Melon Cassis And French Vanilla Ice Cream With Blackberries Recipes

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the yolks and half of the sugar.
• In a non-reactive saucepan combine the cream, 1 cup of the milk, the remaining sugar, and the salt.
• Split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, to expose the tar-like seeds inside the pod. Scrape the seeds loose with a knife; add the bean and the seeds to the cream mixture.
• Heat the cream over medium-high heat until just at a boil. Remove from the heat. Gradually pour the hot liquid into the yolks, while whisking constantly. Return the cream-egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring the mixture constantly, with a wooden spoon in a figure-8 motion, until thickened, about 10 minutes. When the ice cream mixture is properly cooked it should coat the back of a spoon, be satiny thick, and be free of any bubbles on the surface. (If you taste the ice cream base it should have a slight egg-y taste.) When thickened, pour in the reserved milk to prevent the mixture from overcooking. Strain into a medium bowl. Add the cognac if desired.
• Fill another bowl with ice. Set the bowl of ice cream base in the ice and stir until thoroughly chilled. Freeze the base in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. (Take care not to over churn the ice cream or it will get a grainy texture.) Transfer the ice cream to the freezer to set up for at least 1 hour. Serve.

CASSIS A L'EAU

Steps:

• Fill 3 glasses with ice cubes. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons crème de cassis in each glass and add water.

BLACKBERRY FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Spread the bread slices on a baking sheet and turn off the oven. Place the sheet in the oven and leave it overnight until the bread is dried.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and 1/4 cup sugar until all yolks are broken, and then add the milk and cream. Put the dried bread pieces on top of the egg mixture. Wait a few minutes, and then push the rest of the bread into the mixture and mix lightly. Place a small or medium casserole dish on a baking sheet that is lined with foil. Brush the dish with some of the melted butter.
• Put half of the bread mixture in the dish to make a layer that covers the bottom. With a slotted spoon, arrange the berries evenly over the bread layer. Sprinkle the berries with sugar. Using your hands, pull out the remaining bread and create a second layer, arranging it evenly and patting down any crusts. With a spatula, stir the remaining egg mixture and pour over the top bread layer. Using a flat pastry brush, lightly brush the rest of the melted butter over the top. Bake the French toast until it rises up about 1-inch on the sides, about 1 hour. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into servings and serve immediately with sausage patties and fresh fruit.

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH SAUTEED BANANAS AND PHYLLO TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Top with a layer of phyllo and brush the sheet with the melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Scatter a layer of sugar across the butter coated pastry. Repeat with 2 more layers of pastry, then top with a final sheet of dough then cut pastry into long triangles, working from side to side of the cookie sheet, using a sharp paring knife or pizza wheel. Cover the pastry with another sheet of parchment paper and another cookie sheet. Place pastry in the hot oven and bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove pastry from oven to cool.
• Begin other recipes in your menu while pastry bakes.
• When you are ready to serve dessert, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bananas and saute 3 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar to coat bananas. When sugar melts around fruit, add rum and flame it. Pour rum from shot glass, not from the bottle, to prevent flame ups. When flame goes out and alcohol has evaporated, spoon warm bananas into cocktail glasses. Top with small scoops of French vanilla ice cream and garnish with phyllo triangles. Serve extra triangles on a pretty plate for sweet snacking.

ORANGE SHERBET CUPS WITH BLACKBERRIES

Steps:

• Cut 2 oranges in half; scoop out the flesh (reserve for another use). Fill the orange cups with scoops of orange sherbet and top with blackberries. Freeze until set.

CASSIS-SPLASHED MELON WITH FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM & BLACKB

Steps:

• Cut off a sliver of each melon wedge bottom, so that they will sit nicely on a plate.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of cassis liqueur or syrup across each melon wedge.
• Scoop 1 ball of ice cream onto each wedge of melon.
• Garnish each with blackberries and serve.
• Simple as that!