Up North: Black Cherry and Pecan Ice Cream

We were a family of boaters and when I was younger we spent part of every summer on the Great Lakes, Georgian Bay and in the Little Traverse Bay area. The latter meant we saw a lot of the busy summer resort towns of Petoskey, Charlevoix and Harbour Springs. There are several restaurants and hotels in those three towns owned by Staffords and over the years we've enjoyed eating and staying at every one of them. When I go up now, I usually stay in Petoskey at Stafford's  Bay View Inn. 

A candy and ice cream company you may be familiar with named Kilwins (which has been around since the 40's) used to make a very special ice cream only for the Stafford establishments: Black Cherry. Staffords became famous for it. It was ambrosial and we always saved room for dessert when we visited any of their restaurants. Still do. As far back as I can remember, everyone in my family looked forward to a dish of that ice cream (particularly my dad).

A few years ago, when my sister and I were lunching at the Stafford's Weathervane restaurant in Charlevoix, we got into a conversation with the manager and asked why we had never been able to buy a cone of that wonderful ice cream at Kilwin's in town. He told us that Kilwin's, after many years, asked the same question; indeed, they wanted to offer it to their customers, who had been asking for it for ages. Of course, I have no idea what Stafford's contract with Kilwin's was, but we were informed by the manager that the Kilwin/Stafford black cherry ice cream arrangement was over. Staffords turned to a company in the Traverse City area and asked if they would make it for them. Perhaps Staffords owns the recipe? I have no idea. As far as I know, the Traverse City company still does the supplying. And it's every bit as fabulous as it ever was.

So, if you happen to be up north near a Staffords establishment, be sure to order their black cherry ice cream for dessert. If you're near a Kilwin's, you can now buy their version of  it, but I'm quite sure it's not the same as the black cherry Stafford's serves. Because Florida beggars can't be choosers, when Kilwin's opened in my area, I kept my fingers crossed; their black cherry was perhaps close enough to the original.....satisfaction might be at hand. Or so I thought. Guess what? They don't carry black cherry in their Florida stores at all!  Ever.  :(  

Lately I've been experimenting with different recipes and finally came up with one I really like, but trust me when I say....it's just not the same. Could it be nothing tastes as good as it does when I'm in northern Michigan? After all, we must factor memories in with that ice cream and Stafford's black cherry has many years of happy memories attached to it. At any rate, this is as good as it's going to get until I  visit the north country again.

Black Cherry Ice Cream with Toasted Pecans

Ingredients:
For the cherries:
1 pound fresh black cherries
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
a squeeze of lemon juice

For the ice cream:
1  cup half and half
2 cups heavy cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup cherries, prepared as directed below
3/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
red food coloring, optional

Method:
Stem and pit the cherries and place in a saucepan with the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
Cool. You can keep refrigerated for a couple weeks if you wish.
When ready to use, let the cherries drain in a sieve. (You can use the leftover syrup in drinks.) Chop the cherries.
In a bowl, whisk the creams and sweetened condensed milk well. Add the chopped cherries and pecans and, if you like your ice cream a definite pink, a drop of food gel.
Freeze according to manufacturers directions.

Long Island Iced Tea Sorbet

Ahhhhh. Looks like a lovely glass of iced tea. Right?

Wrong. That's a glass of Long Island Iced Tea.  And there's not a speck of tea in this iced tea either, honey.
So what's up with that? 

In 1976, a bartender named Robert “Rosebud” Butt at the Oak Beach Inn of Hampton Bays, Long Island, N.Y., threw together equal parts vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec, plus a little cola to give it a tea-like color and invented Long Island Iced Tea. By the mid-1980s, the popularity of Butt’s invention far outweighed that of his last name (poor man), and had become hugely popular, especially among college-age drinkers.....traditionally around the time of spring break. Supposedly, the beverage allows covert drinkers to imbibe with a concoction that still looks as though it were non-alcoholic, just in case family were to arrive and catch you sipping the thing. A warning from the experience of age: it may look innocuous, but trust me, Long Island Teas aren’t for the faint of heart or amateur drinkers. They're deadly. There are lots of versions but here's the recipe we used to use:

3 parts Triple Sec

1 part Light Rum

1 part Dark Myers Rum

1 part Vodka

1 part Gin

1 part Vermouth

3 parts Sweet & Sour Mixer 

6 parts Coca Cola (like Classic; do not use Pepsi!)

