Filled with the holiday spirit, I’ve decided to do a double post in one. I know, I know… I’m too generous. The apple crisp and ice cream can be made separately, but I really think you’ve got to have these two together.

It’s -15 degrees outside and I suddenly had the urge to make ice cream. I couldn’t have ice cream alone – it needed a pairing buddy. Since making Peach Cobbler this summer, I thought to try it again. This time, though, I wanted to use a different fruit and make the topping more flavorful. My research led to the apple crisp. Some will say it’s blasphemous that I compare a cobbler to a crisp, but I just want a low key hot fruit dessert.

Apple Crisp

• 4-5 large Granny Smith apples (cored and sliced)
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground Nutmeg
• juice of one Lemon
• 1 1/2 cups of Oatmeal
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup of Butter (cut into small cubes)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• a pinch of Baking Soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, slice, and core the Apples.

 

No one in my family ever wants to use this piece of kitchen torture. I have yet to use a peeler without nicking my pinkie.

In a wide shallow bowl combine the Apples, white Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

 

In a separate bowl mix the Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Salt, and Baking Soda. Add the Butter in small amounts and mush with your fingers.

 

Fill your ramekins or baking dish with the apple mixture. I was able to generously fill 8 ramekins. Pile the oatmeal on top in heaping mounds. Bake for 45 – 50 min or until the crust is brown.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

• 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Double Cream
• 6 Egg Yolks
• 1 Vanilla Bean (split lengthwise & seeds removed)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp of Sugar

Split the Vanilla Bean lengthwise. Using the back of your knife, scrap it across the bean to get the seeds. In a saucepan on medium heat combine Milk, 1 cup of Cream, Vanilla bean and seeds. Let it cook for 5 min, until bubbles form around the edges. Don’t let the milk burn.

 

Meanwhile, whisk the Yolks, Sugar, and 1/2 cup of Cream until the sugar dissolves. I’ve got a neat trick for separating all those yolk without breaking them. Crack an egg into a bowl and scoop out the yolk with your fingers. Do this one at a time and you’re sure to get to the yolk without breaking it. In the end you’ll be left with a bowl of egg whites to be used for scrambled eggs or an omelette.

  

This next step is extremely important: Temper the eggs before adding to the milk mixture. Turn off the heat. Take a ladle-full of the hot milk and slowly pour it over the eggs while whisking. Do it a few times so that the egg mixture warms up without forming any solid bits of scrambled eggs.

 

When the egg mixture is heated through, pour it into the saucepan with the milk mixture. Turn the heat back on to medium and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. You’re basically making custard. The custard is done when you can draw a clear line on the back of the spoon.

 

Strain into a container. Then place in an ice bath and stir. Once cool, place cling wrap to the surface, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hrs – overnight. The cling wrap keeps a film from forming on the custard.

 

Take out and remove the cling wrap. Pour into ice cream maker for at least 30 min. Once it’s done, place in the freezer for at least 3 hrs. before serving. Enjoy!