Vanilla Bean Custard With Sour Cherry Sauce Recipes

VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD WITH SOUR CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Heat milk to a low simmer in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and Kirschwasser.
• Pour custard mixture into 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking pan, and fill baking pan with water almost to ramekins' rims. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until custards are set but still quivery when shaken. Let cool, then shake on chocolate sprinkles. Garnish also with mint leaves and fresh cherries if desired.
• For a pretty presentation, ladle Sour Cherry Sauce onto 6 dessert plates, dividing evenly. Place a ramekin in center of each. Place whipped cream in a zippered plastic bag, and snip a corner to make a piping bag. Pipe dots around each plate, and drag a toothpick through dots, making them into hearts.
• For Sour Cherry Sauce: Place sour cherries, sugar and cinnamon in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher before dividing among plates.

CHERRY-VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM WITH CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Combine cherries and sugar in heavy large saucepan; toss to coat. Let stand until juices form, about 2 hours. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in brandy. Transfer 1 cup cherry mixture to small bowl; reserve for use in ice cream. Mix preserves into remaining cherry mixture in saucepan; reserve for sauce. Chill both cherry mixtures separately at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Make ice cream:
• Pour half and half into heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; steep 30 minutes. Whisk sugar and yolks in medium bowl to blend well. Bring half and half to simmer. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Mix in whipping cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
• Using ice cream maker, process custard until almost firm, following manufacturer's instructions; add reserved 1 cup cherry mixture. Process until ice cream firms, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to container; cover and freeze. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Scoop ice cream into bowls. Top with reserved sauce and serve.

SOUR CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour syrup into a 1-quart heavy saucepan, setting aside cherries.
• Whisk sugar, wine, and cornstarch into cherry syrup until smooth, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, then stir in almond extract and cherries and cool.
• Sauce can be made 4 days ahead and chilled, covered.