1/2 part Tequila 

Ice

Oh the memories.  I'd probably drop on the spot if I had one now. :)
So I was thumbing through Marcel Desaulniers' lovely book Desserts To Die For and was intrigued to find those memories in sorbet form. And here it is, in all its glory....Long Island Iced Tea....frozen. Definitely an apt sorbet in a book with that title. My oh my.

Long Island Iced Tea Sorbet
From Desserts To Die For by Marcel Desaulniers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup Myers dark rum

1 cup good quality tequila

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup Rose's lime juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

12 ounces Coca Cola Classic

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/4 cup Kahlua

Method:

Heat the sugar, rum, tequila, lemon and lime juice and zests in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat a bit and allow to boil for 13 minutes. You should have about 2 1/4 cups syrupy spiked tea. (At this point, your entire house will smell as though you've had a very big party.)

Cool the mixture over an ice bath until it is 40 to 45 degrees. (About 15 minutes) When chilled add cola, water and Kahlua.

Freeze in your ice cream freezer. Place the semifrozen sorbet into a container and freeze for several hours before serving. It will never freeze completely hard. Serve with a mint sprig and a slice of lime. Serve within 24 hours.

Pastry Studio's Lemon Almond Ice Cream

Pastry Studio is one of my favorite blogs. Every recipe is original, beautifully presented, unusual and delicious. All her ice creams are truly special and this particular one is tart and refreshing. I love citrus flavors in the summer, don't you?
Quite surprisingly, this ice cream is made without eggs. While you do need an ice cream maker, this is the simplest ice cream I think I've ever made. You'll find 1/2 teaspoon almond extract is just about right. I love toasted almonds too, so I sprinkled the ice cream with even more before serving.

Lemon Almond Ice Cream
From Pastry Studio

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup + 2 T sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (I used 2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon good quality almond extract, to taste

good pinch of salt, to taste

1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds

Method:

Whisk together all the ingredients except the almonds. Refrigerate the mixture overnight to chill thoroughly.

Toast the sliced almonds in a single layer in a 350 degree oven for about 6 to 8 minutes. 
Churn the ice cream base in your ice cream machine. Fold in the toasted almonds. Pour into a container, top with plastic wrap, cover securely and place in your freezer. Makes 1 1/2 pints.

Palm Beach Orange Ice Cream

I know, it's not quite ice cream season yet and while you might want to wait for summer to serve this, I serve it year round. Of course, I'm a Floridian, but still, ice cream has always been my downfall and Maida Heatter's ice cream recipes are really something special. Even when it's cold down here, I love making her ice cream recipes. Ms. Heatter is best known for her baking and she only has a few recipes for ice cream in each of her cookbooks, so you know when you see one, it's going to be great.

This one is a family favorite. It's so versatile. You can serve it over a fruit salad, but it's lovely all by itself with a bit of fruit around it....or serve it along with a scoop of Maida's vanilla ice cream. The color is a delicate pale orange, it's creamy and what with both the orange AND lemon, it has an intense citrus flavor. I've been making it since the early 80's. The lemon prevents it from being too sweet...gives it kind of a refreshing tang.
Unfortunately, you DO need an ice cream maker, but you were going to get one anyway this summer, weren't you?

Palm Beach Orange Ice Cream

From Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk

Finely grated rind of 2 or 3 oranges

Finely gated rind of 1 or 2 lemons

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 cups freshly squeezed and sieved orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed and sieved lemon juice

Method:

Place the milk in the top of a double boiler over hot water on medium heat. Add the grated rinds and let cook uncovered until small bubbles appear around the edge.

In a small bowl, stir the yolks lightly with a whisk just to mix. Stirring constantly, temper the eggs with half the hot milk mixture. Then add everything back to the top of the double boiler. Add the sugar, syrup and salt.

Stir until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon...about 180° on a candy thermometer.

Strain the mixture. This is very important because the rinds will stick to the paddles on your ice cream machine.

Set aside to cool. Add the cream and both juices. Chill in the fridge until very cold and then freeze in your churn, according to directions.

Orange Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans AND a Kitchen Remodeling

OK. I promise...no more ice cream recipes until next spring. But this is such a super one for the holidays I couldn't resist posting just one more. I think I actually might like this one better than the cranberry ice cream!

