Vanilla Roasted Black Plums With Toasted Lemon Cake And Ginger Ice Cream Recipes

LEMON-VANILLA CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the parchment. Beat the egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks with the vegetable oil, milk and vanilla seeds in a separate large bowl until smooth. Sift the remaining 1 cup confectioners? sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; whisk into the yolk mixture until smooth. Stir about one-third of the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula, then fold in the remaining whites in two batches. Spread the batter in the prepared pan; bake until the cake springs back when gently pressed, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Immediately sift confectioners' sugar generously over the top of the warm cake and loosen the edges with a knife; lay a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) over the cake. Place another baking sheet over the towel and flip the cake with the baking sheets to invert it onto the towel. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Starting at a short end, roll up the cake and the towel together into a spiral. Transfer seam-side down to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, vanilla seeds and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until cooled and stiff peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes. Beat in the butter, 1 piece at a time, until combined (the mixture may look curdled). Add the lemon zest and juice. Switch to the paddle attachment and continue to beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Gently unroll the cake. Spread 2 cups of the frosting over the cake about 1/4 inch from the edges, then top with a layer of the lemon curd; swirl together. Reroll the cake (without the towel). Trim the ends with a serrated knife. Transfer to a platter and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

ROASTED PARSNIP AND VANILLA CHOCOLATE SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel parsnips, and cut into 1-inch chunks, brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot. (Leave oven on for toasting of croutons.)
• Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but the more important thing is that they look translucent.) Add the chicken stock, slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot and add along with the vanilla pod itself. Increase heat to medium, add the roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
• Once you have the soup underway, toast the croutons in the oven which is already preheated to 400 degrees F. Cut the epee loaf into 3/4-inch thick slices. Brush the bread with oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet (important for cleanup purposes). Sift dark cocoa over the bread and toast briefly in the oven, just to make crispy. Remove and set aside.
• Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes, to allow them to melt and to integrate flavors.
• Remove soup from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in heavy cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (Remember, when using an immersion blender, the blade end has to be immersed, or it will make a big mess.) Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the pot and stir to combine. (Note: If you hold the sliced end of the fresh lemon or lime against your palm while you squeeze in the juice, the seeds are likely to stay in the rind.)
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges and dark chocolate dusted croutons.

GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the water and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and reserve. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale, and wide ribbons fall from whisk. Set aside.
• In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and cooked ginger, and bring to a boil.
• Slowly add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs, whisking as you pour. Immediately scrape the tempered egg mixture into the hot milk mixture, whisking to combine. Cook over moderate heat, whisking slowly, until it reaches custard stage, 180 degrees F. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't let the custard boil.
• Immediately pour hot custard through a sieve pressing down on the ginger to extract all the juices. Discard the ginger. Refrigerate until cool or chill over ice water, stirring occasionally.
• Just before freezing, adjust mixture to taste with the lemon juice. Freeze the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions and serve.

LEMON GINGER ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and lemon zest until creamy. Beat in lemon curd until smooth. Gradually add cream, beating on medium-high speed until soft peaks form., Line bottom of an 8-in. square dish with 9 cookies; spread with about 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers 6 times. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or overnight.

ORANGE POLENTA CAKE WITH VANILLA-SCENTED PLUMS AND BLACKBERRIES AND BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9 x 5 x 3-inch metal loaf pan. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, polenta, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with yogurt in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Spread batter evenly in pan.
• Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around cake edges to loosen. Invert cake onto rack, then invert again on rack (top side up). Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.
• Cut cake crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; serve with Vanilla-Scented Plums and Blackberries and Buttermilk Ice Cream .

TOASTED POUND CAKE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND CHOCOLATE-HONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir chocolate, butter and honey in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. (Sauce can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate. Stir in top of double boiler until heated through before using.)
• Working in batches, toast pound cake slices in electric toaster or on barbecue grill until golden. Generously brush both sides of cake slices with liqueur. Cut cake slices diagonally in half, forming triangles.
• Drizzle warm chocolate-honey sauce on plates. Scoop ice cream atop sauce. Place 3 cake triangles on each plate. Sprinkle with pecans and orange peel and serve.