Holding onto Summer in Late August

Happy Tuesday everyone! Sadly it's nearing the end of summer but that doesn't mean delicious summer produce has wilted and turned brown. Instead we are in PEAK season for a few of our faves - so rather than countdown until fall starts, let's crank the AC and turn up the oven; it's time to celebrate.

Sweet corn...
Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Blackberry Verbena Sauce
Melissa Clark

Ingredients

• 4 ears fresh corn, shucked
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 225 grams granulated sugar (about 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• 6 large egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 sprigs lemon verbena or 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 ½ cups blackberries (about 6 ounces)

Directions

1. Using a large knife, slice the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large saucepan. Break cobs in half and add to pot along with milk, cream and 110 grams (1/2 cup) sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, then remove from heat. Let stand to infuse for 1 hour, then discard corn cobs.
2. Using an immersion or regular blender, purée kernel mixture. Return mixture to a simmer, then turn off heat. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/8 teaspoon salt and another 55 grams ( 1/4 cup) of sugar. Add a cup of hot cream mixture to yolks, stirring constantly so they don’t curdle. Add yolk mixture to saucepan, stirring. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the spoon, about 10 minutes.
3. Pass custard through a fine sieve, pressing down hard on the solids. Discard solids. Whisk in sour cream until smooth. Let custard cool in an ice bath, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 60 grams sugar (5 tablespoons), lemon verbena (or zest) and 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts and syrup thickens slightly, about 7 minutes. Add blackberries and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer, until fruit just softens, but doesn’t fall apart. Let cool, then discard verbena.
5. Freeze corn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve with blackberries and syrup on top.

Melons...

Cantaloupe, Honeydew, and Almond Bombe

Gourmet June 2003

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 3 cups cubed (1/2 inch) ripe cantaloupe
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups cubed (1/2 inch) ripe honeydew melon
• Vegetable oil for brushing mold
• 1 pint super premium vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups slivered almonds (7 ounces), toasted
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

• Special equipment: an ice cream maker; a 7- to 8-cup decorative metal mold in the shape of a half-melon or a 2-quart metal bowl

Directions

Make sorbets:

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool syrup.
2. Purée cantaloupe with 2 tablespoons lime juice in a blender, then transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 cup sugar syrup. Purée honeydew with remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice in cleaned blender, then transfer to another bowl and stir in remaining cup sugar syrup. Chill both mixtures, covered, until cold, about 2 hours.
3. Freeze sorbets separately in ice cream maker. Transfer to airtight containers and freeze until firm but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.

Assemble bombe:

1. Lightly brush mold with vegetable oil and freeze mold 30 minutes. While mold chills, put vanilla ice cream in refrigerator 20 minutes to soften.
2. Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground (do not grind to a paste).
3. Stir together almonds, ice cream, and almond extract until blended. Spread evenly onto bottom and up sides of chilled mold. (If ice cream begins to melt, freeze 10 minutes.) Freeze ice cream until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread honeydew sorbet in an even layer over ice cream and freeze until sorbet is firm, about 20 minutes. Fill center with cantaloupe sorbet, pressing in firmly, and smooth top. Cover mold with plastic wrap and freeze until hardened, at least 8 hours.
4. To serve, unwrap mold and invert bombe onto a chilled serving platter. Wet a kitchen towel with hot water, quickly wring it dry, and drape over pan 30 seconds. Lift off pan, then peel off plastic wrap and put bombe in refrigerator 10 minutes to soften.

Notes:

• Sorbets can be made 2 days ahead of assembling bombe. Soften in refrigerator before using.
• Assembled bombe can be frozen up to 3 days.

Peaches...

Skillet Peach Cobbler

Valerie Gordon

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 pounds peeled, pitted peaches, each cut into 1/2" wedges (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup Lord Grey's Peach Preserves
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, 1/2 cup crème fraîche, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Melt butter in a 12" castiron skillet over medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with butter. Remove from heat.
2. Add batter to pan. Scatter fresh peaches over, then spoon dollops of preserves evenly over batter. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cobbler comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, whip cream in a medium bowl to form soft peaks. Fold in sugar and remaining 1 cup crème fraîche. Cut cobbler into wedges and serve with whipped cream mixture.

Happy baking!