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June 2005

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Desserts

Sweet & Savory Cheese Ice Creams

Add the Sugar or Hold the Sugar: Ice Cream Made with Wonderful Cheese

We cried because we had no Parmesan ice cream sandwiches...and then we met a man who had never tasted them at all.

If you love ice cream and you love cheese...can you help but fall in love with cheese-based ice creams? Yes, you serve them for dessert, as you would a cheese plate. You can completely hold the sugar and go savory, or you can have something resembling frozen cheesecake.

Savory cheese ice cream is not a cutting-edge culinary concept: you can find Formaggio Gelato or Formaggio di Parmigiano in older Italian cookbooks. It replaced the cheese course at the end of summer lunches; and was cut in slices and served as a starter with ham and hard-boiled eggs. You can update it to a first course in a parfait with prosciutto and melon; or go for a cheese course of parmesan, cheddar, and stilton gelati.

The basic Italian recipe is simple: grate one pound of Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano, combine with one quart of cream, a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir over a moderate flame until the mixture becomes creamy, then remove it, cool, strain, and process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze it in a container and stir at regular intervals.

It’s appropriate that we lead off with Parmesan ice cream, because an Italian invented ice cream (although the first flavor out of the gate was definitely not Parmesan). As with pasta, the original concept, sherbet, came from the Chinese. They introduced it to the Persians and Arabs, who in turn introduced it to the Italians. Chinese sherbet was prepared with fruit juices, honey and aromatics spices, and frozen in the snow. Pasta and sherbet arrived with the Arab invasions of Sicily in the fifth century. Italian granita was born, flavored with fresh citrus, a wide range of fruits, and coffee.

It took until the 1500’s in Florence, for architect and set designer Bernardo Buontalenti to invent gelato, enriched with cream and eggs. Its spread to the rest of Europe, starting with France, is attributed to another Italian, Catarina de’ Medici, who married the future King Henri II of France (only 14 when she married, no wonder she liked ice cream).

The recipes of some of our favorite cheese ice creams follow. If you’d like to share some of your own, click here to tell us about them.

• Ferran Adria’s Parmesan Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Quick Parmesan Balls
• Stilton Ice Cream
• Cream Cheese Ice Cream (sweet)
• Cheddar Ice Cream (sweet)
• Charlie Trotter’s Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Whole Roasted Fig
• Point Reyes Farmstead’s Quick Blue Cheese Ice Cream

Parmesan Ice Cream Sandwich

From the recipe by Ferrán Adria, Chef of El Bulli

Other people want cake and ice cream for their birthdays: we want Ferrán Adria’s Parmesan Ice Cream Sandwiches. While El Bulli is 10,000 miles away and impossible to get in to in any case, THE NIBBLE™’s wine editor, Kris Prasad, is a gifted chef with the patience and technique to make Adria’s complex recipes. Here is our annual birthday dish: heavenly Parmesan ice cream (savory, not sweet) with a touch of lemon marmalade, between two crunch parmesan tuiles.

To Make the Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 5 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 pound finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Place a fine strainer over a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add Parmesan. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes.
• Pour mixture into strainer and press any solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Pour mixture into a 9x12" baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until solid, about 6 hours.

To Make the Marmalade

Ingredients

• 5 lemons
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

• Using a sharp knife, cut all peel (including white pith) from lemons. Dice lemons into 1/2" cubes and transfer to a small saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, about 1 hour. While marmalade is simmering, prepare Parmesan cookies, below.
• Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

To Make the Tuiles

Ingredients

• 5 large egg whites
• 1/2 pound finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites and grated cheese.
• Spray two 10x15" nonstick baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Spread half of the mixture in center of each sheet. Top with a sheet of wax paper and use a rolling pin to press mixture evenly across each pan. Remove and discard wax paper.
• Bake mixture until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Remove pans from oven and trim dark edges. Cut remaining mixture in each pan in twelve 3" squares to make a total of 24. Using a spatula, turn the squares over and return pan to oven. Bake an additional 5 minutes; remove from oven.

To Assemble and Serve

• Remove the ice cream from the freezer and place on top of a warm, damp cloth for about 5 minutes.
• Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut ice cream into twelve 3" squares.
• Place a square of ice cream on a Parmesan cookie, top with a spoonful of marmalade and top with another Parmesan cookie.
• Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve. Makes 12 ice cream sandwiches.

NOTE: You can make the ice cream with cheddar instead of Parmesan and serve slices with apple pie or Tarte Tatin. There’s a recipe for a sweet cheddar ice cream below.

