Category Archives: Desserts

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home – Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream

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I first heard about Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams during a conversation with several food bloggers on twitter. After that conversation, I found out that my friend Shawn Askinosie, of Askinosie Chocolate, had started providing them with some of his chocolate. I just had to try this stuff. At that point in time no stores were carrying their product in Oklahoma (you can now find them at Forward Foods in Norman & OKC).  Jeni’s is based in Columbus, Ohio and owned by Jeni Britton-Bauer and her husband Charly Bauer. I was pleased to find out that they express mail their ice creams all over the country, and ordered a few of their signature flavors to try. I ordered a pint each of Dark Chocolate, Salty Caramel, and Wildberry Lavendar. I was sold, I loved them all. To say that they are passionate about ice cream, would be an understatement. They create ice creams that you want to fall in love with.

I was excited when I found out that Jeni was writing a book on homemade ice creams. I knew she would approach it with the same passion that she had for the ice creams she makes in her stores. She was never fond of homemade ice cream, and set out to create recipes that we all could enjoy. At home we do not have batch freezers, like the ice cream shops use, to churn out the ice creams we love. Jeni used only ice cream machines that were strictly designed for home use. Jeni also addresses specific ingredients used to making the smoothest possible ice cream, and which ingredients will keep them from freezing into chunky blocks of ice. This book packs a punch in the flavor category as well. She has included recipes for some of their signature flavors like the Dark Chocolate, and Salty Caramel. The next flavor I will try will be for their Riesling-Poached Pear Sorbet.

I know I have posted ice cream recipes here before, but I couldn’t help thinking this would be perfect with 4th of July coming up, and Oklahoma already hitting temperatures of 100+ degrees. I decided to make the Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream, and it is fantastic. This ice cream is creamy and flavorful. The roasted pistachios give it a darker tone than what you would see in a store bought ice cream (no food coloring or artificial flavors here). I hope you will give this recipe a try.

ROASTED PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachio (plus 1/4 – 1/2 cup more if you want to mix in whole or chopped pistachios with your ice cream)

2 cups whole milk

*1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 ounces (3 Tablespoons) cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2/3 cups sugar

*2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Prep

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the 1/2 cup pistachios out on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes until fragrant and just starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and pulverize in a food processor until the pistachios become a smooth paste.

 

Mix about 2 Tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a slurry and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, pistachio paste, and salt until smooth.

 Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.

Cook

In a 4 quart saucepan, combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and allow to boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually mix in the cornstarch slurry.

Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring with a heat proof spatula, until slightly thickened (about 1 minute). Remove from heat.

Chill 

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the pistachio cream cheese mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon ziploc freezer bag. Submerge the freezer bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice if necessary, until cold (about 30 minutes).

Freeze

**Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and turn on the machine. Pour the almond extract into the opening at the top of the machine, and continue to spin until the ice cream is thick and creamy. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, layering it with pistachios (if using) as you go. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Place in the coldest part of your freezer, and freeze for at least 4 hour. Makes 1 quart.

*Because of my personal food allergy to corn, I substituted cornstarch with tapioca starch, and corn syrup with Lyle’s Golden Syrup.

**Every ice cream machine is different, although the all work with the same principals. Please read through your manufacturer’s instructions. My ice cream machine is an attachment bowl for the Kitchenaid stand mixer and requires the machine to be running while you add the mix to the freezer bowl. Not following the instructions could result in your ice cream freezing too fast and hardening up against the bowl.

Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts – Frozen Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie

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Who doesn’t love a really great pie? A couple of months ago I made a trip to Seattle, Washington for Kate McDermott’s Art of the Pie Class. I learned a lot from Kate, who gave me some really great tips, and armed me with some wonderful recipes.

With my love for pie renewed I couldn’t wait to receive Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts. This book is a completely updated version of the very much loved original, which was published in 1992. Filled with more than 150 recipes this book will have you constantly coming back for more. This book is absolutely loaded with wonderful treats.  From the most simple and rustic, to traditional classic pies and tarts, both sweet and savory, as well as modern takes of traditional pastries. One of my favorite recipes is for the Berries and Cream Tartlets, which are so dainty and absolutely charming.

With the advent of summer, and the Memorial Day holiday being this weekend, I thought I would share the recipe for Frozen Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie. Two great tastes right? :-) This recipe is relatively easy to prepare, and is sure to please everyone at your table. This recipe calls for chocolate wafers, but if you can’t find them just buy regular oreos and remove the cream filling, they should work just as well.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients:

For the crust

36 chocolate wafer cookies (8 oz), broken into pieces, or 1 3/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

pinch of salt

For the filling

6 ounces cream cheese (brought to room temperature)

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

For the garnish

1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate (preferably 55% cacao or greater)

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Directions:

The crust

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground. In a bowl, combine wafer crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm (about 15 minutes). Bake until set (8 – 10 minutes). Let cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling

With an electric mixer on medium speed beat the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and salt until fluffy. Beat in peanut butter and vanilla.

