White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream with Nectarine and Cherry Compote
Is there anything better than warm fruit, slightly-sweetened, topped with a scoop of ice cream melting on top or alongside? The creamy-sweet taste of white chocolate pairs marvelously with the piquant bite of fresh ginger. Just enough to serve as a pleasant contrast.
I prefer my fruit less-sweetened, but you can add the larger amount of sugar if you like. If you don’t have a vanilla bean, just add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Servings 8 Servings
White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream
- 3 inch piece (2 to 2 1/2 ounces, 60-70g) fresh ginger, unpeeled
- 2/3 cup (130g) sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) whole milk
- 1 cup plus 1 cup (500ml total) heavy cream
- 8 ounces (230g) white chocolate, chopped
- 5 large egg yolks
Nectarine and Cherry Compote
- 4 nectarines
- 1 pound (450g) fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 4 to 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
- optional: 2 tablespoons rum or kirsch
White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream
- Slice the ginger thinly, cover it with water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain away the water but return the blanched ginger to the pan. Add the sugar, the milk and 1 cup of heavy cream to the saucepan and re-warm the mixture. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for at least an hour, or until you are satisfied with the ginger flavor.
- Put the chopped white chocolate in a large bowl. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then gradually add some of the ginger-infused cream mixture, whisking constantly as you pour in the warm cream. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the white chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Discard the ginger. Add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and chill thoroughly. You can set the bowl over an ice bath to speed it up.
- Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Nectarine and Cherry Compote
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C).
- Split the nectarines in half and pluck out the pits. Put them in a 2-quart baking dish with the cherries. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the fruit.
- Mix in the sugar and rum or kirsch, if using.
- Turn the nectarines so they’re cut side down, arranging them in an even layer with the cherries and tuck the vanilla bean underneath.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, opening the oven door twice during baking so you can jostle the baking dish to encourage the juices to flow. The fruit is done when a paring knife easily pierces the nectarines.
- Remove from oven and serve warm, or at room temperature with a scoop of the White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream.
Notes
Storage: The compote can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.