This ice cream is boozey, chewy and crunchy all in one bite. Very much in tune with the holidays. It doesn't make much so if you have a bigger churn than I do, double the recipe. Trust me, you're going to need every bite. But don't make it too far in advance of serving, because the men in your family will keep dipping into it with a spoon. Speaking from experience here guys. Luckily, it doesn't freeze hard so you can make it ahead.

Holiday Orange Ice Cream
From Fine Cooking, Holiday Issue

 Ingredients:
2 medium navel oranges
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
large pinch of salt
1/4 cup skim milk powder (I didn’t have any so eliminated it)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tablespoons Cointreau
3/4 cup toasted pecans, broken up slightly

Method:
Toast the pecans. Set aside.

Soak the cherries in the orange juice and cointreau for a few hours until soft.

Pare off the peel (not getting any pith) of the oranges. Set aside.

Fill a saucepan half way with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Combine the cream, milk, sugars, salt, skim milk and skim milk powder, egg yolks, vanilla bean and orange zest in a glass bowl and set it over the simmering water. Stir the mixture constantly until it reaches between 165 and 180 degrees. Test with a candy thermometer and keep the temperature in that range for 10-15 minutes. The mixture will thicken somewhat. Cool over an ice bath until it is cool, or 65 degrees. Add the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.When you are ready to freeze the ice cream, pour it through a sieve to remove the orange peel and vanilla bean. Add half the cherries and ALL of the excess soaking liquid. (I squeezed the cherries to get most of the liquid out.) Freeze according to manufacturers instructions and when the mixture is semisolid (like a stiff cake batter), add the remaining cherries and the pecans. Continue until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Pour into a covered plastic or steel container and freeze.

************************************************************************************************

A Kitchen Remodel

Penny over at Lake Lure Cottage thought it would be fun to peek into our kitchens. And because I did a complete remodel 4 years ago, I thought it would be fun to join in. She has chosen December 1st as the date to post so be sure to check in with her tomorrow. You'll love seeing what everyone else has done. 

My home is mostly blues and whites with lots of antiques. We thought it would be a nice contrast to make the kitchen very contemporary. Most of the photographs were taken professionally for a magazine right after it was finished. I still can't figure out why the cabinets looked so white in their photos; do they really like kitchens to look cold and uninviting?  It's really a warm room, with lots of family activity and messy cooking!

The final two photos I took more recently. The kitchen's end wall leads to a laundry room and is filled with  souvenirs from different Caribbean islands. I think the wall adds warmth to the kitchen and gives you a better idea of the true cabinet color, which is more a soft cream than white. And of course now, my cookbook shelf is jammed with books and notice the ceramic morel mushroooms; I have an ongoing love affair with morels and found these years ago in northern Michigan.
My kitchen hasn't looked so pristine since that first day!

 

On a very sad note, the paintings and painted objects on the back walls were mostly done by a local island artisan and friend named Matthew Paul who resided on St. Lucia. He and his family of 6 lived at the base of a small mountain and had a little gallery there. Their home was not very sturdy and the gallery was little more than a lean-to. My children and I have collected a great deal of his art over the years; it has always held a special charm for us.

We just found out that Matthew and his family were killed in a landslide during Hurricane Tomas which recently hit several Caribbean islands. St. Lucia was quite badly hit and there was a great deal of damage. The six of them were the only fatalities on the island. Can you imagine? Matthew was in the middle of doing one of his spectacular wall murals for Anse Chastanet, a resort we visit often. The owner tells me they will leave the unfinished mural as is.

A small section of Matthew's gallery....and my daughter, shopping. Don't you love the bright colors in his art work?

 

Cranberry Ice Cream

Every once in a while, a recipe makes me close my eyes and say Mmmmmmm. This is one of those times.  The flavor and color, the hint of honey, the tanginess of cranberries and would you believe there is brown sugar in this ice cream?? Words cannot describe. Not too sweet, tart and divine.

Interestingly, this recipe uses gelatin as an ingredient. After some investigation, I discovered gelatin assists in absorbing some of the free water in the ice cream and helps prevent the formation of large crystals. It also gives substance or a less watery taste when the ice cream is consumed.

