FRESH CORN ICE CREAM WITH ALMOND LACE COOKIE FAN
This may sound a little strange but it’s quite delicious. The recipe requires tender fresh sweet
corn. Frozen or canned just don’t make it. To extract even more flavor, run the point of the
knife down the center of each row of kernels to release the milk and then scrape the cobs well to
extract every bit of the sweet corn milk. I’ve included an optional addition of fresh chile with
this recipe. Also try the ice cream with a little toasted curry powder or ground ginger in place of
the chile.
Yields 1 quart
3 cups fresh sweet corn scraped from cob, cobs reserved and broken into 3-inch lengths
4 cups half and half
1 three-inch vanilla bean
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fragrant honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely minced seeded serrano chile (optional)
Garnish: Mint sprigs and Almond Lace Cookie Fan (recipe follows).
Combine corn and 1 cup half and half in a blender or food processor and process in short bursts
to finely chop corn. Add corn mixture to a saucepan along with remaining cream, corncobs and
vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat.
While corn mixture is heating, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, honey, zest and chile in a bowl
until well combined. Remove and discard cobs from corn-cream mixture and strain, pressing
down on solids. Whisk into egg yolk mixture in a slow steady stream. Remove vanilla bean,
split it and scrape seeds into mixture. (Rinse vanilla bean and use to flavor sugar if desired!).
Return mixture to pan and cook custard over low heat, stirring constantly, until it just begins to
thicken (approximately 180 degrees). Be careful not to boil or eggs will curdle. Strain through a
fine mesh sieve, chill and then freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s
directions.
Serve in chilled bowls with mint sprigs and Almond Lace Cookies, if desired.
Almond Lace Cookies
Makes 16-20 cookies
Butter and flour for the baking sheets
3/4 cup ground almonds (do this in a food processor)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour at least 2 baking sheets. Place sheets
in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
In a large sauté pan, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir over low heat with a wooden spoon
until the butter melts and the ingredients are well mixed. Remove from the heat.
Place heaping teaspoons of the batter, about 5 inches apart on the prepared chilled sheets (the
batter will spread during baking). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until evenly browned. Turn sheets
half way through baking. Remove from the oven. Using a wide spatula, remove the cookies
from the baking sheet and immediately shape as desired, into tightly rolled cigarettes, or allow to
cool and serve flat.
Store in airtight containers for 2 days or in freezer for up to a month.
FRESH BLACKBERRY ICE CREAM WITH PEACHES AND WALNUT
SHORTBREADS
Serves 8 – 10
2 cups
each
light and heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
4 cups ripe wild blackberries, pureed and strained of seeds
Fresh ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
Walnut Shortbreads (recipe follows)
Garnish: Tiny blue or purple flowers such as Johnny Jump-Up or Batchelor Button petals.
In a sauce pan heat creams together just to the simmer. Set aside.
In a bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar and zest together until lightly colored. Slowly beat in hot cream
mixture being careful not to scramble the eggs. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over
moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (be careful not to scramble). Off
heat, stir in blackberry puree and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
To serve: Arrange sliced peaches attractively on plates. Scoop blackberry ice cream on top and
place one or two Walnut Shortbreads on top at an angle. Scatter flower petals around and serve
immediately.
LEMON-VERBENA ICE CREAM
The distinctly lemon taste and aroma of lemon verbena is really interesting. Try this same ice
cream substituting other lemon scented herbs, such as lemon thyme, lemon basil, or lemon
scented geraniums.
1-1/2 cup
each
milk and heavy cream
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, loosely packed fresh lemon verbena leaves
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup honey
Garnish: Finely chopped lemon verbena leaves
In a saucepan bring milk, cream and lemon verbena leaves to a simmer. Off heat and cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and honey together until light. Whisk in milk mixture and
return to saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly until it begins to
thicken (180 degrees). Immediately strain and cool. Pour mixture into ice cream freezer and
freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Freeze until firm. Allow to soften for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with finely
chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves.
Side Bar
LEMON VERBENA
A shrub native to Chile and Argentina, lemon verbena was brought to Europe by the Spanish
explorers. It has a very distinctive and pungent lemon flavor and aroma. It is used in a variety
of ways most often as a tea which is said to aid digestion. Its a good substitute for lemon grass
in Southeast Asian dishes. Its very easy to grow and quite attractive. Its very sensitive to frost
so most gardeners grow it in containers.
Walnut Shortbreads
Makes 16 shortbreads
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 lb. sweet butter (1 cube) cut into 8 slices
1-1/4 cups shelled walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Place flour, sugar and butter in food processor and pulse 8 or 10 times until mixture resembles
coarse meal. Be careful not to over mix.
Add nuts and zest and pulse a few times to chop coarsely. Put the mixture into the bottom of a 9
inch springform pan and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Immediately
remove sides of springform and cut shortbread into 16 wedges.
PEACH-MINT GRANITA
Serves 4
This is a great summer time dessert which I love served with some lightly sweetened sliced
strawberries. Traditionally granitas are made by shaving or scraping a frozen block of flavored
ice. Freezing in cubes and then using the food processor makes it a whole lot easier!
1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup fruity white wine, such as Riesling or Gewurztraminer
1 lb. ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
Place sugar, lemon juice and wine in a blender or food processor and whirl until sugar is
dissolved, about 1 minute. Add peaches and mint and puree till smooth.
Pour mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. To serve: Place cubes in a single layer in
a food processor and pulse several times to create uniform ice particles. Repeat as necessary
with remaining cubes and serve immediately in frozen stemmed glasses.
GINGER, FIG AND CRANBERRY SEMIFREDDO WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE
Yields one 8 cup terrine serving 8 – 10
This is a simple but lovely dessert which could be made in the terrine as suggested here or in
individual serving size molds as you desire.
“Semifreddo”
is Italian and translates to “half-
frozen”, which is what this dessert is — somewhere between ice cream and a pudding. If you are
concerned about using raw egg yolks, you could whisk the yolks and sugar with one half cup or
so of dry white wine in a double boiler over simmering water until light, fluffy and cooked
before folding in the whipped cream. It melts relatively quickly so plate just before you plan to
serve it, preferably on plates that you’ve put in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
2-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup minced candied ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped dried figs
1/3 cup dried chopped cranberries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
Blackberry Sauce (recipe follows)
Mint sprigs.
With an electric mixer beat cream until stiff peaks and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat egg
yolks until light in color. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating for 3 – 4 minutes until
light and fluffy. Gently fold the egg and cream mixture together along with rest of ingredients
through the zest.
Line a 7 -8 cup terrine with plastic wrap and fill with mixture. Cover top with plastic and freeze
for 6 hours or overnight.
To serve: Unmold, cut into slices, and surround with fresh blackberry sauce and mint sprigs.
Blackberry Sauce
5 cups fresh or IQF blackberries
3/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons blackberry brandy (optional)
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree. Push through a fine strainer to
remove all seeds. Store refrigerated up to 5 days.
John Ash (c) 2026
