Baked Alaska: White Nectarine Ice Cream and Brown Butter Pound Cake

ingredients:

For the White Nectarine Ice Cream

• 4 white nectarines
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk

For the Brown Butter Pound Cake

• 9 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup cake flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt

*Note: to make your own cake flour, sift together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Meringue

• 8 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Preparation Instructions:

For the White Nectarine Ice Cream

1. Cut white nectarines into small cubes.
2. In a small mixing bowl, create a slurry of cornstarch, a bit of the granulated sugar and some of the milk. Whisk until smooth.
3. Place cubed white nectarine, remaining sugar, cream and remaining milk in medium saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove boiling mixture from heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry. Return mixture to heat and bring to a boil. Remove mixture from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.
5. Place large mixing bowl in an ice bath and allow mixture to cool slightly.
6. When mixture is slightly cooled, remove from ice bath and pour into a blender (or use a stick blender directly in the mixing bowl). Blend until smooth.
7. the following morning, spin liquid in ice cream machine until a soft-serve consistency is achieved, about 15 minutes.

For the Brown Butter Pound Cake

1. Place the butter in a 10” skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan with non-stick spray.
3. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and then the vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until just combined.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until golden brown on top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right-side-up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Meringue

1. Beat the egg whites and salt on high speed in an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
2. Beat in the sugar gradually in a slow stream until stiff peaks form.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Line four small bowl or tea cups, approximately 4” diameter, with plastic wrap, so that plastic wrap covers all the sides and hangs over the edge. Fill to the top with ice cream, straight from the ice cream machine. Cover the top with the overhang plastic wrap and freeze for several hours, or until solid.

Perfect no-cook Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) Strawberries, trimmed, halve if large
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp Fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 cups heavy cream

Method:

1. In a large bowl, coarsely mash strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and sea salt with a potato masher. Let stand, stirring, and mash occasionally for about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer half of the strawberry mixture into a blender and puree with cream until smooth. Return strawberry cream to bowl with remaining strawberries and allow the mixture to chill thoroughly, stirring occasionally and then freeze it in an ice cream maker.

Note: ice cream keeps 1 week.

Peppermint Bark Ice Cream

Adapted from peppermint ice cream

From ice cream, published by William-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1/2 c whole milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c white chocolate chopped
• 4 oz milk or dark chocolate, chopped

Method:

1. Stir the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Chill for 1 hour. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Just before stopping the machine, add the peppermint candies, and both chocolates. Transfer to a freezer safe bowl and freeze until firm.

Black Forest Parfait

Ingredients:

• Black Raspberry ice cream
• HERSHEY’S Fudge Topping
• Whipping Cream
• Vanilla ice cream
• HERSHEY’S Triple Chocolate Dessert Toppings
• Fresh raspberry (optional)

Directions:

1. Alternately layer black raspberry ice cream, fudge topping and vanilla ice cream in large sundae glass.
2. Top with whipped cream and chocolate dessert topping. Garnish with raspberry, if desired.

Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups

MILLION-DOLLAR WINNER! An easy make-ahead recipe is a fun and impressive dessert for your next gathering.

Prep: 20 min / Total: 45 min / Makes: 24 tarlets

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury Ready to Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/3 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals Chopped Walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
• 1/4 cup Smucker’s Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
• 24 fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Place 2 teaspoons of the sugar in small bowl. Dip end of wooden spoon handle in sugar; carefully press into center of each cookie to make 1-inch-wide indentation. Cool completely in pan, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix walnuts and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until smooth.
4. Run knife around edges of cups to loosen; gently remove from pan. Dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then into walnut mixture. Place walnut side up on cookie sheet with sides.
5. In another small microwavable bowl, microwave jam uncovered on High about 15 seconds until melted. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into each cup. Freeze cups about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
6. Spoon ice cream into cups, using small cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon. Top each cup with fresh raspberry; serve immediately.

Prepare cookie cups through step 5 omitting jam. Store covered up to two days at room temperature. When ready to serve, fill with jam, ice cream and top with raspberry.

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving (1 Tartlet)

• Calories 140
  • (Calories from Fat 60),

• Total Fat 7g
  • (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g,
  • Trans Fat 0g),
• Cholesterol 0mg;
• Sodium 55mg;
• Total Carbohydrate 19g
  • (Dietary Fiber 0g,
  • Sugars 13g),
• Protein 1g;

Cake Batter Ice Cream

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cool Whip, thawed
• 2 cups 2% lactose free milk
• 1 cup Funfetti cake mix (or your favorite flavor)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. This ice cream will become fairly solid once frozen, so to defrost heat on high in microwave for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

Santa’s North Pole Special Shake

Vegan, makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla soy/hemp/coconut ice cream
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp crushed candy canes
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1-1 1/2 cups ice cubes
• Garnish: peppermint (candy cane) crumbles
• optional: soy milk to thin out as needed

Instructions:

1. Blend until smooth. Pour. Garnish. Serve.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup (130 g) peanut butter

Method:

1. In a large pan, whisk to combine the half and half, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil. You’ll know you’re there when the mixture starts to foam up. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter, whisking to blend thoroughly.
2. Refrigerate the mixture to chill thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Yield: about 1 quart.

Gingerbread Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsulfured molases
• 2 cups heavy cream

Method:

1. Pour milk, and spices into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover and allow it steep for 10-20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks sugar and molases.
3. Return saucepan with steeped milk back to the burner and 1 cup of heavy cream, bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour a small stream of milk into the small bowl with the egg yolks while whisking to temper the eggs, approx. 1/2 a cup worth. Once the egg yolks have been tempered return them into the saucepan and stir to combine. Place the saucepan back on the stove over medium heat stir with a wooden spoon until the base covers the back of the spoon or the base reaches a temperature of 180 degrees F.
5. Prepare an ice bath in a bowl big enough to contain the medium bowl with the ice cream base.
6. Place the remaining heavy cream into a medium bowl and place a fine mesh strainer over it. Strain ice cream base into the prepared bowl. Stir to combine, then place bowl into the ice bath and stir occasionally until cool.
7. Pour ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn following the manufactuers’ instructions.

Yule Log Recipe

10 Servings / Prep: 35 min. Bake: 15 min. + freezing

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Spice Island Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 cups pistachio ice cream, softened
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, divided

Directions:

1. Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating for 2 minutes or until mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored. Stir in water and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture and beat until smooth.
3. Spread butter evenly into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes.
4. Invert cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Unroll cake; spread ice cream evenly over cake to within 1/2-in. of edges. Roll up again. Place seam side down on a serving platter. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour.
6. Melt four squares of chocolate; spread over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Break chilled chocolate into 3-in. x 1-in. pieces. Melt remaining chocolate; spread over top, sides and ends of cake. Working quickly, place chocolate pieces on cake to resemble bark. Freeze until serving. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 10 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 484 calories, 28 g fat (15 g saturated fat), 105 mg cholesterol, 195 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein.