Nectarines With Velvety Vanilla Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In the food processor combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like grated Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture looks very crumbly but sticks together.
• Remove the blade from the processor and form craggy looking dough balls about the size of a small tennis ball. Put the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Sprinkle each ball with a little sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Add the butter to a saute pan and melt it over medium heat. Add the fruit and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl combine the cream and vanilla. Using a whisk or hand beater, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until the cream is very light and fluffy and it holds soft peaks.
• Cut the shortcakes in half. Spoon a generous amount of the warm fruit filling on the bottoms of the shortcakes. Replace the top and garnish with the vanilla whipped cream.

Steps:

• Pour brandy over nectarines and soak for about 30 minutes.
• For the lemon cream: Pour the milk and heavy cream into a heavy bottomed saucepot and add vanilla and lemon liqueur. Add half the sugar to the pot and bring to a simmer (just below a boil). In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar and temper it by adding a small amount of the heated milk mixture to the bowl while whisking constantly (known as a liaison). Now pour the liaison (egg mixture) into the milk pot, stirring constantly. You are only heating it. Do not boil. Do not cook. The idea of a liaison is to incorporate the eggs and avoid making them into scrambled eggs! You want the mixture to begin to thicken so it will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon zest, and allow to cool, then remove vanilla pod and discard, and refrigerate until chilled.
• Place nectarines cut side up in a pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Spoon brandy around nectarines, cover and heat nectarines and brandy briefly. Then remove cover and spoon warmed brandy over nectarines. * Remove from the heat and ignite with a long match to flambe. Alternatively, you can grill the brandy soaked nectarines until they begin to caramelize. Allow nectarines to cool to room temperature.
• Place 2 nectarines on each serving dish, and top with lemon cream and blackberries.

Steps:

• Cut the nectarines into wedges.
• Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan. Mix in the nectarines and pour in the lemon juice. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. You want to completely dissolve the sugar and cook the nectarines until they soften, about two minutes. Mix in the almonds.
• Serve warm with the ice cream.