Pear Star Anise Ice Cream Food

STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine the milk, the cream, the sugar, and the star anise, bring the mixture just to a boil, and remove the pan from the heat.
• In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, add the cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and pour the mixture back into the pan.
• Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until it registers 170ºF on a candy thermometer, strain it through a fine sieve set over another bowl, and let it cool completely.
• Stir in the Pernod and freeze the custard in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

POACHED PEARS WITH ROSEWATER, ANISE AND GINGER

Steps:

• Place a medium pot over medium heat and pour in the wine, ginger beer, lemon juice, rosewater and 1 cup water. Add the ginger, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean seeds and pod. Stir in a pinch of salt and whisk to combine.
• Carefully place the pears in the pot, then cover with a circle of parchment paper to keep the pears submerged. Bring to just below a simmer and poach until tender, 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size and firmness of your pears.
• Remove the pears from the pot and simmer the liquid to reduce by at least half, about 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and spices. Serve the pears warm with a drizzle of the reduced poaching liquid and some ice cream if desired.

STAR ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar 2 tablespoons water, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in a heavy large saucepan.
• Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil with out stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes.
• Remove from heat add 1 1/4 cups of water (the mixture will bubble vigorously).
• Bring to a simmer, stirring until pieces of caramel dissolve.
• Add pears, cover and simmer until tender, turning pears once about 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl.
• Boil liquid in sauce pan until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pears toss gently to coat.
• Chill until cold.
• Serve cold.

STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream, star anise, and vanilla bean to a simmer for a few minutes. Turn off, and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together, long enough to dissolve the sugar.
• Temper hot liquid into egg mixture. Return all back into saucepan. Over low heat stirring all the while until mixture starts to thicken, strain through chinois. Chill immediately over ice bath.
• Churn in a standard ice cream machine.

POACHED PEARS WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Combine Port, sugar, 1/2 cup water and star anise in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add pears; simmer until tender and liquid is reduced to thin syrup, turning pears occasionally, about 25 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Slice pears and fan on plates. Drizzle syrup over. Spoon ice cream alongside.

ANISE AND PEAR BUBBLY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, add the nectar, pear liqueur and star anise. Bring up to a boil and turn heat off. Allow to steep for 5 minutes, then discard the star anise. Cool to room temperature and chill until ready to use.
• To serve, drop 1 cranberry to the bottom of each champagne coupe or flute. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced pear mixture for coupe glasses and 3 tablespoons for the flute glasses. Top with Prosecco and enjoy!

PEAR-STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the cream, milk, salt, and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the star anise and immediately remove from the heat. Allow the cream mixture to steep for about 30 minutes.
• Stem and core the pears, then pulse in the food processor until you get a chunky purée. Strain the purée by pushing through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids with a spatula or the bottom of a ladle. You should end up with about 2 cups of liquid. Discard the solids. Put the pear liquid in a saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Add the pear syrup to the cream mixture and bring to a boil over high heat.
• While that mixture heats, place the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl. Once the cream mixture has reached a rapid boil, remove from the heat and pour approximately 1 cup of the liquid over the yolks, whisking furiously. After the cream mixture is fully incorporated and the yolks are tempered, pour in the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly as you do. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Refrigerate until completely cold, then pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

CINNAMON-ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel, halve and core 2 pears. Put in a shallow dish with 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise pod. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the pears are soft, 8 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon until soft peaks form. Serve the pears with the syrup and cinnamon cream.

STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine the milk, the cream, the sugar, and the star anise, bring the mixture just to a boil, and remove the pan from the heat. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, add the cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until it registers 170°F. on a candy thermometer, strain it through a fine sieve set over another bowl, and let it cool completely. Stir in the Pernod and freeze the custard in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

STAR ANISE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons water, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/4 cups water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Bring to simmer, stirring until pieces of caramel dissolve. Add pears, cover and simmer until tender, turning pears once, about 5 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl. Boil liquid in saucepan until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over pears; toss gently to coat. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight. Divide pears and syrup among 4 shallow bowls and serve.