In a chilled bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Whisk 1/3 of whipped cream into peanut butter mixture, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Freeze uncovered for 4 hours or up to one day covered in plastic wrap.

Garnish the pie

Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Alternatively you can melt it in a microwave. Transfer chocolate to a resealable plastic bag. Snip the tip of one corner of the bag to make a very small opening. Holding the bag about 5 inches above the pie, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. In a small saucepan over low heat (or in a microwave) melt the peanut butter. Place in a resealable plastic bag, snip the corner of the bag, and drizzle in the same manner as the chocolate. Let the pie stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Hope you enjoy this and have a great holiday weekend!

 

 

 

Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen & Farm-Stand Peach Ice Cream

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Years ago when I first started cooking, I came across a book called The Foster’s Market Cookbook by Sara Foster a book filled with enticing and heartwarming recipes, that quickly became a favorite of mine, and still is today.

Prior to opening The Foster’s Market in Durham, North Carolina with her husband Peter, she worked with many notable restaurants and caterers in New York, as well as with Martha Stewart as a chef at her catering company. Her food reflects a simple elegance and style. It didn’t take too long for the Market/Cafe to become a favorite spot for diners.

Her latest book Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen is a tribute to her southern heritage and the food she grew up with. The book is filled with nearly 200 recipes, Sara’s take on traditional southern food with a contemporary touch. With her focus on using fresh seasonal ingredients, Sara guides you through traditional recipes such as her Granny Foster’s Southern Fried Chicken, and Jambalaya. Sara also includes many tips, and suggested swapouts for many of her recipes.

Time to dust off your ice cream makers! With Spring in full bloom, and the heat of Summer not too far off, and Memorial Day just around the corner, I thought I would try the farm-stand peach ice cream. It is creamy, fruity, and oh so delicious. Now I know peaches aren’t in season yet, so I made do with the last of the white peaches that I froze at the end of last season, from a farm in Stratford, OK (hence it’s almost vanilla color). I hope you get the chance to make this because it is wonderful :-)

Farm-Stand Peach Ice Cream

 

Ingredients:

3 cups half-and-half

1 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved

6 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

6 ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced

Pinch of kosher salt

 

Directions:

Heat the half-and-half, cream, and vanilla bean, with the reserved seeds, in a large heavy -bottomed saucepan over medium heat, just until scalded (just before the boiling point). Remove from heat, and discard the vanilla bean.

Place the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with and electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Slowly whisk about 2 cups of the half-and-half mixture into the yolks to temper the eggs. Whisk the yolk mixture back into the pan with the half-and-half mixture and cook over very low heat, whisking constantly, for 5 – 7 minutes, until thick. The custard should coat the back of a spoon and hold a line drawn with your finger.

Whisk in the butter until melted, then remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the custard into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Place the peaches in a large bowl and coat with the remaing 1/2 cup of sugar and the salt. Let them sit for about 30 minutes, until the fruit releases it’s juices, and the sugar is no longer grainy. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pulse the peaches in a blender or food processor 5 or 6 times, until smooth but still slightly chunky. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the peaches at the the last 5 minutes of churning. Scoop and serve.

MACARONS

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Parisian Style Macarons. They are dainty little meringue cookies that are light, crisp, and filled with a variety of custards, ganache, or jam. When I first started making them, not many books were available  on macarons. I learned with the help of many friends online, and from various websites. Things are changing however, and there are several books coming out with recipes for a variety of macarons

The first one that I purchased is I Love Macarons, by Hisako Ogita. This is a great book for someone who is wanting to learn the techniques involved in producing a great macaron. Hisako goes into great detail with every step of the process, and shows you how to add colors and flavors to make wonderful treats. At the time I purchased this book in late 2009, it was pretty much the only book available on macarons. Things have changed as macarons are becoming a popular and more familiar treat across the country. Both Mad About Macarons  by Jill Colonna, and Macarons by Cecile Cannone, were just released in December 2010, and there are four more books on the topic of macarons on the horizon for this year.  

 

This recipe and technique are from Hisako Ogita’s I Love Macarons. I chose to top them with cocoa nibs, and fill them with a very simple chocolate ganache. I hope you enjoy them.

Chocolate Macarons 

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons (1 ounce/25 grams) Cocoa Powder (My preference is All Natural Cocoa Powder. I use Askinosie)

1/2 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) Almond Powder 

1 cup (1.75 ounces/ 50 grams) Powdered Sugar

3 Large egg whites at room temperature

5 Tablespoons/65 grams Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup of cocoa nibs to garnish the tops

Cut a piece of parchment to fit your baking sheet. Draw 1 inch (2.5  centimeter) circles on the paper, spacing them at least a 1/2  inch (1.5 centimeters) apart. This pattern will be your guide for squeezing out the macaron batter.

