well-stocked supermarkets and liquor stores.
When I wrote my first book on desserts, I told the story of the blueberry bush my father planted when I was growing up, which was an early lesson in disappointment (there were many more to come, but that was the first). As soon as the berries would ripen, the wily and evil blackbirds would come and snag any and all berries before I got to taste even one.
When I returned home about a year ago, my sister had just sold the house and was moving away, and I noticed that the lonely berry bush was still there. And still devoid of berries. Although I gave up hope a long time ago, I considered warning the family moving in not to get their hopes up for any ripe blueberries. But I decided to let them find out on their own. They’ll learn the same lesson I did, and end up buying blueberries at the store, where the blackbirds can’t get them. Hopefully they’ll spare themselves the disappointment of a life as unfulfilled as mine, devoid of home-grown blueberries.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (360 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
3 cups (340 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon kirsch
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
In a blender or food processor, blend together the yogurt, sugar, and blueberries. Press the mixture through a strainer to remove the seeds. Stir in the kirsch and lemon juice. Chill for 1 hour.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATIONS: To make a richer version, substitute 1½ cups (360 g) of Greek-style yogurt or Strained Yogurt for the plain yogurt.
To make Raspberry Frozen Yogurt, purée 2 cups (480 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar and 2 cups (240 g) fresh or frozen raspberries with 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice. Press the mixture through a strainer to remove the seeds. Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve scoops of Blueberry Frozen Yogurt in Honey-Cornmeal Ice Cream Cones (see variation on Ice Cream Cones).
This is the first ice cream that springs to mind when people recall hand-cranked, old-fashioned fruit ice creams from their past. More than any other homemade ice cream, this is perhaps the most beloved of all flavors and is indeed best when spooned right out of the machine, just moments after it’s been churned.
An easy way to peel peaches is to cut an X at the bottom and then lower them in a pot of boiling water for about 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to a colander and shock them with cold water, then let them cool. Afterward, you’ll find their fuzzy peels just slip right off.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1⅓ pounds (600 g) ripe peaches (about 4 large peaches)
½ cup (125 ml) water
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
½ cup (120 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Peel the peaches, slice them in half, and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, then cool to room temperature.
Purée the cooked peaches and any liquid in a blender or food processor with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until almost smooth but slightly chunky.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
VARIATION: To make Nectarine Ice Cream, simply substitute nectarines for the peaches. There’s no need to peel the nectarines, since their tender skins soften during cooking.
PERFECT PAIRING: Make a Peaches and Cream Compote by serving Peach Ice Cream with Crème Fraîche Ice Cream. Peel and slice several peaches (allow 2 peaches for 4 people), then toss the slices with a sprinkle of sugar and let stand for about 30 minutes, until juicy. Put a scoop of each of the two ice creams in a bowl and pile peach slices around them.
Unlike some of the other frozen yogurts in this book, I only make this with plain, unstrained yogurt. Since the peach purée is so velvety thick, this frozen yogurt has a lovely consistency when frozen.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
1½ pounds (675 g) ripe peaches (about 5 large peaches)
½ cup (125 ml) water
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Peel the peaches, slice them in half, and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, then chill in the refrigerator.
When the peaches are cool, purée them in a food processor or blender with the yogurt until almost smooth but slightly chunky. Mix in a few drops of lemon juice.
Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve Peach Frozen Yogurt with a summertime Mixed Fruit Coulis.
Brilliant pink fresh strawberry ice cream is a classic flavor and, along with chocolate and vanilla, is an American favorite. I’m a big fan of any kind of berries served with tangy sour cream, but I think strawberries are the most delicious, especially when frozen into a soft, rosy red scoop of ice cream. Macerating the strawberries beforehand magically transforms even so-so berries into fruits that are brilliantly red. Try to eat this ice cream soon after it’s been churned.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ QUARTS (1¼ LITERS)
1 pound (450 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vodka or kirsch
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Slice the strawberries and toss them in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring every so often.
Pulse the strawberries and their liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until almost smooth but still slightly chunky.
Refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
This frozen yogurt is a snap to put together, especially welcome in the summer which is when you may want to limit your time in a warm kitchen. But don’t let its ease of preparation fool you; this vibrantly colored frozen yogurt provides the biggest blast of strawberry flavor imaginable.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 pound (450 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch (optional)
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Slice the strawberries into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch, if using, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring every so often.
Purée the strawberries and their liquid with the yogurt and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. If you wish, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
Refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: For Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Meringues (pictured here), fill Meringue Nests with Strawberry Frozen Yogurt. Add a dollop of Whipped Cream, and surround the frozen yogurt and meringue shell with lots of sliced sweetened strawberries, adding a few raspberries or mango slices if you like.
I’m a firm believer in being very nice to the people who feed me, which comes from working in restaurants and seeing what can happen to people who aren’t. I have a particular soft spot for the young folks at my local fish market, who wake early each morning to unpack, bone, and clean icy cold fish all day long. Since their freezer has a much larger capacity than mine, and their capacity for eating ice cream follows suit, I got into the habit of bringing them lots of ice creams and sorbets. Each time I’d bring them another flavor, they’d drop whatever work they were doing, rip off the lid, and dig right in. They liked this Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream the most, and it earned me VIP status instantly.
Since that day, I’ve gotten the quickest and most helpful service of anyone who shops at that fish store. This perplexes the other shoppers, who have no idea of the power of homemade ice cream. For best results, layer the just-churned ice cream with the raspberry swirl and avoid stirring it to preserve the colorful contrast between the frozen vanilla custard and the gorgeous swirl of raspberries.
MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS (1½ LITERS)
ICE CREAM
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
RASPBERRY SWIRL
1½ cups (160 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons (45 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vodka
To make the ice cream, warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
An hour or so before churning the ice cream, make the raspberry swirl by mashing the raspberries together with the sugar and vodka with a fork (if using frozen raspberries, let them thaw a bit first) until they’re juicy but with nice-sized chunks of raspberries remaining. Chill until ready to use.
Freeze the ice cream custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove it from the machine, layer it in the container with spoonfuls of the chilled raspberry swirl mixture.
VARIATION: To make Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream, substitute blackberries for the raspberries and add 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice to the mixture.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Sandwich Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream between Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies or Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies.
