Lavender: Honey Lavender Ice Cream
Lavender has a storied past: The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used the aromatic herb not only medicinally but for cosmetic and beauty purposes. In ancient Rome, women kept sprays of lavender next to their beds as a way to arouse their mate’s senses.
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 8 hr (includes steeping, chilling, and freezing)
Ingredients
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 2/3 cup mild honey
* 2 tablespoons dried edible lavender flowers*
* 2 large eggs
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* Special equipment: a candy or instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker
Preparation
Bring cream, half-and-half, honey, and lavender just to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, then remove pan from heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes.
Pour cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard lavender. Return mixture to cleaned saucepan and heat over moderate heat until hot.
Whisk together eggs and salt in a large bowl, then add 1 cup hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Pour into remaining hot cream mixture in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, about 5 minutes (do not let boil).
Pour custard through sieve into cleaned bowl and cool completely, stirring occasionally. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.
Cooks’ notes: • To cool custard quickly after straining, set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir until chilled. • Custard can chill up to 1 day before freezing. • Ice cream keeps 1 week.
Pomegranate: Pomegranate Panna Cotta
Some scholars believe that Eve tempted Adam not with an apple but with a pomegranate. Though we may never know for sure, it’s hard to deny the allure of those ruby red seeds.
* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 3 tablespoons plus 2 cups pomegranate juice (such as Pom)
* 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
* 1 cup sugar
* Peel from 1 orange, removed in strips with vegetable peeler
* 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/2 cup whipping cream
* 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preparation
Spray six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray. Place 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 cups pomegranate juice, sugar, and peel in large saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until syrup is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Remove peel from pan; transfer 1/3 cup syrup to small bowl and reserve for sauce. Add gelatin mixture to remaining hot syrup in pan, and stir until dissolved. Add orange juice and whipping cream, then buttermilk. Strain. Divide among prepared ramekins. Chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight. Cover and chill sauce separately.
Run knife around edge of ramekins; invert onto plates. Drizzle with sauce and serve.
Clementines in Ginger Syrup
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled ginger
* 4 green cardamom pods
* 3 whole star anise
* 6 clementines or mandarin oranges
* 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Preparation
Bring water, sugar, ginger, cardamom, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Strain syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
Cut peel from clementines, including all white pith, with a sharp knife, then cut fruit into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and put in a serving bowl. Add syrup and chill, covered, at least 1 hour. Just before serving, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (if using).
active time: 30 min
total time: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)
A triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and an almost patent-leather-shiny glaze make this tart the chicest take on… more ›
Ingredients
For crust:
* 9 (5- by 2 1/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 1/4 cup sugar
For filling:
* 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
* 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
For glaze:
* 2 tablespoon heavy cream
* 1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
* 1 tablespoon warm water
Equipment:
* a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)
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Preparation
Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes
Make filling:
Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.
Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.
Make glaze:
Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water
Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.
Honey: Upside-Down Honey Cheesecakes
Need a quick pick-me-up? Sticky, sweet, and sensuous, honey contains natural sugars that can give you a fast energy boost.
yield: Makes 12 servings
These crustless individual cheesecakes have a gooey, honeyed topping.
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Ingredients
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup honey
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/3 cup water
* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
* 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 1 cup sour cream
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 4 large eggs, room temperature
* Assorted fresh berries (for garnish)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter twelve 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Place 1 cup sugar, honey, and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is blended. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Whisk until mixture darkens slightly and candy thermometer registers 300°F, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add 1/3 cup water (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk to blend. Divide topping among ramekins (about 2 tablespoonfuls for each). Divide ramekins between 2 roasting pans and chill while preparing filling.
Using on/off turns, blend cream cheese and brown sugar in processor, scraping bowl occasionally. Add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla; process until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing just to blend between additions. Divide filling among ramekins. Add enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake cheesecakes until set, about 35 minutes. Remove from roasting pans and chill until firm, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Run thin knife around sides of ramekins. Invert onto plates, scooping any remaining topping from ramekins over cheesecakes. Garnish with berries.
Garlic: Roasted Halibut with Garlic Sauce
Garlic can heat up the romance but if you think its flavor is too strong and sharp, cook it slowly to transform it into something heavenly and even a little sweet.
* 1 3/4 pounds halibut fillet (1 1/2 inches thick)
* 3 garlic cloves
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise
* Accompaniment: lemon wedges
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Put fish in an oiled shallow baking dish and sprinkle with teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Force garlic through a garlic press into a bowl, then whisk in oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Whisk in mayonnaise and spread over fish.
Bake, uncovered, until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes
VIA:epicurious
