Candied Ginger Mascarpone Ice Cream Food

GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium pot, combine cream, milk, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, clove and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover, remove from heat, and let steep for 1 hour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the cream into the yolks, then whisk yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, adding the candied ginger during the last few seconds of churning. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed. Serve topped with extra candied ginger if desired.

GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the water and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and reserve. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale, and wide ribbons fall from whisk. Set aside.
• In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and cooked ginger, and bring to a boil.
• Slowly add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs, whisking as you pour. Immediately scrape the tempered egg mixture into the hot milk mixture, whisking to combine. Cook over moderate heat, whisking slowly, until it reaches custard stage, 180 degrees F. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't let the custard boil.
• Immediately pour hot custard through a sieve pressing down on the ginger to extract all the juices. Discard the ginger. Refrigerate until cool or chill over ice water, stirring occasionally.
• Just before freezing, adjust mixture to taste with the lemon juice. Freeze the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions and serve.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl lightly whisk yolks. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook sugar, fresh gingerroot, and water over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Add hot half-and-half mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.)
• Pour custard through a sieve into cleaned bowl and stir in cream and vanilla. Cool custard. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours, and up to 1 day.
• Finely chop crystallized ginger. Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, adding crystallized ginger three fourths of way through freezing process. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

CHUNKY GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, fresh ginger, and salt to a gentle boil over medium heat; turn off heat.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add half the milk mixture to egg-yolk mixture; whisk to blend. Stir into milk in pan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and place in an ice-water bath to chill, stirring often. Stir in candied ginger, vanilla, and lemon juice. Freeze in an ice-cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions. Serve topped with candied ginger strips, if desired.

SPICED BAKED FIGS WITH GINGER MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the figs in an ovenproof roasting dish, dot over the butter and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, then pour over the orange juice and mix lightly. Nestle the star anise amongst the figs and roast for 15-20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, mix the ginger and syrup through the mascarpone. Place 4 fig halves, drizzled with syrup, on a plate with a dollop of mascarpone and some shortbread fingers.