rosemary blossom ice cream and sorbet

Well obviously I didn't get to post the results as promised yesterday - I spend most of the day at the pottery studio - but here it is!

I am more than a little proud of this creation. It looks pretty good too I think in my Greek inspired ice coupe. I would probably try a savory version of the sorbet as a palate cleanser after something like a rack of lamb. It fulfilled that job even this time as the wafers were quite rich and not too sweet. I am very happy with the ice cream though. It really succeeded in capturing the piny, nectareous scent that comes through the kitchen window from the rosemary hedge.

That's it for descriptive food-writing for the moment. I should just say: "It was delicious!" and you take my word for it. As far as I'm concerned every flavor has been described to death. It's all re-hashing and regurgitating the same cud. Better to try the recipe and judge it yourself.

 The Ice Cream   

                                 

4 cups rosemary blossoms                        

2 cups heavy cream                                             

2 cups milk                                              

1 cup sugar                                                                                  

a pinch of finely ground black pepper

3 egg yolks

The Sorbet

4 cups rosemary blossoms

4 cups water

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup sugar

Pick only the freshest blossoms, preferably early in the morning when the blossoms are most fragrant. Measure 4 loosely filled cups and put them in a saucepan together with the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer over low heat, then let it cool off and steep for at least 4 hrs. or overnight. For the sorbet use 2 cups of water instead of the cream.

Strain though a sieve.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan whisk the yolks together with a little cream. Continue stirring with a spoon over low heat, while slowly adding all the infused cream, sugar, pepper and milk. When the mixture starts to coat the spoon, remove from heat, cover with a lid and cool.

In another saucepan heat the infused water with the other 2 cups of water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and let cool.

Refrigerate until chilled, then follow the instructions on your ice cream maker.

Let the sorbet and ice cream thaw a little before serving them together with the: 

Crunchy Rosemary Ice Cream Wafers

2 oz. butter

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 tsp. flour

1 tbsp. cream

1/16 tsp. finely ground black pepper

1 tsp. finely ground fresh rosemary tips

grated peel of 1/2 lime

Preheat the oven at 375ºF

Stir all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat until sugar and butter are melted.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This is a must - trust me, the cookies will stick to anything else.

Drop level tsps. of batter spaced out evenly on the baking sheet. On a full sheet you should fit 12.

Bake for5 min. until caramelized and golden.

You can open the oven to check as no tsp. is ever eequally level and no oven heats the same.

Slide the parchment paper on a rack and let the wafers cool.

Use a new sheet of paper for the next batch.

Serve when cooled, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

You should have about 20. (Unless, like me, you screwed up a few).

Pretty quick to prepare and best made on the day of serving, but that goes for all cookies in this house. They usualy disappear in seconds.