White Chocolate Ginger Ice Cream, Buttermilk Poundcake with Strawberry Ruhbarb Compote

This is a long over due post. I wanted to try and create a multi-component dessert. And well I’ve not learned how to plate so well just yet so I took refuge with a mason jar. Luckily this dessert was a huge hit and all the ice cream was served out in 10 minutes. Success. Big Success.

White Chocolate Ginger Ice Cream

I worked off of David Lebowtiz’ recipe with a few changes. I didn’t realize that its only 1 qt so you might double this.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces chopped candied ginge
• 100 grams sugar
• 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
• 1 cup plus 1 cup heavy cream (500 ml, total)
• 8 ounces (230 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
• 5 large egg yolks

Instructions

1. Add the ginger, the sugar, the buttermilk and 1 cup of heavy cream to the saucepan and warm the mixture.
2. Cover and steep for at least an hour, or until there is a strong ginger flavor.
3. Put the chopped white chocolate in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then add some of the warm ginger-infused cream mixture, whisking constantly.
5. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
6. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula until the mixture coats the spatula.
7. Strain the custard into the white chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
8. Discard the ginger.
9. Add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and chill completely. 
10. Once completely chilled, place in ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

To serve place some of the pound cake, ice cream and top with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.

BonBons for Bonnie

One of my closest friends had her first child a year ago. She’s the first of our friends group to have a baby. I can’t even imagine how hard that would be. When she was about 4/5 months she told me the name she chose, Bonnie. I rubbed her belly and told BonBon how excited I am to meet her. Well now that its a year later, I decided I wanted to make the beautiful Bonnie some BonBons for her first birthday.

Well, it seemed easy. Right. Easy. I made the vanilla ice cream in an ice cream maker. Okay yes, that was pretty easy. But then I went to make the BonBons. I melted the chocolate, and every time I went to dip the Ice cream scoops, I’d make it to two and have to re-temper the chocolate. But the cream in the chocolate made it near impossible so I had to start over. 6 Bonbons in and I decided that was enough. Good thing we broke them out at the end of the party, with just 6 people left in the room!

I wish they came out better, but I’ll definitely try again… And it seemed Bonnie preferred pizza anyway!

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 eggs
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whisks eggs and place in a heavy saucepan.
2. Add in sugar, salt, whipping cream and half-and-half.
3.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon and reaches as close to 180 degrees F as possible.
4. Remove from the heat; cool quickly by setting pan in ice and stirring the mixture.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze immediately.
6. When ready to make ice cream, pour custard and vanilla into the cylinder of an ice cream freezer.
7. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

BonBons

Ingredients

• 6 ounces of chocolate
• Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet
2. Scoop ice cream in to small round balls (I did them too big…)
3. Put them into the freezer so they set
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler
5. Remove from heat
6. Take sheet of ice cream scoops out of the fridge
7. Quickly use two forks to dip and full coat in chocolate
8. Return to fridge before it starts to melt

I had to re-temper the chocolate every two scoops or so but perhaps a heating pad or something would keep it warm.