Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (34 page)

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE

MAKES ABOUT 12 OUNCES / 340 GRAMS

1 batch (about 3½ cups / 840 grams)
Cultured Coconut Buttermilk
(above)

Put the buttermilk in a covered container and let it sit at room temperature for 48 hours.

Line a colander set over a bowl with 4 layers of damp cheesecloth and pour in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Twist together the top of the cheesecloth gently so that more whey will be pushed out and then let it continue to drain for at least 8 more hours. When the cream cheese is thick, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate. The coconut cream cheese will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

TOASTED COCONUT CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND BUTTER

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS / 480 GRAMS CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND ⅔ CUP / 150 GRAMS BUTTER

1 cup / 50 grams large
unsweetened coconut flakes

1¾ cups / 420 grams
heavy cream

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon / 60 grams
cultured buttermilk
,
homemade or store-bought

Scant ¾ teaspoon / 2.15 grams
fleur de sel
(1%)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the coconut flakes out on the baking sheet and toast the flakes for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the flakes cool to room temperature.

In a stainless steel bowl, combine the toasted coconut, cream, and buttermilk and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24 hours to culture.

After 24 hours, the cream will have thickened and developed a slightly sour aroma. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 6 hours. At this point the toasted coconut crème fraîche can be strained and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To make butter, remove the coconut crème fraîche from the refrigerator. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 1 hour or until it comes to 50°F (10°C). Transfer it to a food processor and churn the crème fraîche for 1 to 2 minutes until it is whipped and separates into butter and buttermilk. Turn the food processor off and scrape down the sides. Pulse the butter and buttermilk several times and then scrape the contents into a clean bowl. Refrigerate the butter globules in the buttermilk overnight.

The next day, drain the butter in a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the buttermilk for another use. Put the butter into a clean bowl. Use your hands to knead the butter together, squeezing out any buttermilk. When the butter mass comes together and is mostly free of buttermilk, sprinkle it with the salt and quickly knead it into the butter. Pack the butter into a clean porcelain ramekin and cover with a piece of parchment paper and then plastic wrap. Refrigerate the butter and reserve the buttermilk for culturing coconut buttermilk.

WALNUT BRITTLE ICE CREAM

NUT BRITTLES ARE A GREAT CHOICE FOR ICE CREAM MIX-INS
because their light texture makes them easy to chew even when frozen. Brittle is made by adding baking soda to caramel just before pouring it out of the pan. The baking soda reacts with the sugar acids and makes the caramel foam. The caramel sets around the foam and all those tiny air bubbles are what make the finished candy brittle. We use guar gum instead of eggs or starch to thicken the ice cream base. It gives it a great, almost chewy texture. This makes a chunky ice cream that needs no extra toppings or sauces; it’s a perfect dessert eaten all by itself.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART / 1 LITER

WALNUT BRITTLE

8 ounces 225 grams
unsalted butter,
plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons 20 grams
liquid glucose
or light corn syrup

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons 225 grams
sugar

¾ teaspoon 4.5 grams
fine sea salt

4⅔ cups 375 grams
walnuts,
toasted

¾ teaspoon 3.75 grams
baking soda

ICE CREAM

3⅔ cups 1000 grams
whole milk

¾ teaspoon 4.5 grams
fine sea salt

1½ teaspoons 4.5 grams
guar gum
(0.3%)

MAKE THE WALNUT BRITTLE:
Butter a baking sheet and line it with a silicone mat. In a medium saucepan, combine the 8 ounces butter and the glucose and set over medium heat to melt the butter. Add the sugar and salt, stirring the mixture just to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 280°F (138°C) on a candy thermometer. Add the walnuts and stir just to combine. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 305°F (152°C). Remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda, stirring well to completely incorporate. Pour the brittle onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces. The brittle will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

MAKE THE ICE CREAM:
Put the milk and 3 cups (500 grams) of the walnut brittle in a blender and puree until smooth. Sprinkle in the salt and the guar gum, and puree until the guar gum is evenly dispersed. Strain the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve into a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fold the remaining walnut brittle into the ice cream before transferring it to a covered container to harden in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

BANANA CARAMEL ICE CREAM

THE BANANAS FOR THIS ICE CREAM ARE COOKED FIRST IN A
dark caramel to help break them down and release some of their natural pectins and then pureed into a tapioca-thickened pudding. The tapioca starch helps bind the free water in the mixture, which helps prevent the formation of large ice crystals, aka freezer burn. The resulting ice cream is incredibly smooth and creamy. Serve a scoop of this alongside
Caramel Cake
or
Sourdough Coffee Cake
or serve it in a sundae with
Ginger Caramel Sauce
,
Shaved Shortbread
, some
Roasted Nuts
, and whipped cream.

MAKE ABOUT 1 QUART / 1 LITER

1¼ cups 250 grams
sugar

5 medium
bananas,
sliced (17 ounces 475 grams after peeling)

3 tablespoons 18 grams
tapioca starch

¾ teaspoon 4.5 grams
fine sea salt

2 cups minus 1 tablespoon 500 grams
whole milk

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon 500 grams
heavy cream

Put the sugar in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook until it starts to melt and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Gently swirl the pot to evenly caramelize the sugar and continue to cook until the sugar is fluid and a dark amber, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the bananas. Put the pan over low heat and cook, stirring with a silicone spatula, until the bananas are cooked through and break down, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until it is smooth. With the blender running, sprinkle in the tapioca starch and salt and blend until the mixture forms a thick paste, about 15 seconds.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, turn the blender on low, and slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the blender. Once all of the milk mixture has been added, increase the blender speed to medium and blend for 1 minute. Turn the blender off and strain the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Put the bowl into an ice water bath and let cool completely. Refrigerate the mixture for 4 hours.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and let it harden in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

SLOWLY CARAMELIZING THE SUGAR

MIXING THE BANANAS INTO THE CARAMEL

BANANAS COOKED IN CARAMEL