Fresh Corn Ice Cream With Almond Lace Cookie Recipe

3 c Fresh Sweet Corn — scraped
: from cob*
4 c Half And Half
1 Three-Inch Vanilla Bean
8 Egg Yolks
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Light Honey
1 ts Lemon Zest — finely grated
1 ts Serrano Chile — finely
: minced seeded
: Garnish–
: Mint Sprigs
: Almond Lace Cookie Fan
: (Recipe Follows).

NOTE: *cobs reserved and broken into 3-inch lengths

Combine corn and 1 cup half and half in a blender or food processor
and process in short bursts to finely chop corn. Add corn mixture to
a saucepan along with remaining cream, corn cobs and vanilla bean.
Bring to a simmer over moderate heat.

While corn mixture is heating, beat together the egg yolks, sugar,
honey, zest and chile in a bowl until well combined. Remove and
discard cobs from corn-cream mixture and whisk mixture into egg yolk
mixture in a slow steady stream. Remove vanilla bean, split it and
scrape seeds into mixture. (Rinse vanilla bean and use to flavor
sugar if desired!).

Return mixture to pan and cook custard over low heat, stirring
constantly, until it just begins to thicken (approximately 180
degrees). Be careful not to boil or eggs will curdle. Strain through
a fine mesh sieve, chill and then freeze in an ice cream freezer
according to manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: 1 quart

Serve in chilled bowls with mint sprigs and Almond Lace Cookies, if
desired.

Almond Lace Cookies

Butter and flour for the baking sheets 3/4 cup ground almonds (do
this in a food processor)
1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1
tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon grated
orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour at least 2
baking sheets. Place sheets in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

In a large saute pan, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir over
low heat with a wooden spoon until the butter melts and the
ingredients are well mixed. Remove from the heat.

Place heaping teaspoons of the batter, about 5 inches apart on the
prepared chilled sheets (the batter will spread during baking). Bake
for 8 to 10 minutes or until evenly browned. Turn sheets half way
through baking. Remove from the oven. Using a wide spatula, remove
the cookies from the baking sheet and immediately shape as desired,
into tightly rolled cigarettes, or allow to cool and serve flat.

Yield: 16-20 cookies

Store in airtight containers for 2 days or in freezer for up to a
month.