Wednesday, July 06, 2005
White Peach and Candied Ginger Ice Cream
Gadgetry is great, I mean, what food lover doesn't think a sleek stand mixer or a flashy food processor are the pinnacle of fab, right? I personally adore all of the sensationally time saving (and not so time saving) devices I have accumulated over the years. Of course, I was listening to NPR this morning (as I am prone to do. I just love NPR) and a decidedly scholarly gentleman was talking about Buddhism and how longing and desire create suffering, so we should all just be zen and yearn for inner happiness, and not more stuff, or some such. That is really is the only way to go, and I say we all start in on that first thing tomorrow (along with a low-fat, low-carb, fruit and veggie, organic diet) but when then again, when I want summertime treats, well, I just have to be a little less than meditative and bust out my adorable little ice cream maker to whip up a frozen dream. It just plain makes me smile, no matter how fleeting it all may seem.
The recent meme (on oh heavens, I don't know, history and preferences?) asked what our favorite ice cream is, and for no known reason (at least, not known to moi) I forgot to mention the all time bestest flavor in the ice cream pantheon, White Peach and Candied Ginger. It's so durned tasty I dream about it all winter long.
The magnificent Dessert Diva D. and I first concocted this masterpiece in cooking school, using the most fantastically industrial frozen treat machine I have ever laid my capitalistic eyes on. All chrome and whiz-bang one-button gloriousness. (Now that is an item I couldn't exactly have at home, but would go nutty with in a professional environment, since you have no wait time between batches.) After perfecting (well, D. perfected, I just loitered around waiting for samples) Vanilla and Chocolate, the mix and match began. Coffee bean and mocha chip, malted milk ball and marshmallow, (which we made. have you ever tried to make marshmallow? Now that's a challenge.) and key lime pie were all tasty treats, but it was the white peach and candied ginger that won out. So much so that a boy in our class at that fine institution who is now the executive chef at an embarrassing (thematic!) chain-restaurant has it on their menu and it is a best seller (how could it not be?). Well my sweet peach, (what can I say, not only are peaches my favorite food, its my favorite term of endearment) for you, I'll reprint it. Just promise me you'll use only the best quality ingredients. Anything less and it will be pedestrian. Try it, and enjoy.
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup white sugar
3 egg yolks
6 large, fresh, juicy peaches
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon white rum (just enough to break down the peaches a little bit)
1/4 cup candied ginger, minced (more if you want)
4 heaping tablespoons turbinado sugar (you know, the sugar in the brown packet)
In a large sauce pan, gently heat the cream, milk and sugar, stirring until the sugar is melted. You want it to simmer a little, but not to boil.
Meanwhile, have the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly add a ladle full of the warm cream mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly. Add a second ladle full. Slowly pour the egg mixture that has now been tempered (you do this so the shock of the heat in the pan doesn't scramble the eggs) back into the pan, whisk until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes over very low, gentle heat. Remove from heat and pour back into the bowl. Put the bowl into an ice bath to quickly chill it. (Ice bath: Larger bowl, filled with ice water.) This is your anglaise.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, cut a shallow "X"into the tip of the peaches. Boil for a scant minute and remove. Peel the skin off of the peaches then rough chop and add to a bowl with the 2 teaspoons of sugar (more or less, depending on the tartness of the peaches) and rum. Stir and set aside while the anglaise chills.
Following the directions on your ice cream maker, add the anglaise and begin to chill. 1/2 way through, add the peaches, turbanado and ginger.
Makes about a quart
______________________________________________________
More ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
Here are the top 5 Ice Cream Consuming Countries in the World 1) United States 2) New Zealand 3) Denmark 4) Australia 5) Belgium / Luxembourg
Dolly Madison created a sensation when she served ice cream as a dessert in the White House at the second inaugural ball in 1812.
Labels: Dessert
Comments:
<< Home
Post a Comment
What a magnificent pairing! I love peach and candied ginger on their own but together- i can only imagine! i dont own an ice cream maker but i sort of am inspired to go buy a carton of my favorite peach ice cream and mix-in candied ginger!
it does sound delicious. I've been hearing alot about ice cream makers lately and Im getting more and more tempted to buy one.. this recipe sounds great!
The sugar that is sweetening the ice cream is melted into the cream at the start. The sugar at the end does stay crunchy, its just to mimic the sugar the ginger is coated in. Adds a nice layer of flavor.
Post a Comment
<< Home
<< Home
