Last week I missed getting the last peaches available at Whittle’s. This made me sad because, even though it is late September, I guess I am not ready for fall.
In any case, I did find delicious peaches at Big Y and made two crisps (like cobblers but made with nuts, oat, butter, flour and sugar). Of course, I gave the desserts away because, once I have a portion at home, the rest of it disappears … into my tummy.
Instead of making a dessert for myself, I ate two Lindy’s ices, which I keep in my kitchen freezer. The ones I have now are orange and taste like a popsicle, At 110 calories, they keep my cravings at bay.
But I realized I can make my own ices, sorbet and ice cream and used to do so. My late husband loved to have an ice cream sundae after dinner—any flavor, chocolate syrup, whipped cream and a shower of salted peanuts.
I am not likely to make ice cream too often, but if you want to make ice cream, I have included a wicked recipe from Al Forno, too.
I will, however, make sorbet and ices soon. I just ordered an inexpensive ice cream maker from Amazon and it may be here this week. Both these recipes are splendid.
Berry Sorbet
(From Jack Bishop: Secrets of Creamy Fruit Sorbets, “Cook’s Illustrated,” August, 1995, pp. 24-25)
If you do not want to add the vodka, the sorbet will be a bit icy, like a granita,
2 cups fruit puree or juice
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (for blueberry sorbet, use two tablespoons of lemon juice)
1 tablespoon vodka
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Stir on and off for several minutes until sugar has dissolved. If mixture is not cold, pour into small container, seal and refrigerate until mixture is no more than 40 degrees. Pour chilled mixture into container of ice cream machine (following manufacturer’s directions) and churn until frozen. Scoop frozen sorbet into a container, seal, and freeze for at least several hours. (Sorbet can be kept frozen for up to three days.)
Buttermilk Sorbet
(From Martha Stewart Living, February 2000, page 193)
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts
This is one of the most luscious sorbets I have ever tasted.
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Combine sugar in a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves completely, about 10 minutes. Increase heat, and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine sugar syrup with buttermilk and vanilla. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions to freeze. When freezing is complete, transfer sorbet to an airtight container and place in freezer for at least 1 hour. Sorbet will keep, frozen, for up to 2 weeks.
Al Forno’s Cinnamon Ice Cream
from Cucina Simpatica by George Germon and Johanne Killeen (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1991)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
8 espresso or French-roast coffee beans
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Scald over medium-high heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Set aside, uncovered, for 1 hour to steep.
Strain, chill, and freeze in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
About the author: Lee White has been writing about restaurants and cooking since 1976 and has been extensively published in the Worcester (Mass.) Magazine, The Day, Norwich Bulletin, and Hartford Courant. She currently writes Nibbles and a cooking column called A La Carte for LymeLine.com and the Shore Publishing and the Times newspapers, both of which are owned by The Day.