So, this is the last of my Maida Heatter ice cream recipes for this season (I may sneak in someone else's though)...pretty soon I'll have you all putting her books on your wish list. But let me warn you, there aren't that many ice cream recipes in them....just a few in each book. Which makes them all the rarer. Maida's choosey. But her other recipes are worth their weight in gold; fortunately, Amazon is a great source for used books.

You don't need to serve a thing with this ice cream. I did briefly consider dumping in some dark mini chocolate chips at the end of churning (which I may try the next time I make it) but for the holidays, I wanted that pure red color and just a sprig of green mint. Thanksgiving or Christmas, you decide. It's perfect after a heavy meal.

Cranberry Ice Cream

From Maida Heatter's Great Book of New Desserts

Ingredients:
2 pounds (about 10 cups) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups water
2 cups orange juice
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup honey
2 cups heavy cream

Method:
Wash, pick over and drain the berries. Place them in a large saucepan with the water and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Then process in a processor or blender. Press the mixture through a large stainer into a large bowl. Set aside.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water, set aside.

Bring the corn syrup and the 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Add the brown sugar, stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and add the honey, stirring to dissolve everything.

Mix this mixture into the cranberry mixture and set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. You can also chill it quickly in the freezer.

When you are ready to churn, Whip the heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters until it slightly holds a shape. Fold the cream thoroughly into the cranberry mixture and churn.

*Bench notes: This makes enough for a 4 quart churn. Mine is not that big so I cut the recipe in half.

This ice cream will stay semi-firm for several hours after putting it in the freezer. Maida likes it best at this consistancy. I don't. I froze it overnight.

Pumpkin Ice Cream with Gingerbread Croutons

We're all fans of David Lebovitz and The Perfect Scoop, but Maida Heatter has some divine ice cream recipes in her many cookbooks too. I know I've mentioned she is my dessert guru. (Her chocolate cookbook is part of my giveaway.) I'm going to post a couple of her ice cream recipes this holiday season.

Let's start with pumpkin. This ice cream tastes like pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream, only frozen. And just to make it a touch more unusual, I made some gingerbread croutons. (Maida has a fabulous gingerbread recipe; please find it HERE.) I just cut some gingerbread cubes, dried them out in the oven and then melted a little butter and threw them in. Toss them around lightly until they get crunchy. You'll love them with this ice cream.

You DO need an ice cream maker. (I cut this recipe in half as my ice cream maker is not big enough to handle the whole recipe.)

Pumpkin Ice Cream

From Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin ( about half a one pound can of solid-pack pumpkin; do not use pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
4 cups heavy cream


Method:
In an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks until they are pale, thick and creamy.
Place the pumpkin in the top half of a large double boiler. Add the beaten egg yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Place over the hot water on moderate heat.
Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Remove and set aside, stirring occasionally, until cooled. (Or you can set the double boiler top in a bowl of ice and water and stir constantly until cold.)
In a large chilled bowl with chilled beaters, beat the whipping cream until it holds a soft shape. If you beat it too much, it will taste buttery and not creamy.
Fold into the pumpkin mixture. I put it in the fridge for a few hours, but Maida says it is cold enough to freeze right then.
Freeze according to manufacturers directions.

(And be sure to check out my cookbook giveaway in the last post! Winners will be announced on November 5th.)

Oregano Ice Cream with Fig Syrup

Everyone is flavoring desserts with fresh herbs these days so as a farewell to summer here's one I made as soon as I saw some fresh figs in the market. Are you familiar with Hank from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook? I've been reading his blog for quite a while and am so impressed with his diverse interests and inquiring mind. He takes you along on his many journeys and discoveries and never fails to post marvelous recipes and lots of information. And on anything concerning game? He is my guru.

 Hank doesn't post desserts all that often so when I read this on his blog quite a while back, I bookmarked it. He has a winner with this herbal ice cream and here's what he says about it:

"This is my own invention, although it relies on a standard ice cream base. Do this ice cream recipe only in early spring, or in the late winters where it is warm, as it is here in Northern California. Only use the freshest oregano and the finest individual ingredients. Your guests will notice."

I waited most of the summer for the fresh figs and just crossed my fingers the oregano from my kitchen herb garden would do the trick.  I've had fun with a few herbal ice creams this summer and also made a basil panna cotta and lavender syrup recently; but because ice cream has always been my favorite dessert hands down, I thought this would be an interesting addition to my repertoire.

