Sweet Basil Ice Cream with Pine Nut Pralines
An hour or so before making ice cream base (and five hours before you will be serving) set aside:2-2/3 c whole milk at room temperature
1-1/2 c heavy cream at room temperature
2 T cream cheese at room temperature
When ready to cook the base, fill a large bowl with ice and fill with water.
Take 2 T of the milk and mix it with 1 T plus 2 tsp cornstarch to make a slurry. Set aside.
Mix the cream cheese with 1/4 tsp sea salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine the milk, cream, 3/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c light corn syrup in a large saucepan. Heat until it reaches a boil - stirring often. Boil in a rolling boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry mixing well so that the milk/cream mixture thickens. Place over heat for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
Tear a large handful of basil leaves into small pieces.
In the large bowl with cream cheese and salt, pour in the hot milk/cream mixture and mix vigorously. If it is lumpy, use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
Pour ice cream mixture with the basil leaves into a Ziploc bag (double-bagged for protection). Seal and let stand in ice water for at least 30 minutes.Remove basil by straining. Pour the ice cream in the ice cream maker/machine. Spin 60 min. Add pine nut pralines at the last minute or fold in when placing in a freezer container. Freeze four hours or more before serving. Add a small praline bunch and a sprig of fresh basil and serve in individual bowls (using about 1/2 cup ice cream!)
Pine Nut Pralines
1 cup pine cuts (or any other nut)2 T light brown sugar
2 T honey
1 T butter
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
Mix all together and spread on a buttered baking sheet OR parchment. (Not foil). Bake for 8 min and stir. Bake 350 degrees for another 5-6 minutes, stirring twice. The nuts should look bubbly and dry. Remove from the oven, cool until pralines break off of parchment or baking sheet and use or store breaking into small bits.
