Bourbon Gelato Recipes

MAPLE BOURBON PECAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the maple syrup, half and half and fine salt. Heat over a medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges. (If the mixture begins to look curdled, take it off the heat and don't worry; it will smooth out in the next step. It's just the acidity of the maple syrup having its way with the milk solids.)
• Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and place the bowl on a damp kitchen towel to anchor it. Place the cold, heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl and set a mesh sieve over the bowl.
• Slowly dribble the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pot, place over a low flame, and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-proof silicone spatula, until the mixture begins to "stick" or form a film on the bottom of the pan, or reaches 170º. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and pour the mixture through the strainer and into the cold cream. Stir to combine, then cover and chill until very cold, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough water to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Add the sugar to the center of the pot, moisten it evenly with the water, and wash any crystals that get on the sides of the pan down into the water. Add the corn syrup and cover the pot with a lid. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil until the sugar has dissolved.
• Have the butter, salt and nuts measured and at the ready, and have a sheet of parchment paper or a baking sheet ready on which to dump the candied nuts.
• Remove the lid from the pot, and, without stirring, boil the syrup until it reaches an amber caramel. (If the mixture begins to crystallize, you can save it by adding more water and beginning the caramelization process again.) Remove the pot from the heat and immediately swirl in the butter and salt, then add the nuts and stir quickly to coat with a heat-proof silicone spatula.
• Dump and scrape the nuts out onto the parchment, and quickly separate the pieces with the spatula as much as possible. You can use your fingers when the mixture cools a little more, stretching it into fun shapes. Let the nuts cool, break or chop up any large clumps, then freeze the nuts while you...
• Stir the bourbon and vanilla into the chilled ice cream base. Place the ice cream base in the freezer for half an hour to get it really cold, stirring it every 10 minutes to prevent ice crystals from forming.
• Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is the consistency of a thick milkshake, stir in the candied pecan pieces. Scrape the ice cream into a container, and freeze until scoopable, at least 4 hours.
• The ice cream is best within a week of churning, but will keep for several months. Store with a piece of parchment paper pressed to the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming.

BOURBON GELATO

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water and set a smaller bowl inside. Set a fine-mesh strainer in the smaller bowl. Whisk the cornstarch and 1 cup of the milk together in a medium bowl until the cornstarch dissolves. Combine the sugar, milk powder, corn syrup, salt, and the remaining 3 cups of milk in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over high heat. Whisk to break up and dissolve the milk powder and heat the milk until it just begins to bubble. Turn off the heat and gradually add the milk and cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Return the heat to high and bring the milk back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly with the whisk, until the gelato base thickens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. It will get viscous but will not thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Pour the gelato base through the strainer into the bowl set over the ice water and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer the base to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least several hours and up to three days.
• Remove the base from the refrigerator, pour it into a large bowl, and stir in the cream and bourbon. Pour the base into the bowl of an ice cream or gelato maker and spin it according to the machine instructions. Serve the gelato straight from the maker or transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until you're ready to serve it. Serve the gelato within a few hours of spinning it, before it hardens.

PUMPKIN AND DATE TART WITH BOURBON GELATO

Steps:

• To make the crust, whisk the egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on low speed until the butter and dry ingredients form a fine cornmeal consistency, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and cream, and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Dust a flat work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it comes together into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour and up to three days; or freeze it for up to two months. (Defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator.)
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, butter the inside of an 11-inch flan ring, and place the ring on the baking sheet. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Dust a flat work surface with flour, cut the dough into chunks, and knead the dough on the countertop to soften it, until it is the texture of Play-Doh. Dust your work surface again with flour and dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to 2 inches larger than the ring and to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Gently fold the dough in quarters and place it on top of the flan ring, placing the point in the center and gently unfolding the dough so the ends are flopped over the ring. Gently push the dough down to fit inside the ring, pressing into the crease around the inside circumference so the dough fits snugly against the corners and sides. (Don't stretch the dough to fit or it will shrink during baking.) Dip the knuckle of your index finger in flour and use it to further press the dough into the crease, creating a straight edge, not sloping sides. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the flan ring to cut the dough. Pull off the trimmed dough and reserve it to patch any cracks in the crust after it is baked. Place the tart shell in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.
• To make the filling, fill a large bowl with ice water and set a smaller bowl inside. Set a fine-mesh strainer in the smaller bowl. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until they're smooth. Combine the cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over high heat. When the cream just begins to boil, turn off the heat. Ladle 1 cup of the cream out of the pot and gradually add it to the bowl with the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent the cream from cooking the eggs. Gradually add the contents of the bowl to the saucepan with the remaining cream, stirring with the whisk. Cook the filling over medium heat, stirring constantly with the whisk, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, making sure it doesn't boil, or the eggs will curdle. Pour the filling through the strainer into the bowl set in the ice. Stir in the pumpkin purée and set aside to cool to room temperature. If a layer of foam has formed on the top of the filling, skim it off and discard. You can prepare the filling up to three days in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to bake the tart.
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Remove the prepared tart shell from the refrigerator. Lightly grease one side of a sheet of parchment paper and place it buttered side down on the tart shell. Pour pie weights or uncooked rice or beans into the shell, pressing them into the corners of the shell to prevent the corners from rising when the shell is baked. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake it until light golden, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time so the tart browns evenly. Remove it from the oven and use a large spoon to carefully remove the weights. Peel off and discard the parchment paper and return the tart shell to the oven to bake until it is a rich golden brown and uniform in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven and set it aside to cool to room temperature. (Leave the oven on.) Check for cracks in the shell where the filling could leak out and smear a small amount of raw dough into the cracks so the crust is sealed. Add the scraps to the remaining disk of dough.
• Submerge the dates in a bowl of hot tap water to loosen the skins. Remove the dates from the water and peel off and discard the skins. Remove the pits, reshape the dates, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Lay the dates on the tart shell about 1 inch from the edge of the tart pan, spacing them evenly so each slice of the tart will contain a whole date. Pour the filling into the prepared shell to fill it flush to the top. (You may not use all of the filling.) Place the baking sheet in the oven, taking care not to let the filling spill over the sides, and bake the tart at 300°F for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet during baking time so the tart cooks evenly, until it is almost set. (The very center will jiggle a bit when you gently shake the tart.) Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Serve the tart warm or set it aside to cool to room temperature. (I like it best warm.)
• To serve, lift the flan ring off the tart and cut the tart into eight or ten wedges, as many as the number of dates you used. Use a spatula to carefully transfer each wedge to a dessert plate. Nestle a scoop of gelato next to the tart, drizzle the gelato with a few drops of bourbon, and place two walnut biscotti on the side, if you are serving them.
• Albana di Romagna Dolce (Emilia-Romagna)