Asian Pear Caramel Sundaes Food

BLACK-AND-WHITE SUNDAES

Steps:

• Spoon 1 tablespoon of each of the sauces into each of 4 shallow serving dishes, placing them next to each other. Place a scoop of the chocolate ice cream on the marshmallow sauce and a scoop of the vanilla on the chocolate sauce. Top each scoop of chocolate ice cream with marshmallow sauce and each scoop of vanilla with chocolate sauce.
• Add a dollop of the whipped cream to each scoop and serve immediately.
• Melt the chocolate with the cream, 6 tablespoons water, and the salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.
• Use immediately, or let cool to room temperature, transfer to a glass jar, and refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. Shake well before serving chilled, or gently reheat before serving.
• With a rubber spatula, scrape the marshmallow cream into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water to the jar, screw on the lid, and shake hard. Add the liquid to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Thin the sauce with 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Use immediately or transfer to a glass jar and store at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Serve at room temperature.

CARAMEL PECAN SUNDAES

Steps:

• For the caramel, mix 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook, without stirring, over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees on a candy thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful; the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture constantly at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. The cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify; don't worry. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits. To assemble the sundaes, place one scoop of vanilla ice cream and one scoop of butter pecan ice cream in each dish and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve extra sauce on the side.

CRUSHED-BLACKBERRY SUNDAES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the blackberries: Combine the blackberries, sugar and cassis in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then crush with a fork.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce: Combine the cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Cook until dark golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly add the vanilla-infused cream (it will splatter), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Return to the heat and cook until smooth. Remove from the heat, discard the vanilla pod and stir in the butter and salt.
• For each sundae, place a scoop of ice cream in a parfait glass and top with caramel sauce, blackberries and pecans. Repeat 2 more times and top with whipped cream.

PLUM WINE POACHED ASIAN PEAR

Steps:

• Cut the Asian pears in half vertically. Use a small spoon to scoop out the core. Put the 4 halves in a pot large enough to fit the pears in a single layer.
• Cover the pears with the pomegranate juice and plum wine. Add more juice and wine if the pears are not completely covered. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let the pears come to room temperature in the pot. Remove the pears and juice from the pot and put in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat a grill to high.
• When you're ready to serve the pears, dry each half thoroughly using paper towels. Put the sugar on a shallow plate and dip the flat side of each half in the sugar. Put each pear half, flat side down, on a very hot grill and grill until the sugar is brown and bubbly.
• Transfer the pears to serving plates, flat side up. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle of each pear and garnish with mint.

PECAN CARAMEL SUNDAES- INA GARTEN

Steps:

• For the caramel, mix 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
• Cook, without stirring, over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
• Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful; the mixture is extremely hot!
• Watch the mixture constantly at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat.
• Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. The cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify; don't worry.
• Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.
• To assemble the sundaes, place 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and 1 scoop of butter pecan ice cream in each dish and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve extra sauce on the side.

PEAR-CARAMEL ICE CREAM SUNDAES

Steps:

• For Ice Cream:
• Melt butter in heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add sugar and cook until sugar melts (mixture will be grainy for first 10 to 12 minutes) and turns deep amber, stirring occasionally and pressing on sugar lumps to break up, about 20 minutes. Add pears (caramel will bubble and harden). Increase heat to medium-high and boil until liquid thickens and pears are very tender, breaking up large pieces of caramel and stirring occasionally, about 14 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender.
• Beat yolks to blend in medium bowl. Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream into yolks. Return cream mixture to same saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens slightly and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes; do not boil. Immediately add to pear mixture in blender. Add brandy if desired. Blend until smooth. Cover custard and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze ice cream until firm. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)
• For Pears:
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sugar and cook until sugar turns deep amber, stirring occasionally and breaking up sugar lumps, about 20 minutes. Add pears and sauté until tender but not mushy and caramel thickens slightly, about 9 minutes.
• Arrange 6 pear slices decoratively on each of 6 plates or in shallow bowls. Scoop ice cream atop pears. Drizzle with caramel syrup from skillet and serve.