Orange-Mango Gelato

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato...what's the difference? Check it out here.

Personally, I love this mango gelato swirled with raspberry gelato. The smooth, richness of the mango and the tart raspberries are a delicious -- and beautiful! -- blend. Or, garnish the orange-mango gelato with fresh raspberries, or a raspberry purée...  Blueberries would be fun to try, too.

Ingredients
3/4 C sugar
1 C milk
1 lb fresh mango*, cubed
1/3 C orange juice

Directions
Combine the milk, sugar, and mango in a saucepan; heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Place all ingredients, including orange juice, in a blender and process until smooth. Place mixture in ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes. If desired, transfer to an air-tight container to freeze for a firmer consistency.

* If mangoes aren't in season, you can used dried mango (reconstitute with orange juice) or frozen mango.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

My family celebrates  6 birthdays in June along with father's day and the occasional graduation, etc.  My contribution to this year's potluck meal was dessert -- in the form of a selection of ice creams, gelatos or sorbets (What's the difference?) with a variety of toppings. To honor the "birthday folks" I'd called and asked if there was a particular flavor they'd like to have. There really wasn't much need to ask, I could have guessed: chocolate and peanut butter topped the list. I've already posted the dark chocolate, here's the peanut butter. Cheesecake, raspberry, mixed berry, lemon, and maple are already posted. I'll get the salted caramel, pineapple and orange-mango up soon. 

 

Ingredients:

1 C  heavy cream

1 C  half and half

½ C  sugar

¾ tsp  vanilla

¼ tsp salt

2 C  peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, as you like)

Directions:

Combine sugar & salt with liquid ingredients; stir until sugar dissolves. Blend in peanut butter until smooth. Freeze according to ice cream maker directions. Makes about 1 quart.

Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange

Ingredients

12 ounces egg tagliatelle or fettuccine (preferably fresh)

2Tbls unsalted butter

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1" pieces

zest and juice of 1 orange

½ C heavy whipping cream

freshly ground black pepper

¼ C finely grated parmesan 

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute before al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, longer for dried. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.

Add reserved pasta water, orange juice, half of zest, and cream; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and divide among warm bowls. Makes 4 servings.

Deeply (Dark) Cioccolate/Chocolate Gelato

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato...what's the difference? Check it out here.

2 C whole milk
5 egg yolks
2 Tbls corn syrup
¾ C sugar
¼ lb dark chocolate
¼ C dark chocolate cocoa powder

Chop the chocolate into small pieces; add to an empty mixing bowl and set aside. (You will eventually pour the custard base into this bowl.)

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until simmering and whisps of steam begin to appear (about 140°).

While the milk is heating, beat the egg yolks and corn syrup until blended. Add the sugar and continue mixing at medium speed until color lightens to a light yellow. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl during mixing.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot milk to the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Mix until blended and then return this mixture to the saucepan. Heat the custard mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and a finger leaves a track when dragged across the back of a spoon (about 175°).

Pour the custard mixture through a sieve into the bowl with the chopped chocolate. Mix the custard and chocolate to melt and blend the chocolate. Add the cocoa and continue mixing by hand until smooth. The goal is to blend, not whip air into the gelato.

Place bowl with gelato base into an ice bath or refrigerate until mixture is chilled to about 45°. Freeze according to your ice cream/gelato maker's instructions and transfer to a container. For a firmer consistency, scoop or pour into an air-tight container and freeze for 2+ hours.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are soft peanut butter cookies. You can add more flour in order to be able to roll them and press them with a fork (for a more traditional looking peanut butter cookie). I like them soft and chewy more than I care about the fork-pressed look. :)

1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 C flour
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and beat. Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in dry mixture, scraping down edges of bowl to incorporate throughout the dough. Use a cookie scoop (or spoon) to scoop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet (line with parchment if desired). Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Raspberry Gelato

(or blackberry, boysenberry, etc.)

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato...what's the difference? Check it out here.

3/4 C sugar
1 C milk
16 oz raspberries
juice of one lemon

Combine the milk, sugar, and berries in a saucepan; heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Place all ingredients, including lemon juice, in a blender and process until smooth. If desired, strain to remove any seeds. Place mixture in ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes. If desired, transfer to an air-tight container to freeze for a firmer consistency.

Serve. If desired, garnished with fresh berries, whipped cream, mint leaves, wafer cookies...

It's also delicious with a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint leaves (add them when you're heating the first ingredients in the saucepan for the most flavor). Lime can be substituted for the lemon juice for a subtle twist on the flavor.

Maple Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 C grade B maple syrup
1 Tbls cornstarch
6 egg yolks
2 C heavy cream
½ C milk
1 tsp maple (or vanilla) extract
½ tsp salt
optional: ½ tsp liquid smoke

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer.

In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, cornstarch, and egg yolks.

Pour about one third of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then stir the egg yolk mixture into the remaining cream in the saucepan. Stir to blend well. Lower the heat to medium-low and heat, stirring constantly, until hot and slightly thickened. Do not boil.

Pour through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in the milk, vanilla, salt, and liquid smoke (if desired). Cover and chill thoroughly.

Freeze according to ice cream machine manufacturer's directions. Place in freezer if firmer consistency is desired. Makes 1 quart of maple ice cream.

