Pie and Pastry Bible (70 page)

UNDERSTANDING

The extra sugar, fat, and protein from the milk give this ice cream an exceptionally creamy texture.

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

W
hen I was a child, we went to Howard Johnson’s for ice cream, and pistachio was always my choice. Of course the secret to making the most full flavored pistachio ice cream is using the finest-quality pistachio nuts and making a custard base with the right proportion of cream to milk. Here is the recipe. Serve it with the chocolate soufflé tartlets or with the apricot pie or tart.

In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, mix the pistachio paste, sugar, and yolks.

In a small nonreactive saucepan (or a heatproof glass measure if using a microwave on high power), scald the cream and milk.
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Stir a few tablespoons into the pistachio mixture, then gradually add the remainder, stirring constantly. Heat
the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, to just below the boiling point (170° to 180°F.). Steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. If a finger is run across the back of the spoon, it will leave a well-defined track. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a bowl, scraping up the thickened cream that has settled on the bottom of the pan. (I like having the texture of the pistachio pieces in the ice cream, but if you prefer it totally smooth, strain it at this point. Either way, the ice cream will still have the pistachio flavor.) Add the green food color.

Cool the mixture in an ice-water bath or the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Stir in the vanilla and the optional Pistacha or kirsch, and Cobasan. Freeze it in an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to ripen for at least 2 hours in the freezer before serving. If it has been held longer and is very hard, allow it to sit refrigerated or at room temperature until softened and creamy.

STORE

Frozen, up to 1 week. The ice cream has the best texture within 3 days of freezing but with the liqueur it will maintain its texture for up to a week.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 223.

UNDERSTANDING

Two-thirds cream to milk is used instead of the usual three-quarters cream to milk because the pistachio contributes 34 grams of fat, bringing the total to slightly higher than the “plain vanilla” version, even with the decrease in cream.

PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM

T
his ice cream is, of course, for peanut butter lovers—in other words, almost every American—and especially for those who don’t like peanut butter’s propensity to stick to the roof of one’s mouth! There’s no way this intensely peanutty, smooth, and creamy ice cream can. The optional Chambord, suggested by my husband, adds a very subtle flavor accent, much in the way that jelly so perfectly complements peanut butter. This ice cream is great with Concord grape pie, cherry pie, and chocolate tarts alike.

Place the peanut butter in a medium mixing bowl. Suspend a fine strainer over it, and have it ready near the range.

In a small heavy nonreactive saucepan, using a wooden spoon, stir together the yolks, sugar, and salt until well blended.

In another small saucepan (or a heatproof glass measure if using a microwave on high power), scald the cream and milk.
^*
Stir a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture, then gradually add the remainder, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, to just below the boiling point (170° to 180°F.). Steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. If a finger is run across the back of the spoon, it will leave a well-defined track. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the strainer, scraping up the thickened cream that has settled on the bottom of the pan.

Whisk the peanut butter into the cream mixture. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water or in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Stir in the optional Chambord. Freeze in an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to ripen for at least 2 hours in the freezer before serving. If it has been held longer and is very hard, allow it to sit refrigerated or at room temperature until softened and creamy.

STORE

Frozen, up to 1 week. The ice cream has the best texture within 3 days of freezing but with the Chambord it will maintain its texture for up to a week.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 223.

UNDERSTANDING

Half cream, half milk is used instead of the usual three-quarters cream to milk because the peanut butter contributes 72 grams of fat, bringing the total to slightly higher than the vanilla ice cream even with the decrease in cream.

Twice the amount of Chambord is used in order to arrive at the same level of alcohol as vodka because vodka is twice the proof.

RED WINE ICE CREAM

I
tasted this pale pink, positively haunting ice cream at Vau, one of Berlin’s top restaurants, owned by chef-cookbook writer Viehauser, and was utterly intrigued. The chef used Côte-Rôtie, for its body and flavor intensity. The cream base and cold temperature softened its slightly rough edges yet held its perfumed glow. The 25-proof wine also served to keep the texture softer than usual.

This splendid and sophisticated ice cream would enhance many pies and tarts, but its flavor and color would be particularly lovely with currant pie, Concord grape pie, and plum tart.

Have a fine strainer suspended over a medium mixing bowl ready near the range.

In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, with a wooden spoon, stir together the yolks, sugar, and salt until well blended.

In a small saucepan (or a heatproof glass measure if using a microwave on high power), stir together the cream and dry milk and scald the mixture.
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Stir a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture, then gradually add the remainder, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, to just below the boiling point (170° to 180°F.). Steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. If a finger is run across the back of the spoon, it will leave a well-defined track. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the strainer, scraping up the thickened cream that has settled on the bottom of the pan.

Cool by setting the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water or in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Stir in the optional Cobasan and the red wine. Freeze in an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to ripen for at least 2 hours in the freezer before serving. If it has been held longer and is very hard, allow it to sit refrigerated or at room temperature until softened and creamy.

STORE

Frozen, up to 1 week. The ice cream has the best texture within 3 days of freezing but with the red wine will maintain its texture for up to a week.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 223.

UNDERSTANDING

To re-create the ice cream I tasted in Berlin, I simply made my vanilla ice cream base, omitting the vanilla and replacing the milk with an equal volume of red wine. The wine, though not sweet on its own, seemed to make the ice cream sweeter than usual, so I decreased the sugar slightly. The texture was ever so slightly icy because of the absence of the milk protein. I tried adding protein in the form of nonfat dry milk, which helped a great deal, but it was still just the tiniest bit icy, though perfectly acceptable. Adding the Cobasan as well emulsified it perfectly, eliminating the problem completely.