We all loved it but when you look at the photo, you don't see oregano ice cream, you see vanilla. Believe me, the oregano flavor was delightful, not too strong and perfectly balanced. I wish I had thought to put a sprig of oregano on top to make it a bit more obvious, but by that time I was deep into the fig syrup and forgot. I followed Hank's recipe for fig syrup too, but mine ended up thicker than his....which frankly, made it more of a sauce than a syrup. Mind you, I'm not complaining, it was terrific.

Greek Oregano Ice Cream with Fig Syrup
From Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
scant 2 cups milk
generous 1/2 cup sugar
 4 large egg yolks
double handful of fresh oregano leaves, about 1/2 cup loosely placed in a measuring cup
black honey, preferably Greek — any really dark honey will do
sprigs of oregano from the very tips of the plants to garnish  (Oops...I forgot!)

Method:
Make the crème anglaise. In a nonreactive pot, heat the milk, cream and sugar just barely to the boil. Turn off the heat, stir in the oregano, cover and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Do not steep the herbs for more than 6 hours.

Strain the oregano out of the cream mixture and return to the heat. Lightly beat the egg yolks, and when the cream mixture is just at a boil, turn the heat down.

Add a small ladleful of the hot cream to the egg yolks to temper them, stirring the yolks constantly. Do this until you have several ladlesful in the egg bowl. Now pour the contents of the egg bowl into the hot cream. Stir well, turn the heat up to medium, and when you see the faintest boil turn off the heat.

When the crème anglaise is cool, strain it again to get out any lumpy bits, then pour into your ice cream maker.

Hank's Fig Syrup

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds ripe figs (I reduced this amount.)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
sugar to taste (I didn't need any)

Method:
Chop the figs well, add the zest and juice of the lemons and simmer over medium-low heat for 2-3 hours. You want everything to break down and be a mush. (It didn't take that long when I did it.)

Turn off the heat and push the fig mixture through the fine plate of a food mill. If you don’t have a food mill, you could use a drum sieve or a fine colander. But a food mill is best.

After everything is through the food mill, pour the fig mixture into a jelly bag if you have one — Hank didn't, so he used a clean spare undershirt — and push everything through. (I ignored this and just pushed everything through a sieve. My syrup looks more like a sauce than Hank's, but we loved it just the way it was.) You will leave a lot of good stuff in the bag, but it’s the price for a clear syrup.
Taste for sugar and add, if necessary.

Almond Praline Semifreddo with Roasted Apricots

Have you ever made a semifreddo? This was my first. Why, I can't imagine since I like ice cream so much. The name is Italian for "half cold" and refers to any of various chilled or partially frozen desserts. While this may be considered a frozen dessert, because of the egg whites or whipped cream folded into a semifreddo, it doesn't freeze as hard as ice cream. And I bet you'll be pleased to read you don't need an ice cream maker either. When you take a spoonful, you'll find the semifreddo melts quickly in your mouth and has an airy, mousse-like texture. Really lovely.

Just because I'm crazy for almond anything, I made an almond praline semifreddo. We loved it, but there simply wasn't anywhere near enough praline :D, so next time I'm going to double the praline part of the recipe. Not only would I have loved more in the semifreddo itself, but I ran out while sprinkling it on top as a garnish.

There are lots of different ways a semifreddo can be plated: you can freeze the entire batch in a large container and scoop it out to serve just like ice cream or freeze it in individual paper cupcake liners. Just peel them away to serve.  I really prefer the presentation of a slice of semifreddo, so I made mine in a loaf pan. Apricots are wonderful right now so I roasted some lovely fresh ones. Of course, you can use any fruit you like. There is a wonderful recipe at Pastry Studio (one of my favorite blogs), using cherries with an almond semifreddo. I included her recipe after the at the end because cherries are lovely right now too! But if you want to make a really simple topping for your semifreddo, just mash your favorite fresh berries and add some sugar to taste.

Almond Praline Semifreddo
Gourmet, July, 1990

Ingredients:

(Please note that I have doubled the praline part of this recipe)

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup sliced almonds with skin (1 ounce), toasted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

Method:
Line a lightly oiled 8 1/2-by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with wax paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

Cook 2/3 cup sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Stir in almonds to coat and scrape onto baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. Pulse in a food processor until praline is finely ground (do not grind to a paste).

