Bon Appetit Desserts (129 page)
Read Bon Appetit Desserts Online
Authors: Barbara Fairchild
Chocolate-Cinnamon Gelato with Toffee BitsCreamy meets crunchy when luscious chocolate-cinnamon gelato is punctuated with pieces of crushed toffee candy bars.
Makes about 3 cups
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 cups whole milk, divided
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup coarsely crushed toffee candy (such as Skor, Heath bar, or Almond Roca)
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in heavy medium saucepan until blended. Gradually add ¼ cup milk, whisking until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in remaining 1¾ cups milk. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and comes to boil, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook 1 minute longer, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth.
Transfer gelato mixture to medium bowl. Mix in cream. Place bowl over large bowl filled with ice water and cool, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
Process gelato mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, adding toffee during last 1 minute of churning. Transfer to airtight container and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
The Scoop on Ice-Cream Scoops
Find an ice-cream scoop to match your personality.
THE TRADITIONALIST
: Looking for perfectly round scoops that drop easily from the scoop to the bowl? Consider buying an ice-cream scoop that has antifreeze sealed right into the handle. The antifreeze begins to melt the ice cream on contact, making it easier to scoop out the frozen dessert—and making it possible to get the ice cream out of the scoop without a release mechanism. This type of scoop is available at many online retailers and at housewares stores. Zeroll, a company that’s been around since the 1930s, makes many sizes of this type of scoop (
zeroll.com
).
THE ICE-CREAM ARTIST
: At fancy restaurants, ice cream is sometimes served in egg-shape scoops called
quenelles.
With some practice, you can learn to create the shape using two spoons, or you can buy an oval-shape ice cream scoop. Matfer Bourgeat makes a nice sturdy version, available at
culinarycookware.com
.
THE CROWD-PLEASER
: For scooping mass quantities of ice cream quickly, try an ice-cream spade. The flat, shovel-like contraption won’t make pretty scoops, but it will make serving a hungry crowd quick and easy. Many manufacturers make this type of scoop. Head to your local housewares store and see which one feels most comfortable in your hand.
Hazelnut Gelato Profiteroles with Warm Kahlúa SauceIn a sophisticated twist on traditional profiteroles—cream puffs filled with custard or vanilla ice cream—these feature hazelnut gelato and a drizzle of Kahlúa-spiked chocolate sauce. If you have any unfilled cream puffs left over, you can freeze them to enjoy later.
12 servings
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked
1 quart half and half
¾ cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup half and half
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
1¼ pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
¼ cup Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
5 large eggs
HAZELNUT GELATO
: Finely grind hazelnuts in processor. Bring half and half to simmer in large saucepan. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot half and half into sugar mixture; return to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens slightly, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Strain into large bowl. Stir in ground hazelnuts and vanilla. Refrigerate custard until cold, about 4 hours. Process custard in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to airtight container and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
SAUCE
: Bring half and half, sugar, and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in Kahlúa and vanilla.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.
CREAM PUFFS
: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring milk, butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Cook over medium heat until mixture is smooth, pulls away from sides of pan, and forms ball, constantly stirring vigorously, about 1½ minutes. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, mix dough at low speed until dough cools slightly but is still very warm. Beat in eggs 1 at a time at medium speed, blending well after each addition.
Drop walnut-size pieces of dough onto prepared sheets. Bake until puffed and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F; continue baking until puffs are brown and very crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets.
Cut 36 cream puffs in half horizontally. Place scoop of gelato in bottom half of each cream puff; cover with top half.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and freeze.
Place 3 profiteroles on each plate. Drizzle with warm sauce.
Coffee GelatoA classic, pure and simple. Instant espresso powder gives a more intense flavor, but if you can’t find it, you can use instant coffee powder.
6 servings
5 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1½ cups whole milk
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved in ½ cup hot water
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Bring milk to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture, then whisk in espresso mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 8 minutes (do not boil). Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.
Process custard in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to airtight container and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Strawberry Sorbato“Sorbato” is a cross between sorbet and gelato—it is made from a fruit puree like a sorbet, but with the addition of cream.
8 servings
1½ pounds strawberries, hulled, sliced
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Toss berries, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Let stand until juices form, about 30 minutes. Puree mixture in batches in blender. Press through fine strainer into medium bowl. Mix cream and lemon juice into puree.
Process mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to airtight container and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Buttermilk Sorbet with Fresh StrawberriesJust because it’s a sorbet doesn’t mean it has to be sweet and fruity; this one has the refreshing tang of buttermilk and the floral sweetness of strawberries. The sorbet’s texture is best when freshly made, but if you do prepare it ahead, be sure to let it soften before serving.
4 to 6 servings
2 cups chilled buttermilk
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 pound strawberries, hulled, sliced
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
Stir buttermilk, ¼ cup sugar, and corn syrup in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Process mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
DO AHEAD
:
Sorbet can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature to soften before serving.
Toss strawberries, lemon peel, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl; let stand until juices form, about 10 minutes. Spoon berries into shallow bowls. Top with scoop of sorbet and serve immediately.