Morel Season Special
Months ago, at a dinner party, I promised a morel mushroom picker I’d invent a morel cake for him. With the picking season looming, I thought it time to make good on my promise.
There were many pos...
(Adapted from Joy of Cooking’s Wine Custard)
You don’t taste the morels as themselves here but they add a flavor you can’t quite put your finger on, a mere suggestion of umami. Texturally, the ice cream is halfway between ice cream and sherbet.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Makes 3 cups Cup(s)
- 1 cup morel soaking liquid (saved when making the candied morels)
- 2 cups dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or pinot blanc
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
Preparation
Strain morel soaking liquid through a sieve to remove grit. Over high heat, reduce liquid to ½ cup. Pour wine and soaking liquid into the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Add eggs and sugar and beat vigorously. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon with a thin film. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
If you have an ice cream maker, use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions then freeze the ice cream for a couple more hours so it fully hardens.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour custard into a shallow bowl, place it in the freezer, remove and beat it vigorously every ½ hour to break up ice crystals and incorporate air. Do this five times, then leave it in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours to fully harden.
Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
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