Pine Nut Honey Gelato Recipes

PINE NUT HONEY ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in oven until lightly toasted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Take care not to burn the nuts.
• Combine the hot nuts, honey, and sugar in a food processor and process for 2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs and process until well blended, about 30 seconds.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy sauce pan. With food processor running, slowly pour the hot milk into the nut mixture through the feed tube. Process 30 seconds or until the nut custard is smooth. Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from heat. Pour the hot nut custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow the custard to cool slightly, then stir in the cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.
• Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in one or two batches in your icecream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer icecream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

RICOTTA ICE CREAM WITH CANDIED FRUIT AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Warm the half-and-half or cream with the sugar and salt in a small saucepan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.
• Make an ice bath by nesting a metal or glass bowl in a larger bowl that's partially filled with ice and some water. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
• When the half-and-half mixture is very warm, gradually add it to the yolks, stirring constantly with a whisk as you pour (to avoid scrambling the eggs). Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, just until the custard thickens and coats the spatula. (Do not boil.)
• Immediately strain the custard into the bowl in the ice bath and stir until cool.
• Pour the custard into a blender and add the honey, ricotta, and grappa or kirsch (if using). Puree in the blender until the mixture is very smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into a container, cover, and chill thoroughly.
• Add the lemon juice, then churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When done, stir in the candied citrus and nuts, and transfer to a container. Cover, and store in the freezer until ready to serve.

HONEY SHORTCAKES WITH HONEY-PINE NUT GELATO RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast them until golden brown and fragrant, about 8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool slightly, then puree in a blender or food processor until the mixture resembles very chunky peanut butter. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a medium bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the egg yolks and honey together until pale yellow and satiny, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, mix the milk and cream together over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until hot (be careful not to boil). Slowly pour one-half cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in an additional one-half cup of the milk mixture to fully temper the yolks. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into a medium bowl set over an ice bath, then stir in the pine nut butter. Allow the mixture to chill completely, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Strain through a mesh strainer, pushing down on the solids (you will still have about one-fourth cup of pine nut puree left in the strainer). Discard the solids.
• Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread the gelato evenly into a container with a lid; cover the surface with plastic wrap and then cover with the lid. Freeze it until completely set, at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. (Makes 1 quart.)
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a medium bowl using a hand-held mixer, whip the cream and 1 tablespoon of the sugar to medium peaks.
• In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Switch to the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer and slowly add the dry ingredients to the cream until just combined (do not overwork or the dough will be tough). This also can be done by hand: Use a spatula to fold the sifted dry ingredients, little by little, into the whipped cream until just combined.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a log about 12 inches long. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the log into eight equal pieces. Shape each shortcake into a round 2 inches tall and 2 inches in diameter, and place onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the honey over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until warm. Brush the tops of each of the shortcakes with the warm honey, and lightly sprinkle with one-fourth teaspoon of the sugar. Bake for 16 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through baking, until the shortcakes are set and a rich golden on top. Remove and allow to cool 2 minutes, then brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons honey. Set aside.
• Quarter the strawberries lengthwise and place in a medium bowl (if they are large, cut each quarter in half crosswise; the pieces should be no larger than one-half inch). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet they are. Toss to mix well and set aside for at least 1 hour to let the berries soften and release their juices.
• In a stand mixer or in a medium bowl with a whisk or hand mixer, whip the creme fraiche with the remaining tablespoon sugar until light and fluffy.
• To serve, slice the shortcakes horizontally in half, and place each bottom half on a plate. Divide the strawberries evenly over the shortcakes, then spoon the creme fraiche evenly over the strawberries. Place the top half of each shortcake on top, cocked to one side to reveal the filling. Place a scoop of honey pine nut gelato alongside each shortcake, and serve immediately.

HONEY AND PINE NUT TART

Steps:

• Make the pasta frolla: Whisk cream, egg, yolk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a food processor to mix. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add cream mixture, and process until dough just comes together. Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate 1 disk until firm, about 1 hour; reserve remaining disk for another use. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw before using.)
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. (If dough is soft and sticky, transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until firm but pliable, about 5 minutes.) Cut out a 12-inch round, and fit it into a fluted 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (Patch any tears with scraps of dough.) Freeze while making the filling (or cover and freeze for up to 3 days).
• Make the filling: Bring sugar, honeys, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking until sugar dissolves. Add butter, and whisk until incorporated. Transfer honey mixture to a medium bowl, and let cool for 30 minutes. Whisk in cream, egg, and yolk until incorporated.
• Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter pine nuts over bottom. Slowly pour filling over pine nuts, redistributing pine nuts evenly with your fingers. Bake until crust is golden brown and center is set but still slightly wobbly, about 1 hour. Transfer tart to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove from pan, and serve immediately.