Last month I dined at the famous Pasqual's in Santa Fe. I was there 20 years ago and the food is still glorious. Truly worth the trek. For dessert my girlfriends and I split pineapple ice cream...too many spoons! When I got home I was determined to recreate it. The recipe is below. I got close! Not sure it was as good as the original but my husband, my taste tester, licked his bowl.
BOURBON ROASTED PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM
Makes 6 servings
If your pineapple isn’t flavorful, add a teaspoon of real pineapple extract.
Ingredients:
Butter for greasing
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced ½-inch thick
¼ cup bourbon syrup (or 3 Tbsp maple syrup plus
1 Tbsp bourbon)
1½ cup light brown sugar, divided
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
4 cups half & half
1½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup coconut flakes for garnish, optional
1 lime, cut in half and thinly sliced for garnish, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a sheet pan with butter.
2. Toss pineapple with bourbon syrup. Spread over prepared sheet pan. Roast until dark golden brown, about 28 minutes. Remove from heat. (Alternatively, you can cook pineapple in a grill pan or skillet.) Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ½ cup sugar and lime juice. Using a potato masher or large fork, mash mixture into medium sized pieces.
3. Place half & half, vanilla and remaining sugar in a medium bowl, stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to an ice cream maker. Add half the pineapple mixture to ice cream maker. Run machine according to instructions.
4. Place remaining pineapple mixture in a blender; pulse to a salsa consistency.
5. To serve, Place a little pineapple salsa in the bottom of dessert glasses, place scoops of ice cream on top, spoon more salsa over ice cream. Garnish with coconut and lime.
CRUSHED STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM
Makes 2 quarts
This dessert has a double dose of fruit with both crushed and sliced strawberries. If your ice cream maker holds less than 2 quarts divide this recipe in half.
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
Directions:
1. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over strawberries in medium mixing bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes and then process strawberries in food processor fitted with the steel blade until completely smooth. Pass through a fine sieve, if you prefer no seeds.
2. Combine cream and milk in medium saucepan and scald on medium high heat. Remove from heat.
3. In mixer bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Slowly add remaining sugar and vanilla and beat until thick and pale lemon-colored.
4. When cream and milk are scalded, gradually whisk 1 cup into egg mixture. Gradually pour mixture back into cream in saucepan, whisking.
5. Cook slowly over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5-10 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. Be careful not to cook too long or mixture will curdle. Remove from heat, strain into a medium mixing bowl and cool.
6. Add the pureed strawberries to the custard and mix well.
7. Pour custard mixture into chilled ice cream machine and churn, following instructions, until ice cream is firm and thickened. Add the finely chopped strawberries while machine is going. The ice cream should thicken but will not be hard. Ice cream may be put in freezer to harden or may be served immediately.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: This may be prepared 8 hours in advance through step 6 and kept in the refrigerator. Leftover ice cream may be frozen.
