2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brandy
⅓ cup unbleached all purpose flour
2½-pint containers blackberries
LEMON CURD: Bring 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, butter, and lemon peel to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot butter mixture. Return to same saucepan and stir over low heat until curd thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes (do not boil).
Divide curd equally between 2 medium bowls. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, then cream and milk to 1 bowl and whisk to combine for lemon cream. Cover and chill lemon curd and lemon cream until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Process lemon cream in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to container; cover and freeze.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep curd refrigerated. Keep ice cream frozen.
COOKIES: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter nonstick rimmed baking sheet. Combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, and brandy in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; whisk in flour.
Form 2 cookies by spooning 1 tablespoon batter for each onto prepared sheet, spacing 4 to 5 inches apart. Bake until cookies are lacy and golden, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet just until firm enough to lift without breaking, about 30 seconds. Working quickly and using spatula, lift 1 cookie from sheet. Drape over inverted ¾-cup custard dish. Gently flatten cookies on dish bottom; mold and crimp sides to form cup, and let stand until cool and crisp. Repeat with remaining cookie, returning baking sheet to oven briefly to soften cookie if hardened.
Repeat baking and molding of remaining batter. Cool all cookie cups. Gently remove cookie cups from dishes.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Stir lemon curd over low heat just until slightly warm. Place 1 cookie cup on each plate. Fill with scoops of ice cream. Spoon some lemon curd over. Sprinkle with berries.Technique Tip: Creamy CurdFor smooth, creamy lemon curd, keep stirring. This action prevents the protein in the eggs from bonding, giving you a creamy sauce rather than a curdled one. As you stir, pay special attention to the corners where the sides and bottom of the pan meet. That’s a prime location for sticking.
These attractive ice-cream treats are decorated five different ways. You’ll have some leftover ice cream—pack it into a container and freeze it to enjoy after the bonbons are gone. Begin this recipe at least a day ahead (or up to a week ahead). Once you’ve mastered the technique here, create all kinds of delicious bonbons of your own using other flavors of homemade or purchased ice cream. Makes 30
Boysenberry Ice Cream
⅔ cup sugar
12 ounces frozen boysenberries or raspberries (about 2½ cups), thawed
1⅓ cups heavy whipping cream
3 large egg yolks
Grand Marnier Ice Cream
2 oranges
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup half and half
¾ cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1½ teaspoons finely grated orange peel
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Dipping
1¼ pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), choppedMilk chocolate shavings
5 walnut halvesNatural unsweetened cocoa powder
BOYSENBERRY ICE CREAM: Sprinkle sugar over berries in small bowl. Let stand 45 minutes at room temperature. Puree berries in processor. Strain through sieve into large bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes. Strain custard into berry puree. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.
Place 13×9×2-inch baking dish in freezer. Transfer berry custard to ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spread ice cream in bottom of chilled dish. Freeze.
GRAND MARNIER ICE CREAM: Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in long wide strips. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add 1 cup cream, half and half, and sugar. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 30 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, remove peel from cream and discard. Bring cream mixture to simmer. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes. Strain into large bowl. Mix in grated orange peel, then remaining 1 cup cream. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Mix in Grand Marnier.
Transfer custard to ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon over boysenberry ice cream in dish; smooth top. Cover with waxed paper. Freeze until very firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Line 4 small baking sheets with foil. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Remove 1 sheet. Dip 1½-inch-diameter ice-cream scoop into cup of hot water. Working quickly, scoop up layered ice cream. Round off edges with index finger. Release ice-cream ball onto frozen sheet. Repeat, forming 15 ice-cream balls. Insert 1 toothpick into center of each ball. Return sheet to freezer. Remove second sheet from freezer. Repeat process to form 15 more ice-cream balls. Return sheet to freezer. Pack remaining ice cream into container and freeze. Freeze ice-cream balls until very firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. Using metal icing spatula, loosen ice-cream balls from foil; refreeze.
DIPPING: Melt bittersweet chocolate with ¼ cup shortening in heavy medium saucepan over very low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool to lukewarm. Remove 1 sheet of ice-cream balls and 1 foil-lined frozen sheet from freezer. Fill ¼-cup measuring cup with melted chocolate. Working quickly, hold 1 ice-cream ball by toothpick over saucepan of chocolate; pour chocolate in cup over ball, turning to coat. Allow excess chocolate to drip off into saucepan. Place bonbon on foil-lined sheet. Repeat with remaining ice-cream balls. Twist and turn toothpicks to loosen; remove from bonbons. Freeze. Repeat dipping process with remaining ice-cream balls and frozen baking sheet. Freeze 30 minutes.
Melt white chocolate with remaining 1 tablespoon shortening in heavy small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Rewarm bittersweet chocolate to lukewarm over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove 1 sheet of bonbons from freezer. Dip 1 bonbon halfway into white chocolate, covering 1 side and hole left from toothpick. Place on same frozen sheet. Repeat with 4 more bonbons. Dip spoon into melted bittersweet chocolate and quickly move from side to side over double-dipped bonbons, allowing chocolate to fall in zigzag lines. Dip another spoon into melted white chocolate and wave from side to side over 5 solid chocolate bonbons, allowing chocolate to fall in zigzag lines. Dip finger into melted bittersweet chocolate and dab over tops of remaining bonbons on sheet 1 at a time, covering holes left from toothpicks. Sprinkle chocolate shavings over each. Return bonbons to freezer.