El Bulli: 1998-2002 by Ferran Adria and Juli Soler Ferran Adria is widely considered to be the most innovative, most influential, and indeed the greatest chef in the world today. El Bulli, the restaurant where he creates his masterpieces, has become a pilgrimage for food connoisseurs from around the world. In his first book in English, Adria has created a unique guide to cooking that shows how he has raised the profession to a new art form. It presents not only El Bulli's unparalleled recipes, but an analysis of their development, philosophy, and technique. Visually stunning, El Bulli 1998-2002 is presented as a boxed set that includes the main volume, a detailed Users Guide and an interactive CD that contains each recipe, numbered and catalogued by year. At $220.50. it may be the most expensive cookbook you’ll ever buy—but it’s worth it. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Quick Parmesan Ice Cream Balls

Here’s something much simpler to make for cold vegetable soups: it goes well with cold tomato-based soup. (You can make a simple blender soup of tomatoes, basil, and olive oil; or add bell peppers and cucumbers for red gazpacho.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup cream
• Freshly ground pepper
• Fresh herbs for garnish

Directions

• Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, and continue stir until the cheese is melted.
• Stir in a dash of fresh ground pepper and remove to a small bowl to cool. When cool, Parmesan into small freezer-proof bowl or plastic container to cool. When the cheese mixture has cooled a bit, cover the container and place it in the freezer. It will freeze in 1-2 hours.
• Using a melon baller or a teaspoon, scoop little balls of the frozen Parmesan ice cream. Place a ball of into each bowl of soup just before serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh herb.

Stilton Ice Cream

This is one of our favorite guest desserts, served with pears poached in Port and Bordeaux; but any stewed or poached fruit will work.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Stilton (for a stronger cheese taste, use Roquefort)
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions

• In a small food processor, blend together the Stilton and corn syrup until smooth. Set aside.
• Whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
• In a saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a boil. Slowly whisk some of the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper. Then pour the egg yolks into the cream mixture and continue to cook over a medium heat until the mixture has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon (like a custard). Remove from heat.
• Whisk the cheese mixture into the hot custard until smooth; then strain through fine sieve into a bowl. Chill until very cold and process in an ice cream maker.

You can easily poach any dried or fresh fruits with half and half ruby port and Bordeaux to cover, sugar to taste, and any assortment of cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel. Simmer until the fruit is slightly soft. It tastes best when made a two days in advance and the fruit has time to marinate in the wine mixture.

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

This rich “frozen cheesecake” ice cream can be served by itself, with fruit cake or pound cake, or in ice cream sandwich form. Serve between graham crackers, oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies for a dynamite ice cream sandwich.

Ingredients

• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 cups light cream

Directions

• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth.
• Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
• Stir in the cream.
• Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Makes about 3 quarts.

Cheddar Ice Cream

A recipe from Gael Gand, pastry chef and partner at Tru restaurant in Chicago, and cheesemaker Joe Widmer. Recipe provided courtesy of the American Dairy Association.

Ingredients

• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups milk
• Fresh white ground pepper
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 9 large egg yolks
• 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 16 ounces grated Wisconsin Aged Cheddar Cheese

Directions

• Heat the half-and-half, milk, vanilla bean, and white ground pepper in a saucepan over medium heat to boil. Stir occasionally to make be sure the mixture doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Turn off the heat and let cool 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. In a thin stream, whisk half of the half-and-half mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the remaining half in and whisk well. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. At 160°, the mixture will give off a puff of steam. When the mixture reaches 180° it will be thickened and creamy, like eggnog.  If you don’t have a thermometer, test it by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. Run your finger down the back of the spoon.  If the stripe remains clear, the mixture is ready; if the edges blur, the mixture is not quite thick enough yet.
• When the mixture is ready, quickly remove it from the heat. Pour it through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the grated cheese and whisk to melt.
• Rest the bottom of the bowl in an ice bath (a bowl with of ice cubes and add cold water to cover). Let the mixture cool for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Then freeze according to  the directions of your ice cream machine. Makes 6 servings.

Charlie Trotter’s Goat Cheese Ice Cream With Whole Roasted Fig

An easy recipe from one of our favorite chefs in the world. If you’re in Chicago, you must dine at Charlie Trotter’s restaurant.

