It's a hot day here in San Jose today. When I read this article in the Food Section of today's San Jose Mercury News, it sounded so good to me, I just had to share it here!
Regards,
Chris
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Go gourmet in 10 minutes: Try these mix-ins
By Beth Hensperger
Special to the Mercury News
Sometimes you want a little something to serve with cookies, one of those miraculous desserts that takes about 10 minutes yet tastes and looks extravagant and fabulous. My suggestion: embellished ice cream, plain ice cream that you enhance by mixing in anything from gourmet chocolate to liqueurs to fruit.
Here are four suggestions. You should feel free to make up your own combinations.
No matter the enhancement, the technique is the same: Remove 1 quart (2 pint containers) of ice cream from the freezer and let stand 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until just creamy (do not let it melt). Add the other ingredients; mix on low speed until just evenly distributed. Working quickly, scrape the ice cream back into the carton with a large spatula. Refreeze for at least 6 hours.
Coffee Ice Cream With Chocolate Chips and Cognac: I adapted this from a recipe by dessert maven Maida Heatter. Start with 1 quart coffee ice cream. Add 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or 1/2 cup chocolate chips), 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder and 1/3 cup Cognac. Serve with biscotti or butter cookies and a bit of whipped cream.
Crystallized Ginger Ice Cream: You will not believe how luscious this simple ice cream is. Start with 1 quart vanilla ice cream. Add 2/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger. Serve with bittersweet chocolate sauce (recipe below); sliced ripe stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, or nectarines; or sugared, crushed strawberries or blueberries.
Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream: Here is my version of one of the great commercial ice creams. For the chocolate, I chop an artisan chocolate bar in the food processor, but you can use chocolate chips. Start with 1 quart vanilla ice cream. Add 1 heaping cup frozen unsweetened Bing cherries, partially thawed and still very chilled; and 3 ounces well-chilled bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped.
Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream: Armagnac is a brandy made at the foot of the Pyrénées and is a bit more dry and pungent than Cognac. Here is my version of a legendary adult ice cream flavor. Start with 1 quart of vanilla ice cream. Brew 1 cup strong tea. Add 1 heaping cup finely chopped pitted prunes and let stand at room temperature until cool, about 45 minutes. Drain well and discard liquid. Toss prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Add prunes and Armagnac to ice cream. Serve with madeleines.
Notes: For the best results, start with a high-quality ice cream such as Double Rainbow or Haagen-Dazs. If you splurge on a hand-packed quart from an ice-cream shop, be sure to check the weight; it probably weighs about twice as much as a quart of prepackaged commercial ice cream from the supermarket; you will have to double the additional ingredients.
The serving secret here is the dish. Use a lovely glass-footed dessert bowl or a margarita wine glass on a dessert plate, with a doily to keep it from slipping.
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Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce
Makes 1-1/2 cups
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (preferably Sharffenberger)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In small saucepan, combine cocoa, brown sugar, and cream. Stir vigorously with whisk and bring to boil; cocoa will be lumpy until it dissolves, so just keep whisking. Boil 10 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let stand until warm, or cool to room temperature to store in covered jar in the refrigerator. Keeps 6 weeks in refrigerator. Reheat over low heat or in microwave.
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Beth Hensperger of Mountain View has written 17 baking books and cookbooks. Her best known include "Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook" (Harvard Common Press) and "The Bread Bible" (Chronicle)
Regards,
Chris
-----------------
Go gourmet in 10 minutes: Try these mix-ins
By Beth Hensperger
Special to the Mercury News
Sometimes you want a little something to serve with cookies, one of those miraculous desserts that takes about 10 minutes yet tastes and looks extravagant and fabulous. My suggestion: embellished ice cream, plain ice cream that you enhance by mixing in anything from gourmet chocolate to liqueurs to fruit.
Here are four suggestions. You should feel free to make up your own combinations.
No matter the enhancement, the technique is the same: Remove 1 quart (2 pint containers) of ice cream from the freezer and let stand 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until just creamy (do not let it melt). Add the other ingredients; mix on low speed until just evenly distributed. Working quickly, scrape the ice cream back into the carton with a large spatula. Refreeze for at least 6 hours.
Coffee Ice Cream With Chocolate Chips and Cognac: I adapted this from a recipe by dessert maven Maida Heatter. Start with 1 quart coffee ice cream. Add 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or 1/2 cup chocolate chips), 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder and 1/3 cup Cognac. Serve with biscotti or butter cookies and a bit of whipped cream.
Crystallized Ginger Ice Cream: You will not believe how luscious this simple ice cream is. Start with 1 quart vanilla ice cream. Add 2/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger. Serve with bittersweet chocolate sauce (recipe below); sliced ripe stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, or nectarines; or sugared, crushed strawberries or blueberries.
Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream: Here is my version of one of the great commercial ice creams. For the chocolate, I chop an artisan chocolate bar in the food processor, but you can use chocolate chips. Start with 1 quart vanilla ice cream. Add 1 heaping cup frozen unsweetened Bing cherries, partially thawed and still very chilled; and 3 ounces well-chilled bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped.
Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream: Armagnac is a brandy made at the foot of the Pyrénées and is a bit more dry and pungent than Cognac. Here is my version of a legendary adult ice cream flavor. Start with 1 quart of vanilla ice cream. Brew 1 cup strong tea. Add 1 heaping cup finely chopped pitted prunes and let stand at room temperature until cool, about 45 minutes. Drain well and discard liquid. Toss prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Add prunes and Armagnac to ice cream. Serve with madeleines.
Notes: For the best results, start with a high-quality ice cream such as Double Rainbow or Haagen-Dazs. If you splurge on a hand-packed quart from an ice-cream shop, be sure to check the weight; it probably weighs about twice as much as a quart of prepackaged commercial ice cream from the supermarket; you will have to double the additional ingredients.
The serving secret here is the dish. Use a lovely glass-footed dessert bowl or a margarita wine glass on a dessert plate, with a doily to keep it from slipping.
---------------
Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce
Makes 1-1/2 cups
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (preferably Sharffenberger)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In small saucepan, combine cocoa, brown sugar, and cream. Stir vigorously with whisk and bring to boil; cocoa will be lumpy until it dissolves, so just keep whisking. Boil 10 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let stand until warm, or cool to room temperature to store in covered jar in the refrigerator. Keeps 6 weeks in refrigerator. Reheat over low heat or in microwave.
---------------
Beth Hensperger of Mountain View has written 17 baking books and cookbooks. Her best known include "Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook" (Harvard Common Press) and "The Bread Bible" (Chronicle)