Beat eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in a 2-quart metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water using a handheld electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until mixture is cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Stir in extract.

With cleaned beaters, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold about one third of whipped cream into egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining cream and about 3/4 of the praline gently but thoroughly (reserve remaining praline for garnish). Spoon into loaf pan and freeze, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours.

Uncover semifreddo and invert onto a chilled platter, using plastic wrap to help pull it from mold. Sprinkle reserved praline on top. Slice semifreddo crosswise and serve with the apricots.


Honey-cardamom Roasted Apricots
From Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, June 2010.

Ingredients:
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 large or 12 small apricots (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved, pitted
3 1/2 tablespoons honey, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix brown sugar and cardamom in 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Add apricots. Pour 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons honey over fruit; dot with butter. Roast until apricots are tender, occasionally basting with syrup in dish, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

Balsamic Cherries
From Pastry Studio

Ingredients:
3 cups (about 1 lb, 2 oz) fresh cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sugar, to taste
pinch salt
zest of half of a large orange
1 -2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste

Method:
To make the cherry compote, place the pitted cherries with the water and sugar in a saucepan. Add the orange zest and simmer until the juices are rendered and the cherries are fairly tender, tasting for the right amount of sugar. Remove from heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Cool completely.


Notes: Semifreddo can be made 3 days ahead and kept frozen, well wrapped.
            Apricots with syrup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

Here it comes: The Summer Solstice

The first day of summer officially begins on June 21st. As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky, which is what the word solstice means: the sun stands still. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). This is considered the longest day of the year just as the winter solstice is the shortest. It's also called Midsummer because it is roughly the middle of the growing season throughout much of Europe. The day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice.

I always think of Druids when I think of Stonehenge and the solstice, but in 1984 Stonehenge was placed under the control of English Heritage. Its first act was to ban the Druids from the site. After years of lobbying the British government for admission to their beloved circle of megaliths once again, the Druids triumphantly returned to celebrate the summer solstice on June 21, 1998.

When I was a kid, we always considered Memorial Day to be the start of summer. We were allowed to go swimming for the first time, even though the water was still ice cold. We all donned bathing suits and did our best not to chicken out.

Another sure sign of summer is the arrival of apricots in the produce section. Here's the thing: I want to like them, I really do. But all too often apricots just don’t taste half as good as they look. It's easy to fall in love with a stack of golden orange fruit only to get one home and discover it has no flavor. Some describe their flavor as almost musky, with a faint tartness that lies somewhere between a peach and a plum.

If you're lucky enough to have a tree, apricots ripened and picked right off the tree are the best; so watch for them at farmer's markets or roadside stands. If not, consider the following when buying at the store:

• Apricots are not juicy fruits so don't equate softness for juiciness.

• Choose each apricot carefully, looking for plumpness, and lots of golden orange-red color. Avoid apricots that are green or pale yellow.

• Finally, smell them. An apricot that has flavor also has a sweet and ready fragrance.

I've been disappointed so many times; either they're too tart or they're mealy. I do keep trying though, ever hopeful and often I'm rewarded. But the main way I eat fresh apricots is in a tart or roasted with honey. Pastry Studio had a marvelous recipe last week, combining two of my favorites: roasted apricots AND a Sour Cream Ice cream. An old issue Gourmet also had a fabulous (and simple) Apricot Galette recipe made with puff pastry; I've made it often.

I'm going to make good use of the short apricot season this year, starting with an idea from a former neighbor who used to make a fabulous apricot sorbet. I lost her recipe long ago, but found a nearly identical one in Gourmet magazine years later and I make it every year right around summer solstice.

Any Druids out there?

Apricot Sorbet
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, June 2002

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1-1/4 lb firm-ripe apricots (7 large)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bring sugar, water, and dried apricots to a boil in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand until apricots are softened, about 1 hour.
While dried apricots are standing, place pitted, halved fresh apricots in a small roasting pan, sprinkle with a little sugar and bake in the middle of your oven until soft. It took me about 25 to 30 minutes, but the recipe calls for 1 hour. I have found by that time, the juices have all seeped out into the roasting pan. so watch them carefully. Cool in pan.
Purée dried apricot mixture, roasted apricots, lemon juice, and almond extract in a blender until very smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Force purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them. Chill purée, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.

Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.
Purée can be chilled up to 8 hours. Sorbet keeps 1 week.


Photo credit: Stonehenge: National Geographic

I scream, you scream..... for Blueberry Ice Cream!

My downfall. Ice cream. That's it in a nutshell. But let's not dwell on that right now; instead, scroll down and take a gander at that ice cream color! And where else would you find this color? On my pink shirt, on my rubber spatula and on the white colander I used. Yes, blueberry ice cream reminders are everywhere. Permanently, probably. And I was was warned too.

I know everyone adores David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop, but my kitchen dessert guru Maida Heatter has some marvelous ice cream and sorbet recipes in several of her cookbooks as well. I've made nearly all of them over the years and to date my favorite is Palm Beach Orange Ice Cream, with a close second going to Pumpkin Ice Cream. Maida also has a recipe for Gin Ice Cream which is quite mild and tastes divine with fruit. But it doesn't take an interesting photo; we can rave on and on about a recipe, but if the photo does not look enticing or at least interesting, nobody's going to give it a chance.  Right?

Lately, Daring Bakers have been making Burnt Sugar ice cream. It looks marvelous, but Nancy at The Dogs Eat the Crumbs says that Thomas Keller's recipe in Ad Hoc is lots better (and, from what I read, his chocolate chip cookies are THE BEST) so that recipe is next on my to-make list, once I work off the calories as a result of this posting.  Sigh.

One ice cream I'd never made was Maida's Blueberry ice cream and because she raves about how wonderful it is, (smooth/creamy/rich/deluxe/delicious are her exact words) I made it last weekend. We've had a couple weeks of 90° + weather, so summer is upon us in Florida and that spells ice cream to me.
Maida Heatter's instructions say: "the blueberries will stain both rubber and wooden spatulas; don't use anything you will feel sad about if this happens." So I have nobody to blame but myself. I didn't mind the spatula and colander, but I could kick myself for not wearing an apron, preferably the oldest one I own. Popping those hot blueberries on the side of the pan caused all sorts of trouble with my pink shirt, so be careful if you try this recipe. (I'm presoaking as I write this; I live in hope.)

The results? The blueberry ice cream was perfect. Every description Maida used was spot on. The flavor was  ambrosial. This recipe is really a keeper and the red/purple color makes such a beautiful presentation. It doesn't freeze too hard and isn't excessively sweet either. I loved it plain, but happened to have some pomegrante arils and they gave it an interesting kick. And perhaps made the photo more enticing?

Blueberry Ice Cream
From Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts

Ingredients:

2 one pint boxes fresh blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons kirsch, crème de cassis or brandy (I used crème de cassis)

Method:

Wash and drain the berries. Place them in a wide and heavy saucepan or frying pan. Add the sugar and stir to mix. Cover, place over low heat and cook for 5 minutes to soften the berries a little and partially melt the sugar. Then raise the heat to moderate, uncover the pan, stir until the mixture comes to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes, stirring and pressing the berries against the sides of the pan to mash them.

Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then strain through a  large-mesh stainer. Do not use a strainer that has fine openings because even with a coarse strainer some of the the fruit will not go through. ( I used a colander, unfortunately a white colander, but it worked perfectly.) However, press through as much as you can.

Place the puréed berry mixture in the freezer or refrigerator until very cold. Stir in the salt, cream, lemon juice, and kirsch, crème de cassis or brandy. If the mixture is less than extremely cold, chill it some more in the freezer or refrigerator. This is important.

Freeze in a churn, following manufacturer's directions. Because of the alcohol, this does not freeze too hard to serve directly from the freezer.

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P.S. I have a really exciting giveaway coming up for Father's Day! Stay tuned.

Gingersnaps and Ice Cream

Yummmm. Almost as good as s’mores! Well, maybe not, but ice cream is my downfall so you’ll just have to go along with me. Not quite as easy to make as s’mores, but you can cheat a tad and just buy some butter pecan ice cream rather than make your own. But if you have a super recipe and love making ice cream, these would taste much, much better if you made your own. Who am I to push for more work when there are so many other things to do in the summer? So I’ll fess up: because I wanted something fairly speedy I bought some Häagen-Dazs butter pecan.

