Monday, January 26, 2009

Vanilla ice cream with pear wafers

Vanilla ice cream with pear wafers

Don’t go away, please – there’s nothing vanilla about this recipe. :D

I have to be honest and tell you that in the past I would have laughed at someone if they told me they loved anything vanilla. Because to me, back then, there was nothing to love. But that was in my pre-blogging days - after tasting the real thing everything changed. I got so hooked on vanilla that after I finish preparing a recipe with the pod I keep smelling my fingertips – that’s a funny thing to see, believe me. :D

To go with this wonderful ice cream (David Lebovitz, who else?), I made some pear wafers, a recipe from my favorite magazine, issue 39.

Vanilla ice cream with pear wafers

Vanilla ice cream
from The Perfect Scoop

1 cup (240ml) whole milk
pinch of salt
¾ cup (150g) sugar
1 vanilla bean
5 egg yolks
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
a few drops of vanilla extract

Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk with the tip of a paring knife. Add the bean pod to the milk.

Stir together the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add some of the warmed milk, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream, add the vanilla extract and stir well. Rinse the vanilla bean and put it back into the custard and cream to continue steeping. Chill thoroughly, then remove the vanilla bean and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 1 quart (950ml)

Vanilla ice cream with pear wafers

Pear wafers
from Donna Hay magazine

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 sensation pears, thinly sliced*

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF. Place the sugar on a plate and press the pear slices into it, both sides. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake for 15 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks until crisp.
Pear wafers can be served with sorbet, ice cream or panna cotta, or on a cheese plate with a strong blue cheese or as a petit four with coffee.

* make sure to use a kind of pear that is dry and won’t release much water – believe me, I tried it with the soft type and a flood of syrup took over my oven. :S

Makes about 12

15 comments:

  1. yummy ice cream and those pear chips look so cool :)

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  2. I'm a converted vanilla fan too! Love it!

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  3. The vanilla ice cream looks delicious but those pear wafers are amazing...a great combination Patricia!

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  4. The vanilla ice cream looks creamy and delicious. Those pear wafers look great too, perfect with the ice cream. Fresh new idea!

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  5. Oh, those pear wafers look so delicious!

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  6. Wow. this looks delicious. Those pear wafers are on my list! Yum

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  7. The pear wafers are gorge!

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  8. The real thing is amazing! Love the pear wafers too (of course) ;)

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  9. Oh my... I am envious of your pear wafers! Thanks for the great idea, I will be making these soon :)

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  10. Those pear wafers are calling to me -- I can imagine them with chocolate ice cream, or ginger, or topping a bowl of fresh fruit, or on a salad.

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  11. What a lovely pairing! I am already a big fan of David's ice cream. And, those pear wafers look so pretty and tasty! Very elegant!

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  12. Lovely pear-ing [g]
    And delicious too, I'll bet.

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  13. Beautiful! How did I miss those pears in that issue??

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  14. Natalie, thank you, sweetie!

    Bri, me too! :D

    Pete, I was thrilled when I saw those wafers in the magazine. :D

    Lisa, thank you, darling!

    Food Librarian, thank you!

    Hungry Gal, I hope you try them!

    Duodishes, thank you for stopping by!

    Joey, I knew you would. ;D

    Chris, they are not hard to make!

    Lydia, those combinations sound amazing.

    Susan, I'm a convert to David's ice creams, too. :D

    Marysol, you are too funny. ;D

    Pam, I'm glad I could remind you, darling! :D

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  15. What a great idea - I've never tried turning pears into wafers!

    I love the new look of your blog!

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Thank you for your comment!