CINNAMON ICE CREAM, CARAMELIZED APPLES, AND WALNUT SABLÉ
SERVES 5
Cinnamon, apples, and walnuts are natural partners, and this dessert offers a play on the apple crumble effect: apples are caramelized, topped with cinnamon-infused ice cream, and finished with a buttery, crumbly sablé (a French shortbread-style cookie). This fancy dish aims to impress, but each element can be prepared a day or two ahead and none require advanced techniques. You could also go solo with the sablés or ice cream for a pared-down everyday treat.
WALNUT SABLÉ COOKIES
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 yolks
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
CINNAMON ICE CREAM
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
7 sticks of cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 yolks
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
CARAMELIZED APPLES
3 apples, any variety, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 pieces
Juice of one lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
FOR THE WALNUT SABLÉ COOKIES
WHISK the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in the chopped walnuts and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until combined, about two minutes. Add the yolks and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Roll the dough into a cylinder/log shape about 3 inches wide. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about two hours until firm, or overnight.
PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Slice the log into ¼-inch rounds and place the cookies on 2 (or more) parchment lined baking sheets. Place the sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then bake the cookies 1 tray at a time for 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned. Let cool on a rack before placing in an airtight container to store.
FOR THE CINNAMON ICE CREAM
IN a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the milk, cream, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, and ground cinnamon together. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a steady simmer. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes to steep. Once steeped, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk the yolks, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt until frothy and combined. Bring the milk mixture back to a simmer and temper the yolk mixture by adding a little of the warm milk/cream to the yolks and whisking. Continue adding the milk to the yolks a little at a time, until the temperature of the yolks has risen. Then, whisking constantly, carefully pour the tempered yolks into the saucepan of milk on the stove. Stir the custard constantly with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula over medium heat until the custard coats the back of the spoon and your finger leaves a trail on the coated spoon. Do not boil.
STRAIN the custard into a medium-sized bowl and place in the refrigerator until chilled. This can take several hours but can be speeded up by placing the bowl in the freezer. If you do place it in the freezer, stir the mixture periodically to ensure it does not freeze solid. Once chilled, transfer the custard to your ice cream maker and freeze the custard, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezerproof container and store in the freezer until ready to use.
FOR CARAMELIZED APPLES
TOSS sliced apples and lemon juice in a small container and let sit until ready to use. Combine sugar and water in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and allow the sugar and water to caramelize and reach a deep amber color. Add butter. Once the butter has fully melted, add the apples. Cook the apples until a fork is easily stuck through them, about five minutes. There may be some seizing—hardening of the caramel—when the apples are added. If the caramel seizes, keep cooking until the caramel melts, lowering the temperature to medium if necessary. Place the apples and caramel in a small container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
TO PLATE
PLACE about 5 pieces of caramel apple on each of five serving plates. Sprinkle crumbled walnut sablé cookies on top and around the apples and place an entire cookie on each plate as well. Place a scoop of cinnamon ice cream on the plates and perhaps some additional caramel (from the apples) on top of the ice cream.
