Apricot Pistachio Ice Cream Recipes

DRIED APRICOT-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, warm the apricot pieces in the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Coarsely chop the pistachio nuts.
• Purée the apricots with the wine in a blender with the sugar, half-and-half, and lemon juice until smooth.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the chopped pistachio nuts.
• Perfect Pairing
• You can make Apricot-Pistachio Crêpes (pictured) by warming Crêpes (page 233) and serving them, folded, on plates, topped with scoops of Dried Apricot-Pistachio Ice Cream, a drizzling of acacia honey, and a scattering of chopped pistachios.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APRICOT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Wash and pit the apricots, chop them coarsely and simmer in three tablespoons of water until tender. Puree in a food processor and set aside.
• Beat together the eggs, yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is pale and lemon colored. (This can easily be done in a food processor.)
• Meanwhile, heat the cream and milk with the vanilla and coriander seeds. Remove from heat just before mixture reaches the boiling point.
• Pour mixture in a thin stream into the eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour into a double boiler and put over very hot water on a medium flame. (You can also use a thick saucepan placed on an iron trivet over a low flame.) Cook until thickened to the consistency of custard.
• Remove from heat and cool, whisking occasionally. Remove coriander bag. Strain mixture into a bowl and add the apricot puree. Chill thoroughly, then place the mixture in an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Quarter the apricots, then warm them with the wine in a small saucepan.
• Simmer five minutes, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand for one hour.
• Coarsely chop the pistachios.
• Puree the apricots, wine, sugar, half and half, and lemon juice in a blender.
• Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator -- this will take at least 3 hours -- then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Add the psitachio nuts in the last five minutes of churning.