Serve with: chopped nuts/peanuts, buttery maple-bourbon syrup, whipped cream, or...if you're into the whole bacon craze, with real bacon bits.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

Ingredients
1 9" pie crust (I used chocolate cookie crust)
1 10 oz pkg peanut butter chips
3 oz cream cheese
¼ C powdered sugar
1/3 C + 2 Tbls milk
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 Tbls cold water
2 Tbls boiling water
½ C sugar
1/3 C cocoa powder
1 C whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: additional prepared whipped cream for serving.

Directions
Melt 1½ C peanut butter chips. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1/3 C milk in medium bowl until smooth. Add melted chips; beat well. Beat in remaining 2 Tbls milk. Spread in pie shell.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl; let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Cool slightly.

Combine sugar and cocoa in medium bowl; add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat until stiff; pour in gelatin mixture, beating until well blended. Spoon over peanut butter mixture in pie shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Garnish with remaining chips; serve with additional whipped cream.

Cucumber & Smoked Salmon Verrines

Verrine is French for 'glass case' or 'protective glass'. In a culinary context, it refers to any layered recipe, usually an appetizer or dessert, served in individual glass dishes. Goblets can work. You might even use any clear, glass, drinking glasses...depending on the size and shape (smaller breakfast/juice glasses?).

Ingredients (Serves 4):
1 cucumber
dash salt
1 Tbls lime juice
1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil + more to drizzle
½ apple (green or pink lady)
4 pink radishes
9 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped dill
4-6 oz smoked salmon, diced
½ tsp cracked red peppercorns

Peel and seed cucumber, grate it and place it in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let rest on the side for 30 minutes to drain. Peel, core and cut the apple in small sticks and drizzle with lime juice to prevent oxidation. Transfer to a bowl. Wash and trim the radishes; cut into very small sticks.

Press on the cucumber with the tip of your fingers to squeeze out the excess water; combine with the apple and radish sticks. Add the fresh herbs, 1 tablespoon yogurt* and the olive oil. No need to add more salt as the cucumber is already seasoned.

Divide between four glasses. Top with 2 tablespoons of yogurt in each glass and finish with the diced smoked salmon. (I made two layers of each ingredient in my verrines.) Drizzle with olive oil and top with cracked red peppercorns. Garnish with lime slices -- to drizzle with extra lime juice. Serve with bread sticks.



















This image isn't anything I made personally (it's a street-side vendor's treat, for sale in Venice when I was visiting earlier this summer); but it is another example of a verrine...a honey, yogurt, granola, and mixed fruit verrine. Beautiful presentation and it doesn't require any complicated recipe or prep work.

Tiramisu

The recipe below is from my cooking class in Florence, Italy, recently. Even as the chef, Giovanni, was dictating the recipe below, he was telling us his own personal preferences for variations. (For example, he doesn't use any liquer, saying there are enough other flavors already, and it thins the cream filling.) The picture at right is my own variation of the recipe: I don't like coffee; so I substituted a chocolate infused red wine, and instead of dusting the glasses with cocoa powder I used a layer of fudge sauce. Use the recipe below, given in its original form, as a base and create your own favorite dessert!

Ingredients (serves 5)
1 lb mascarpone cheese, room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
5 Tbls (heaping) sugar
5 Tbls sweetened cocoa powder
10 ladyfingers (or other similar biscuits/cookies, or spongecake)
1 C coffee
5 Tbls liquer (Baileys, Kahlua, rum...)


Separate eggs. Whisk sugar into egg yolks a little at a time. Add mascarpone to yolk mixture, stirring until very smooth. Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form; fold gently into yolk mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Add liquer to egg cream mixture.

Dust serving dishes with cocoa. Add a layer of cream mixture, dust with cocoa, top with ladyfingers that have been dipped in coffee. (If using spongecake, slice and cut to fit serving dishes.) Top with another layer of cream, and dust tops with more cocoa powder.

Serve garnished with chocolate shavings, additional biscuits, whipped cream...

Cheese

This is more of a reminder than a recipe. When I was traveling in Italy, and when I would eat somewhere "nice" (i.e. typically a bit more expensive, with multiple courses) I was more than once served something like this.

In Italy, cheese was typically served after the main (meat) course and salad, right before the dolce, dessert. The cheese was most likely to be fontina, pecorino, some type of romano, or another local variety; the fruit always a stone/pit fruit (nectarine, peach, plum) -- though that could have been simply because of what was/wasn't in season at the time I was there; and honey for drizzling...often a locally made variety.

I served a cheese, fruit & honey plate recently to a group of girlfriends who came over for the evening -- not for dinner, just for cheese & wine, and later on...dessert. Simple to prepare, but a bit more upscale than your typical cheese and crackers. :)

Wine-Marinated Peaches

Ingredients (per person):
1 peach
1 tsp fresh chopped mint
1 Tbls brown sugar
¼ C white wine (a Riesling is nice...sweet)

In a bowl, mix sugar and wine until sugar is dissolved. Add chopped mint.

Pit and dice the peach (peel it if you want, but it's not necessary; white peaches look especially pretty). Add peach pieces to wine mixture, stirring to coat. Place in refrigerator to marinate 1-2 hours before serving; stir it once or twice while marinating to make sure all peach pieces are coated/soaking in wine mixture.

Delicious on it's own, but you can also serve it over ice cream, sponge cake, angel food cake, etc. Other fruits (strawberries, nectarines, pears, plums...) can be prepared the same way. Use more or less sugar depending on how sweet the fruit is itself.