Figs and goat cheese are natural partners. The creamy, elegant tangy goat cheese perfectly contrasts with the full-flavored figs. In this dessert, a hot roasted fig acts as the bed for a scoop of intoxicatingly perfumed goat cheese ice cream, which melts into the fig to create a perfect sauce. Accompanying the roasted fig is a napoleon featuring crispy oatmeal tuiles layered with raw figs and a sating goat cheese cream. The fig juices and thyme leaves round out the dish nicely.

To Make the Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 4 ounces goat cheese

Directions

• Prepare an ice water bath. Bring the cream and milk to a boil.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar and slowly pour in some of the hot cream to temper the eggs.
• Pour the eggs into the cream and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and steam rises from the top.
• Whisk together the corn syrup and goat cheese and then whisk this mixture into the cream mixture until smooth.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and chill over the ice water bath. Freeze in an ice cream machine. Keep frozen until ready to use. Yield: Approximately 3 cups.

To Make the Tuiles

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons rolled oats, lightly toasted
• 12 fresh figs
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 2 tablespoons Port
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baby thyme sprigs

Directions

• Cream the butter, confectioner’s sugar, and lemon zest. Add the honey and flour and mix well.
• Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the batter onto a Silpat-lined or nonstick sheet pan. Use a small offset spatula to spread the tuile into a 1 3/4" circle. Repeat the process, making at least 18 tuiles (the extra will allow for breakage).
• Sprinkle the top of each tuile with a pinch of rolled oats, reserving 1/2 tablespoon for garnish.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. (The tuiles may be cut with a ring cutter after cooking for a more precise shape.) Immediately transfer the tuiles to a countertop or other flat surface to cool. Yield: For 6 people.

To Prepare The figs

• Cut the tops off 6 of the figs. Use a small spoon to press a cavity into each fig and dip the whole fig in the simple syrup.
• Fill the figs with the Port. (If the figs have any holes in the bottoms, cut small pieces off the tops to fill the holes.)
• Place the filled figs on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 minutes, or until they have softened.
• Slice the remaining 6 figs in half lengthwise and then cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Warm the slices in the remaining simple syrup.

To Make the Goat Cheese Cream

• Thoroughly combine 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream with the goat cheese and granulated sugar.
• Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup cream until it reaches soft peaks and fold into the goat cheese mixture.

To Make the Spicy Fig Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, warm
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh figs
• 1 star anise
• 3 whole black peppercorns

Directions

• Cook the sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Add the orange juice and bring to a boil.
• Add the figs, star anise, and peppercorns, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. If necessary, thin with a little warm water to a sauce consistency. Yield: 1/2 cup.

Assembly

• Place 3 to 4 fig slices on one half of each plate. Place a small spoonful of the goat cheese cream on the figs and top with a tuile.
• Spoon another small spoonful of the cream, 3 to 4 fig slices, another tablespoon of cream, and a tuile on top of the first stack.
• Build another layer with a spoonful of cream, figs, another spoonful of cream, and a tuile.
• Place a roasted fig alongside the stacked figs and top with a quenelle of Goat Cheese Ice Cream.
• Spoon the Spicy Fig Sauce around the plates and sprinkle with the thyme sprigs and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oatmeal.

Charlie Trotter’s Desserts For such a visually stunning book of fabulous desserts, this cover is an enigma! It’s as if everyone argued about which beautiful picture should appear, no one could agree, and they elected to use none. Covers aside, if you’re an ambitious cook, this is the book for you—you can turn out stunning and delicious desserts like Charlie and his pastry chef. Otherwise, enjoy the high concept ideas and photos, and opt for the less intimidatingCharlie Trotter Cooks At Home. Charlie Trotter’s Desserts, $31.50 Charlie Trotter Cooks At Home, $22.05

Point Reyes Farmstead’s Quick Blue Cheese Ice Cream & Toppings

Using one of our favorite blue cheeses, Point Reyes Original Blue™ (click here for our review), you can create a quick and delicious blue cheese ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1 quart premium vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) Original Blue™ cheese, crumbled
• Topping options: balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, glazed strawberries or spiced poached pears

Directions

• Blend the cream and cheese crumbles in a food processor, or whisk until almost smooth.
• Fold the cream mixture into the softened ice cream until well incorporated.
• Return ice cream to freezer until firm.
• To serve, place 3-4 melon ball scoops on a dessert plate with choice of topping.

The Blue Course, Cooking with Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese Fifty recipes sure to delight any lover of blue cheese, lovingly developed by the first family of California Blue Cheese, the Giacominis of the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. $10.00 (paperback) Click here to purchase (Click on “Order Original Blue” and then “Search” on top for “The Blue Course”)

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