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In a food processor, grind cocoa powder, almond powder and powdered sugar. Set aside. 

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In a stainless steel mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high until they are foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites. Add vanilla and stir lightly. When the meringue is stiff, firm, and has a glossy texture it is done.

Add 1/2 of the sifted flour mixture and fold it in. Add remaining flour and mix it lightly in a circular motion. When you have run out of flour, press and spread out the batter against the bowl’s sides. Scoop the batter from the bottom and turn it upside down. Repeat this process about 15 times.

 

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When the batter becomes nicely firm and drips slowly as you scoop it with a spatula, the mixture is done. Attach a .4 (1.01 centimeter) tip to a pastry bag. Twist the bag to hold the tip tightly. This prevents the batter from leaking out. Place the pastry bag, tip down,  in a measuring cup and pour the batter made into it. Clip the bag top, to prevent batter from coming out. You can use a string or rubber band as well.

Line a cookie sheet with the parchment prepared in step 1 and squeeze batter onto the center of the circles. Make small circles since the batter tends to spread out. Rap the baking sheet firmly against counter. This helps the macarons retain their rounded shape and helps the pied, or little “foot” to form. Top each round with 3 cocoa nibs.

Dry the batter at room temperature for 15 minutes. A slight crust should form on top of the macarons. On rainy days it helps to dehumidify the room.  If the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers when you touch them, the drying process is complete. On a dry sunny day, the drying process takes approximately 3o minutes.

Baking the Macarons 

Place racks in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 375°. 

Stack the baking sheet with the prepared circles into an empty baking sheet and slide both into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, if the macarons are still soft lower oven temp to 300° cover the tray with foil and bake for 2-3 minutes.

The macarons are done! Remove the baking sheets from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the Ganache

Ingredients:

Dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) – 8 oz chopped

Heavy cream – 8oz

Directions:

Place the chopped chocolate into a heat resistant bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, scald the cream. Let it come to a simmer with bubbles just forming around the edge of the pan (do not let it come to a full boil).  Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and allow it to cool to room temperature. It should be thick and easy to spread.

Assembly:

Spread a teaspoonful of ganache on the flat side of one macaron shell, and place the flat side of another shell against it. Gently press together to allow the filling to bind them. Your macarons are now ready to enjoy.

FAT WITCH BROWNIES – INTENSE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

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When I first received the Fat Witch Brownies book I couldn’t help but think about how small it was, and kept thinking there really can’t be much in it. I was wrong. This little book by Patricia Healding with Byrna Levin packs 50 of the most delectable brownies and bars that you can imagine. Patricia Healding is the founder and owner of New York’s legendary Fat Witch Bakery in Manhattan’s Chelsea Market. The original Fat Witch Brownie was named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things, and the bakery has become famous for it’s luscious treats.

The introduction on the inside of the book’s dust jacket, decribes the recipes as foolproof. I am alway skeptical of such claims. It’s one thing to bake successfully at a commercial level but such recipes don’t always transition well for the home baker. I tested 3 recipes. The Original Fat Witch Brownie, The PB&J Bars, and the Intense Chocolate Brownies. All of them came out perfectly. Every brownie and bar wa delicious.  Patricia has all the recipes in this book scaled down perfectly to work in a 9×9 inch square baking pan, plus all of  the ingredients in this book are easily attainable.

With Valentines Day just around the corner I couldn’t help but think that the Intense Chocolate Brownies would be the perfect recipe to share from this book. Patricia refers to these as “Heart of Darkness” brownies because the intense and powerful chocolate is such a driving force behind these bars. It is easy to prepare and probably the richest brownie I have ever made. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

INTENSE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

 

Ingredients:

Butter – 12 Tablespoon (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted

Bittersweet Chocolate (at least 70% cacao) - 7 oz cut into small pieces

Eggs – 2 large

Granulated Sugar – 1/3 cup

Dark Brown Sugar – 1/4 cup (firmly packed)

Pure Vanilla Extract – 2 teaspoons

Unbleached Flour – 1/2 cup (plus additional flour to dust the pan)

Baking Powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt – 1/4 teaspoon

Directions:

Grease a 9×9 square baking pan with butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside and pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Mix the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Add the vanilla and chocolate mixture and continue mixing until well combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the batter. Mix gently until no trace of the dry ingredients remain.

Spread evenly into the prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with crumbs and not batter on it.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cut into squares just before serving. I chose to garnish this with a little Chantilly Cream (recipe below) and berries soaked in Sauterne, but this is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a glass of milk.

Chantilly Cream:

2 cups whipping cream 

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

the seeds scraped from one vanilla bean

In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, place the chilled cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed and beat for another 3 – 5 minutes until the cream thickens to a light ribbon consistency. This is best when served immediately.