Vanilla Roasted Black Plums With Toasted Lemon Cake And Ginger Ice Cream Recipes

BALSAMIC GLAZED GRILLED PLUMS WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Drizzle fruit with oil to keep it from sticking and grill plums 3 minutes on each side.
• While fruit is grilling, pour balsamic vinegar into a small pot and place pot over medium high heat. When vinegar heats to a boil, reduce vinegar by half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Combine sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in warm balsamic vinegar.
• Place hot, grilled fruit on dessert plates. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over fruit and serve.

LEMON-VANILLA CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the parchment. Beat the egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks with the vegetable oil, milk and vanilla seeds in a separate large bowl until smooth. Sift the remaining 1 cup confectioners? sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; whisk into the yolk mixture until smooth. Stir about one-third of the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula, then fold in the remaining whites in two batches. Spread the batter in the prepared pan; bake until the cake springs back when gently pressed, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Immediately sift confectioners' sugar generously over the top of the warm cake and loosen the edges with a knife; lay a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) over the cake. Place another baking sheet over the towel and flip the cake with the baking sheets to invert it onto the towel. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Starting at a short end, roll up the cake and the towel together into a spiral. Transfer seam-side down to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, vanilla seeds and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until cooled and stiff peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Beat in the butter, 1 piece at a time, until combined (the mixture may look curdled). Add the lemon zest and juice. Switch to the paddle attachment and continue to beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Gently unroll the cake. Spread 2 cups of the frosting over the cake about 1/4 inch from the edges, then top with a layer of the lemon curd; swirl together. Reroll the cake (without the towel). Trim the ends with a serrated knife. Transfer to a platter and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

LEMON GINGER CAKE WITH LEMON-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 °F. Butter two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper; butter paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla (mixture may look curdled). Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each, beginning with dry ingredients.
• Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer pans to racks. Cool 10 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. Peel off waxed paper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For Frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top. Place remaining cake layer atop. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake in decorative swirls. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining 1 teaspoon lemon peel. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)