Friday, December 4, 2009

Orange Sesame Tuile Ice Cream


It’s hard not to love the simplicity of sesame seeds. For this ice cream, I took some deliciously chewy Sesame Honey Tuiles and folded them into a vanilla ice cream base that is flavored with orange zest, a tiny hint of cardamom, honey and a splash of orange flower water. The result has a Middle Eastern feel to it but also seems like it could just as easily be discovered on the sidewalks of Italy. Whatever culture it recreates for you, I think you’ll enjoy the wonderful flavor and slight sweetness of the ice cream combined with the subtle but distinctive nuttiness of the sesame cookies, an indelible combination of flavors and textures in any world.

Sesame seeds have a long and storied history. They are mostly familiar to us through the cuisine of Asia and the Middle East or as a garnish on breads and crackers, but they were first domesticated in India and are thought to be a symbol of immortality in some Hindu legends. Sesame seeds were introduced in this country by African slaves and since the Mende name for sesame seed is bene or benne, you may find some pastry recipes from the south that use that term.

These cookies are great on their own. They’re very easy to mix and they take just a few minutes to bake. Once they cool, they turn into light, crisp and delicate celebrations of the chewy lightness of sesame seeds. But I highly recommend the ice cream in order to fully enjoy the intriguing flavors of both as they mingle together in absolutely blissful harmony.


Bench notes:
- Tuile is the French word for “tile” and in pastry the term usually represents a light, thin, crisp cookie that is sometimes shaped like a roof tile.
- The Sesame Honey Lace Tuiles are based on an old Gourmet recipe. I’ve reduced the sugar and added orange zest and a pinch of salt. If you're just making the cookies, you could also add some spice if you’re so inclined.
- You can make the Sesame Honey Lace Tuile batter ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before forming the cookies.
- Chill the ice cream base overnight to let the flavors bloom.



Orange Sesame Tuile Ice Cream

1 1/2 C whole milk
1 C heavy cream
1/4 C + 2 T sugar, divided
1 T honey
2 cardamom pods, crushed
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
4 yolks
2 t orange blossom water
1 C chopped Sesame Honey Tuiles (recipe below)

Combine the milk, cream, 1/4 C sugar, honey, cardamom pods, citrus zest and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer over medium low heat. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for about 20 minutes to a half hour. When the flavor is right, remove the cardamom pods.

Whisk the yolks with 2 T sugar until completely blended. Pour a bit of the warm cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Slowly add the remaining cream and return the mixture to the pan. Keeping the custard at a low simmer, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, about 4 to 6 minutes. Do not boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Whisk in the orange blossom water and cool completely. Cover the custard and refrigerate overnight.

Coarsely chop about 1 C of Sesame Honey Lace Tuiles into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Freeze the ice cream according to your machine’s instructions.
Fold in the chopped tuiles. Pour the ice cream into a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface, cover and place in your freezer until firm.

Sesame Honey Lace Tuiles
based on a recipe from Gourmet
Makes about 30 cookies

1/4 C + 2 T confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T honey
1 T water
pinch salt
zest of 1/2 orange
1/2 C sesame seeds
2 T flour

Place confectioner’s sugar, butter, honey, water, salt and orange zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in sesame seeds and flour until mixture is thoroughly combined. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take half-teaspoons of dough, shape into balls and arrange 4" apart on baking sheets. Bake cookies in batches in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, 7 - 8 minutes, or until cookies are flat and golden. Slide parchment with cookies to racks to cool. Cool baking sheets a couple of minutes and line with fresh parchment between batches.

11 comments:

vanillasugarblog said...

gorgeous. the ingredients in the ice cream intriguing.

Bunny said...

The ice cream and tuiles look wonderful. I've always wanted to make tuiles but haven't yet. Are they similar to cigarette cookies?? Something else I've always wanted to try but haven't. I think on my next day off I'll try tuiles, they are so pretty.

Anonymous said...

I adore sesame anything. I'm a little afraid of attempting tuiles, but these look so lovely that I think I might have to try to get over my fear.

pastry studio said...

I just want to reinforce your curiosity about making these tuiles. Many tuile recipes are primarily butter and sugar and are therefore can be fussier to turn out. These are a bit different, as there is more flour and the sesame seeds hold them together and prevent them from burning around the edges. They really are very, very easy to make! They firm up as they cool and are really delicious if you love sesame and honey.

Bunny, yes cigarettes are just tuiles that have been rolled.

Barbara said...

Truly lovely. I imagine the tuile recipe is similar to something I make called brandy snaps- which you can shape while still hot.

The ice cream looks light and lovely and full of wonderful flavors.

Gala said...

Love the flavor combination!

Sara said...

WOW, this looks so amazing! Definitely need to give it a try.

dining set said...

The ice cream and the tulies look so beautiful together! I want to make some right now! The ingredients are so easy to find! Thanks for sharing!

Diana H said...

I love sesame, and your tuile idea is great.

Annie said...

I ever thought of sesame in ice cream but I think it would be very tasty -- the nutty crunch with the creamy tart ice cream ... delish!

jane said...

I have finally refound your fantastic blog! I remember reading it a few years ago but lost the bookmark and have stumbled across it again today! Looking forward to delving into your recipes this year (2017).