When Sorbet and Ice Cream Collide - Rhubarb Sherbet

Ah Sherbet.  Childhood memories of fun in the sun and sticky fingers as my Orange Sherbet dripped off my cone and rolled languidly down the back of my hand regardless of my I attempts to consume it with great haste.  I loved Sherbet when I was a youngin'.  Even those "Dixie cups" that came with the flat wooden spoons, though I always wondered why they bothered with the vanilla ice cream; as far as I was concerned the whole thing should be orange sherbet.

Then I became a pre-teen, and my sour-puss gene kicked in.... Oh, I still loved sherbet, but Lime became my preference.  mmmmmmm Lime (though I always found the green color to be a little unsettling as it reminded me of Mint Chip and I hate the waxiness of frozen chocolate) Yes, Sherbet and I had a long and passionate relationship throughout my youth. But something happened toward the end of my impressionable teen years.  Sorbet hit the market.  The flavor was so intense, and the texture was so refreshingly icy...  I began my torrid affair with Lemon sorbet and left the Sherbet of my youth behind, deciding that it was for children and I must move on to a more mature frozen treat.

Being older now, and somewhat wiser, as well as a maker of Ice Cream, Gelato, & Sorbetto/Sorbet I have decided that the time has come to give Sherbet a second chance.

So what exactly is Sherbet in relation to all the frozen teats out there?  Well, in Turkey it's a chilled fruit drink known as serbet (which is where the terms Sorbet and Sorbetto come from).  This same fruity libation is also popular in other middle eastern countries and known by many names ie. in Persian it's known as Sharbat (on which the word Sherbet is based)  Incidentally, the correct pronunciation of the word is "shur-BET" not "shur-BERT"; where the extra "r" came from, I have no idea.  I grew up hearing and using that extra "r".  So, I checked in the freezer case of my nearest mega mart and sure enough, all the containers had "Sherbet" printed on them.

Even though Sherbet and Sorbet are rooted in the same drink, as a frozen treat they are slightly different.  At least they are different in the United States.  Unlike the term Sorbet, the use of the word Sherbet is regulated.  So even though "Sorbet" is usually a combination of Juice, Sugar and Water, it can technically be made of just about any thing as it falls into the "Italian Ice" category along with Sorbetto and Granita.  However, by definition, Sherbets MUST contain between 1 - 2% dairy.  This is the key that makes them different from the others.  Ice Cream, on the other hand, has a much higher percentage of dairy as it is based on cream and eggs.  Gelato is based on Milk, and sometimes eggs; thus it's fat content, while lower than ice cream is still higher than Sherbet. Sherbet's niche is in the middle ground, between the two extremes of Sorbet and Ice Cream.

This makes the texture of Sherbet different from Sorbet as well.  Sorbet is much more icy, and while sherbet is icy too, there is still a creamy quality too it, though not as creamy as Ice Cream or Gelato.  That little bit of extra fat in Sherbet changes the freezing temperature of the mixture and helps control the size of the ice crystals.  It has a more intense flavor than Ice Cream as well, because your palate is not overwhelmed with a coating of cold butterfat. Basically, it's the best of both worlds.

Thus, with a heavy heart and forever covered in shame, I regret turning my back on my childhood love.  I shall never take Sherbet for granted again.

In an attempt to make amends, I have decided to make a few alterations to Alton Brown's Orange Sherbet recipe and take it into realms beyond the simple flavors of Orange, Lime, Pineapple and Raspberry.....  Thus, I give you...

Cloved Rhubarb Sherbet

7 oz (1 cup) Granulated Sugar (6 oz if your a sour-puss like me)
24 oz of Rhubarb (Enough to yield 2 cups of juice)
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half
a VERY small pinch of clove

Cut the rhubarb into small cubes (you need as much surface area as possible) and place in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb and toss to coat.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours (this gives it time to juice up)

Once the rhubarb juices up, go ahead and strain it. If you don't have quite 2 cups, (and you probably won't) throw the drained rhubarb in the food processor and pulse a couple of times to break up the fibers in the rhubarb.

Spoon the pulp into a strainer and press out the remaining juice (you should have 2 cups of juice at this point)

Add Kosher Salt, Lemon Juice, and Vanilla extract, whisking to combine.

Add Milk and Half and Half, again, whisking to combine.

Stir in the tiny pinch of clove (careful not to overdo it)

Cover the mix with plastic wrap and chill until cold before pouring into your ice cream maker and churning according to your maker's directions.

Spoon sherbet into a container and move to freezer for 4 hours.

Serve simply, with zest of Orange and enjoy.

Mangia!!
~~

Rocky Road (Candy)... Take Me Home... To The Place... I Belong

I really didn't blog about candy all that much this year.  Oh, there was Fudge a plenty (which I blogged about last year) and of course, the Honey Caramels, which I covered this year.  Then I decided to do a recap on Divinity with the more traditional Black Walnuts.  But two of the Christmas treats I forgot to mention, both this year and last, were Great Grandma Ruby's Silver Drip (Which I will get to in a later post) and Grandma Reva's Rocky Road.  No, I am not talking about the Ice Cream flavor.

When I was a child, Rocky Road was the paramount Christmas candy.  What kid doesn't love marshmallows?  Combine that with Chocolate Fudge and Nuts and you have a candy that is destined to disappear as fast as you can make it.

Now that I am older, I am not so much into marshmallows, so after one piece I am pretty much done for the year, but many many other members of my family enjoy this delectable candy, immensely.  Thus it is still a holiday staple 'round these parts.  

