Cashew brown butter ice-cream and blue corn cakes


(Cashew brown butter ice-cream)

I’ve had the house all to myself now for almost three weeks. The silence is deafening. And surprisingly calming. Despite initial misgivings about taking a holiday during this period of solitude, I’m finally enjoying waking up every morning to a completely open ended day. The lack of obligation to be somewhere, do stuff, is refreshing.

Cooking for a single person however, has made me a creature of habit. After purchasing a substantial amount of kale at the markets over the weekend, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy eating it every day. Simply sauteed with some young garlic, chilli and a few salty anchovies, served with brown rice or pearl barley, it has become the main meal I can’t seem to get tired of.

Dessert this week has regularly featured some form of ice-cream. For lovers of nutty, aromatic brown butter, this flavour is never better celebrated than in the form of ice cream. Use the leftover egg whites to make little brown butter friands like the blue corn cakes below.


(Blue corn cakes)

Cashew brown butter ice-cream :
(based on a recipe from Dam Good Sweet by David Guas & Raquel Pelzel)

120g (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1 cup roughly chopped cashews, toasted
360g (1 1/2 cups) milk
360g (1 1/2 cups) cream
100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
8 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
splash of brandy (optional)

Brown the butter in a pan, then pour it into a bowl and let it cool. Don’t worry if a few specks remain in the browned butter. It will be strained off later.

Bring the milk, cream, and sugar to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set the pot aside. Start whisking the egg yolks in an electric mixer on high speed. Slowly pour in the browned butter, then turn the mixer down to low and gradually incorporate the hot milk mixture. Strain, stir in the salt and brandy and chill the mixture, preferably overnight.

Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine according to your ice-cream maker’s instructions. Just before the cycle is complete, add the chopped cashews and allow it to be mixed well into the ice cream.

11 Comments »

  1. Rosa said,

    November 10, 2011 @ 5:13 pm

    A delightful dessert! That ice cream must taste so good.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  2. chriesi said,

    November 10, 2011 @ 8:24 pm

    What a gorgeous ice cream idea!!!

  3. Hannah said,

    November 10, 2011 @ 9:35 pm

    But the friands! The friands! 😛 And for some reason, I’m now imaging kale friands. Odd.

  4. leaf (the indolent cook) said,

    November 10, 2011 @ 10:24 pm

    I love brown butter. That looks dreamy… seriously dreamy.

  5. Hannah said,

    November 11, 2011 @ 10:15 am

    I think you and I must be sharing brainwaves or something… I just made a batch of malted cashew ice cream over here! I’m jealous though, because I’m much more fond of your photos.

  6. Y said,

    November 11, 2011 @ 10:23 am

    Hannah, malted cashew ice cream sounds amazing! Post soon please!

  7. Amanda said,

    November 11, 2011 @ 7:13 pm

    I’m really intrigued by those blue corn cakes. Would it be possible to see the recipe for those, pretty please?

  8. Xiaolu/6Bittersweets said,

    November 12, 2011 @ 12:24 pm

    Delicious! I’d love to taste the blue corn cakes.

  9. InTolerantChef said,

    November 12, 2011 @ 6:08 pm

    I have a soft spot for icecream, and this sure sounds delicious! I also just happen to have a bag of blue corn meal in my pantry too, we use it for making tortillas, but I’d love to try it with your recipe for friands too 🙂

  10. grace said,

    November 14, 2011 @ 7:58 pm

    what a terrifically unique flavor for ice cream, y! the corn cakes are nifty, too–nice work. 🙂

  11. Julie said,

    November 16, 2011 @ 2:52 am

    That ice cream looks and sounds awesome! I love cashews. I’m also intrigued by how you combine the eggs and dairy. I always get too cocky when I’m cooking my custard on the stove and overcook some of the egg, scrambling it. I never thought to “cook” the eggs in the mixer by just adding the hot dairy to it. I can’t wait to try this out!

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