4 large egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar
2 cups half and half
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl until blended. Bring half and half and orange peel to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk into yolk mixture; return to same saucepan and stir constantly over medium-low heat until custard thickens slightly and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Pour custard into medium bowl. Refrigerate custard until cold.
Process custard in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.Technique Tip: Softening Ice CreamTo mix ingredients into ice cream, or to make a frozen terrine, torte, or pie, the ice cream needs to be soft enough to stir or spread. The quickest and easiest way to get rid of that hard chill is to place the carton in the microwave. Heat it in 10-second intervals on the lowest power setting; stir between intervals to get even softening. You can also put the ice cream in the refrigerator or leave it out at room temperature, checking the consistency every 10 minutes or so.
Lemon verbena is a South American herb with a strong lemon flavor and haunting floral fragrance. You can find it at plant nurseries and some farmers’ markets. Makes about 2½ cups
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sugar, divided
¼ cup fresh lemon verbena leaves
7 large egg yolks
Bring cream, milk, ¼ cup sugar, and lemon verbena just to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 2 hours.
Whisk egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar in medium bowl. Return cream mixture to boil. Strain hot cream mixture; gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Return custard to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into medium bowl. Chill until cold.
Process custard in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Freshly crushed black peppercorns bring out the faint spiciness of the persimmons. Serve with Vanilla Shortbread Cookies (page 542) or the Apple-Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze (page 53). Makes about 1 quart
1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon (scant) salt
8 large ripe Hachiya persimmons, halved, seeded
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Heat heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add peppercorns and toast until fragrant and beginning to smoke, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl to cool. Coarsely crush peppercorns in mortar with pestle, or place in resealable plastic freezer bag, seal, and crush with mallet.
Transfer crushed peppercorns to small saucepan. Add 1 cup water, sugar, and salt. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture until reduced to 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Refrigerate until cold.
DO AHEAD: Black pepper syrup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
Scoop persimmon flesh from skins into blender. Puree until smooth. Measure 2 cups puree for making ice cream (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cover and chill puree until cold.
Strain black pepper syrup into large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups persimmon puree and cream. Process custard in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.Market Tip: PersimmonsPersimmons are fall-winter fruits that range in color from yellow-orange to red. There are two common varieties of persimmons, Fuyu and Hachiya; you can find both varieties at farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and specialty foods stores from October to February. This recipe calls for the large, elongated persimmons known as Hachiyas, which aren’t ripe until they’re very soft. Fuyus, on the other hand, are ready to eat when they’re still quite firm. To ripen a Hachiya persimmon, let it sit on the counter for a few days. To ripen it more quickly, place it in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana.
How to Buy an Ice-Cream MakerWhich ice-cream machine is right for you? It all depends on your budget, your lifestyle, and your passion for frozen desserts.ICE AND ROCK SALT MACHINES: Want a workout along with your ice cream? Then this is the machine for you. Pour the custard into the metal container, place the metal container into the larger bucket-style container, then pack layers of ice and rock salt between the two containers. (The salt helps lower the temperature and keeps the brine solution nice and chilly—between 8° and 12°.) The next step? Hand-cranking the machine until the ice cream freezes. For folks looking for less exercise, this type of machine is also available with an electric motor. These machines often make a large quantity of ice cream.MACHINES WITH A SEPARATE CANISTER: This affordable type of machine is widely available in many models and brands. To make ice cream, first place the container (which is filled with a liquid coolant) in the freezer for at least 24 hours. Once the container is completely frozen, pour in the custard, flip the switch, and let the ice-cream-making begin. This style of ice-cream maker requires freezer space for the container and some pre-planning, but it’s a good choice for those who make ice cream a few times a month.ALL-IN-ONE UNITS: For ice cream on demand, this is your machine; it’s more expensive, but the extra cost means that you can go from custard to ice cream in less than an hour. These machines have built-in compressors, which eliminates the need to pre-freeze the canister. They are larger than other machines, so are not the best bet for small kitchens. But if you’re an ice-cream fanatic and have the space, consider investing in an all-in-one machine.
Don’t be put off by the thought of prunes for dessert. Jazz them up with some brandy and you’ll be amazed at what they do to vanilla ice cream. You can use a purchased premium ice cream or, for an entirely homemade treat, make our Vanilla Ice Cream (page 446). Pair this sophisticated dessert in the fall with a simple walnut cake (such as the Walnut-Orange Cake on page 79) or a slice of apple pie. And if you have Armagnac (the excellent full-flavored brandy from Gascony), use it. It’s the classic French pairing for prune ice cream. 12 servings
1 cup pitted prunes, cut into quarters
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons brandy
1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
Combine prunes and ½ cup brandy in heavy large saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium heat until brandy is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Cool.
Place softened ice cream in large shallow plastic freezer container. Mix in prunes and remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.