Prune Ice Cream With Armagnac Recipes

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place a medium metal bowl over an ice bath. Combine the crème fraîche and 6 tablespoons of sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Meanwhile, whisk the yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl until mixture is thick and light. Whisking constantly, gradually pour about 2/3 of the hot crème-fraîche mixture into the yolks to temper them. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard has thickened and coats the back of the spoon. Pour the custard into the metal bowl and stir occasionally until it has cooled. Strain the custard and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Overnight chilling will result in the best flavor and creamiest texture.
• Place a container, preferably metal, that will hold the finished ice cream in the freezer. Pour the custard into an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is the texture of soft serve, mix in the prunes and Armagnac, then transfer to the chilled container and place in the freezer to harden.

Steps:

• For the ice cream: Pour the chilled vanilla custard into an ice cream maker and churn until thick but still just soft. At this point, add the double cream, the armagnac, diced prunes and their syrup. Continue to churn until thick, then transfer to a container and freeze until ready to use.
• For the fois gras: Reduce the veal or poultry stock down by 1/2 or until it obtains sauce consistency. Clean the foie gras and remove the veins. Cut the lobe into 2-ounce medallions and score the surface of the foie gras in an "x" pattern. Season the medallions with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot pan until medium rare.
• Slice the pineapple into 1/8-inch thick slices. Remove the core and sprinkle the pineapple with the white sugar. Saute the pineapple in a minimal amount of oil until the pineapple is golden brown. For presentation, place the pineapple ring in the middle of the plate. Next, place a wedge of waffle on the pineapple ring then the foie gras on top of that. Finish off with a scoop of the ice cream and chervil sprig. Drizzle a little of the veal reduction around the plate and serve.
• Bring the milk to a boil. Split half a pod of vanilla, scraping out all the seeds into the milk. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until thick. Pour the milk over, whisking continuously. Return to the pan and cook over gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Pass through a fine conical sieve. Serve hot or cold.
• Boil 3 pints water in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Leave to infuse for 2 minutes, then add the prunes. Cover the pan. Make a syrup with the sugar and 4 ounces water, bring to a boil, leave to cool and refrigerate.
• The following day, strain the prunes and put them in a large glass jar, pouring the armagnac over. Add the cold syrup. Leave to macerate for a month in a cool place.
• Sift together the dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in the yolks, 1 at a time. Next, add the milk followed by the melted butter. After the egg whites have been whipped to soft peaks fold them into the batter. Finally add the chopped rosemary and the batter is ready for use in a waffle iron.

Steps:

• Place the quartered prunes in a small saucepan with the Armagnac and 1 tablespoons of sugar. Heat over medium-low heat just until the Armagnac starts to bubble. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand at least 2 hours or several days in the fridge.
• When ready to make the ice cream, purée the prunes (be sure to save about 8 prune pieces for garnish) and their liquid in a food processor along with the sour cream, milk, the remaining 6 Tbsps. sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Pulse the mixture until it's almost smooth but leave a few little bits of prunes remaining. I do this by reserving a few prunes & throwing them in for just a few pulses.
• Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour (minimum), then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Serve garnished with a dusting of cocoa powder & a macerated prune piece on the side.