TASTE
Sweet summer
By Joan Brunskill
Associated Press
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From Kansas City, Mo., comes a honey-ginger ice cream created by Megan Garrelts, pastry chef and co-owner of the Bluestem restaurant there. The dessert's nice contrasts of warm fruit, ice cream and crunch of warm crumbly topping are very much a personal taste.
"These are my favorite summer flavors," Garrelts said. "Also, I find nectarines bake better than peaches, and they're a little more acidic." She looks for local honey in the farmers' markets when she can get it and suggests cooks anywhere can do the same.
The recipe will make more than you will need for the four servings of the dessert, she said, so you can look forward to second helpings later.
"You can do what we do at the restaurant, usually — make the ice-cream base the night before and let it chill overnight in the refrigerator," she said. But the recipe also allows for quick cooling over an ice bath (water and ice).
"The sugar cookie crust bakes up rather like a crumble topping" that you sprinkle over the ice cream on top of the fruit, she explained.
MISSOURI HONEY AND GINGER ICE CREAM WITH WARM NECTARINES AND SUGAR COOKIE CRUST
HONEY GINGER ICE CREAM
In a large saucepan combine cream, milk, brown sugar, honey and freshly grated ginger. Warm over medium heat, stirring to infuse the honey and ginger into the cream and dissolve the sugar, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Put yolks in a large stainless steel bow; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk hot cream into the egg yolks. Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl and chill, either over an ice bath, stirring for at least 10 minutes to cool it completely, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Once the ice-cream base is chilled, process in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Freeze.
Makes 2 1/2 quarts of churned ice cream (10 cups).
ROASTED NECTARINES WITH SUGAR COOKIE CRUST
For sugar cookie dough:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside. Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon. Add the egg to the creamed mixture. Add the flour mixture in thirds and mix well. Form dough into a flat disc and chill until firm.
Cut the firm dough into small cubes and sprinkle the cubes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Sprinkle the dough cubes close enough together to form a large crumbly disc once baked.
Sprinkle the cubes with cinnamon sugar and bake at 325 degrees until slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
For the nectarines:
Butter and sugar a shallow roasting pan. Split the nectarines in half and remove the pit. Place the nectarines in the roasting pan face up.
In a small bowl, mix together the brandy, sweet wine and vanilla. Pour the wine mixture over the nectarines. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and dot with the butter. Cover the pan with foil and roast the fruit at 300 F until the fruit is tender, but still holds a shape, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and keep fruit warm for serving.
To assemble: Place 2 warm nectarine halves in each bowl. Scoop honey ginger ice cream on top. Sprinkle with crumbled warm cookie crust. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes 4 servings.