The base fudge is the same as the gelatin fudge I blogged about last year, which has been profusely laced with both Walnuts and Mini-Marshmallows, making it all lumpy & bumpy... Ergo - Rocky Road.

Rocky Road Candy

3 oz Unsweetened Baker's Chocolate
3 cups Granulated Sugar
1 TB unflavored Gelatin
1/2 'Scant' cup Corn Syrup (I am figuring this at about 120 ml instead of 124 ml)
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup Whole Milk
1 1/4 cup (20 TB) (10 oz) Unsalted Butter (This is definitely NOT a low fat dessert)
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 oz chopped Walnuts (or Almonds)
4 oz Mini-Marshmallows

Chop the Chocolate with a sharp, heavy knife.

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, whisk the Sugar and the Gelatin together.

Add Corn Syrup, Salt, Milk and Butter.... along with the chopped Chocolate.

Apply Medium heat to the whole "mess" and stir while everything comes to a boil (this prevents scorching)

When the mixture comes to a boil, cover with the lid to wash the crystals down from the the side of the pan.

Remove cover after 5 minutes and insert a candy thermometer.

Cook the mixture to 235 degrees (soft ball)

Meanwhile, pour vanilla into the bottom of a mixing bowl.

And "butter" a 13 x 9 baking dish.

When the mixture reaches 235 degrees, remove from heat, remove the thermometer and pour the "syrup" over the vanilla (in the mixing bowl)

Let this sit for 25 minutes. (don't worry about the "110" degree thing as is standard with most fudge)
After 25 minutes (regardless of the temperature) begin beating the fudge at medium-low speed, for 15 minutes (sometimes it takes a minute or two longer)

When the mixture looses most of it's shine, stop beating and remove from the mixer stand, then stir in the nuts......

Then fold in the Mini-Marshmallows. (They will melt into the candy, just a little)

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread somewhat evenly. (This will be a little hard, since it's all lumpy)

Let set for 3 hours, until fully set before cutting into squares and prying out of the pan with a bench scraper (it just works easier)

While you are waiting, you can let your niece (or nephew) lick the bowl.

And Serve......

Or store in a metal container, lined with waxed paper in the refrigerator for up to a month. (It never lasts that long)

Mangia!!
~~

Not So Sweet Charlotte - Aubergine & Chèvre Charlottes

I had mentioned on the Fallen Souffle Cake post that I had wanted to try Laura Calder's Aubergine and Cumin Charlottes. I am always looking for interesting ways to prepare Eggplant. After all, one can only eat Mousakka and Baba Ghanoush so many times, delicious though they may be.

These are completely, totally and unequivocally exquisite.  Though I had to serve a different salad with them.  This fresh tomato allergy is a pain in the butt sometimes.  True, I could have oven roasted the tomatoes or something and then it would have been fine, but I decided since the oven was occupied, I would go in a completely different direction.  A deliciously fresh Upland Cress Salad, simply dressed with Meyer Lemon and Olive Oil.  (ANY excuse to use a Meyer Lemon)

It created a nice counterpoint to the warm Charlotte.

Laura Calder's Aubergine and Cumin Charlottes

2 Medium Eggplants
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 pinch Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
1 TB Cumin seeds, toasted and ground
3 Large eggs
1/4 cup milk
4 ounces fresh chèvre, crumbled

Turn on the boiler and move the rack down 1 level from the top (you don't want them too close to the element)

Line a large sheet pan with parchment (this will foster easier cleanup)

While it's heating up, slice one of the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. (4mm is better)

Brush both sides liberally with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, until they become soft, but not crisp.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and line a second sheet pan with parchment.

Cut the other eggplant in half, then brush the cut surface with Olive oil. (I used 4 smaller Ichiban Eggplants from the garden instead)

Lay the halves, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and bake about 40 minutes, or until the flesh is REALLY soft.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool until you are able to handle them without burning your fingers.
While the eggplant is baking, place the Cumin Seeds in a small skillet and set over medium-low flame.

Toast the seeds until they are fragrant, then remove from heat and place in a Mortar.

Grind the seeds with the pestal until you have a fairly fine powder.

When the baked Eggplant has cooled enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the baked aubergine halves into a bowl.

Add the toasted Cumin and stir to incorporate.

Switch to a whisk and beat in the eggs until homogeneous.

Finally, whisk in the Milk (Half & Half).

Season with salt and pepper.

Now time for assembly......

Line 6 ramekins with the aubergine slices, leaving the edges hanging over slightly. (I used 3 slices per ramekin)

Spoon in a layer of aubergine custard. (about 3 TB full)

Sprinkle with the crumbled chèvre.

Spoon a second layer of aubergine custard over the cheese.

Fold the overhanging slices back over the top to enclose the custard filling.

Set on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until set. (they will "rise" in the oven, then sink a little bit)

 Cool at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a plate with upland cress salad. (below)

While you are waiting for the charlottes to cool, assemble the Upland Cress Salad.

1 bunch Upland Cress or Watercress, (remove as many stems as possible)
Zest of 1/2 Meyer Lemon
Juice of 1/2 Meyer Lemon
1 TB Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black pepper

Place the leaves in a bowl.

Add Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice and Olive oil.

Using your hands, gently toss the leaves until well coated.

Season with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

Place a small amount on each serving plate.

Serving.....

When the Charlottes are cool enough to handle, slide a small icing spatula around the edge to loosen slightly.

Tip onto the plate next to the small pile of Cress Salad.

Cut a small wedge with a butter knife and release the deliciousness.

I loved these so much, I am making them again, cause I didn't get enough....  LOL

Mangia!!
~~