Can’t remember where I got this recipe, but I have used it a lot. It may have come from a magazine, but I forget which one. I make a bunch and freeze them- usually doubling the recipe because it doesn’t make nearly enough for the appetites around here. God I hate having these in the freezer. So tempting. Never once has an adult OR a child thought these were anything less than ambrosial. If you like to get your kids involved in the kitchen, they would have fun sandwiching the cookies with the ice cream…although how much ice cream would eventually make it between the cookies is a bit problematic….like all things kids make in the kitchen.

Anyway, I love pulling these out of the freezer for a surprise dessert. Uncomplicated and delicious. Perfect for summer. Can you imagine the cookie and ice cream combinations that would be fun to try? I seem to remember seeing something on Tartelette where she had wrapped an ice cream sandwich up in a darling package- you could make them elegant by doing the same thing.

Gingersnap and Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pint butter pecan ice cream
extra sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, sugar and molasses until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat to combine. Whisk flour, soda, salt, ginger and allspice together and then fold into the butter mixture.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press with sugared fingers to make a 3 inch disk.
Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 11- 13 minutes.
Transfer to a rack to cool.
Soften ice cream and scoop onto a cookie. Top with another cookie and freeze. Should make about 5 sandwiches. Let stand 10 minutes before eating. (Although I never did!)

Fun With Granita

Most of us like to end a meal with something sweet. A cake. A tart. Pudding. Ice Cream. But for those of you who are willing to wander into the icy terrain of granitas, you're gonna love this post.

Here's why: you just can’t beat it for a summer treat. It’s Italian. It’s gorgeous. It can be sweet. It can be savory. It can be peppery hot, tart or just about anything in between. Use any fruit as a base – add some sugar and wine or liqueur for flavoring; how about cranberry with vodka? Lemon infused with rosemary? Spoon berry granita into melon halves. Chocolate granita served with cookies. Serve it in your prettiest glasses- martini, margarita, even glass coffee cups, if you have some.

And you can’t beat a savory granita. How about: a spoonful of wasabi granita on top of fresh oysters…. cucumber granita dropped into gazpacho…shrimp cocktail sauce granita served with shrimp. Always so simple to make, anyone can do it- it’s the flavors you decide to combine that make your granita individual.

Here are the basic instructions. They are the same for sweet or savory:

Pour your mixture into a 13"x 9" metal baking pan. Cover with cling wrap and place in a freezer. Freeze until icy around sides, but not solid (about half an hour). Using a fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Return to the freezer. Repeat this step, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, for about 1 1/2 hours. Using a fork, scrape granita into serving glasses or bowls. Use your choice of garnishes.

Some of my sweet granita favorites:

Coffee Granita: (If you have house guests, leave out the cognac and serve this for a breakfast first course with a spoonful of whipped cream.)

Ingredients: 2 cups warm espresso; ½ cup sugar; 2 tablespoons cognac; 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

Method: Dissolve the sugar in the warm espresso, add remaining ingredients and freeze according to basic instructions. Garnish with a mint leaf and some shaved chocolate.

Chocolate Granita: (For the chocoholic)

Ingredients: 4 cups water, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2/3 cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use MarieBelle) . Optional: 1 tablespoon amaretto, kahlua or cointreau.

Method: In this recipe, heat the water and stir in the other ingredients until dissolved. Cool first and then freeze using the basic instructions. I like a bit of whipped cream on top of this one.

Blood Orange Granita: (The color divine, the taste ambrosial.)

Ingredients: 3 cups blood orange juice; 1 cup water; 1 cup sugar

Method: Heat the water and dissolve the sugar. Add the blood orange juice, bring to room temperature and freeze according to basic instructions.

Pineapple/Buttermilk Granita: (An unusual but delicious change of pace.)

Ingredients: 2/3 cup sugar; 2 cups buttermilk; 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint; one 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice.

Method: Add sugar to the buttermilk and stir until dissolved. Stir in the mint and pineapple and freeze according to basic instructions. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Savory Tomato Granita: (An ultra chic first course for any summer meal)

Ingredients: 2 pounds ripe tomatoes; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 3 or 4 basil leaves, chopped.

Method: Chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl with all the other ingredients except the basil. Let macerate all day or overnight. Blitz in a blender in batches and then strain through a fine sieve. Add the chopped basil leaves and freeze according to the basic instructions.