BOURBON, MAPLE, ROASTED ALMOND: EGGLESS ICE-CREAM

This is one of my favourite ice cream base recipes. It's easy, mostly fool-proof, and without the bother of making an egg-based custard for the ice cream. And, it's like a blank slate so you can create away to suit the season (because ice cream is always in season!), your mood, your cat's mood, a theme, a cuisine, whatever!

Cornstarch is a neutral stabiliser that absorbs residual water left after cooking the cream. This minimises the formation of ice crystals in the cream mixture and results in a creamier smoother ice cream.

If you're adding any amount of alcohol to ice cream, remember to add it nearly at the very end of the ice cream maker freezing cycle. Because alcohol doesn't freeze... and you can imagine the rest! But if you can't, then here it is in plain words: if you add alcohol early on, your ice cream base will not freeze no matter how hard you pray. And that's no fun.

As always, add-ins like nuts, brownie bits, chocolate chips, etc. should go in just before the alcohol, or near the end of the freezing cycle.

Adapted from Ice Cream Nation.

Bourbon, Maple, Roasted Almond Ice Cream: Eggless

Makes: approximately 1 quart

**Freeze an ice cream maker bowl for at least 8 hours**

- 3 cups half-and-half (or an equal mix of whipping cream and 2% milk)
- 1/2 cup Demerara sugar (or Turbinado)

- 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup

- 3 tbsp. cornstarch

- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp. salt (only if using unsalted nuts)

- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds (I use Trader Joe's Lightly Salted Roasted Almonds)

- 1/4 cup coarsely crushed almonds (pulverized but definitely not almond butter!)

- 3 tbsp. bourbon (I like to use Bulleitt)

1. In a saucepan, stir together 2-1/2 cups half-and-half, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt (if using unsalted nuts). Heat over medium-low heat until mixture begins to steam and barely boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the sugar from settling.
2. In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup half-and-half till the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Temper the cornstarch: add 3-4 tbsp. of the heated half-and-half to the cornstarch mixture and mix well. Repeat.
3. Add the tempered cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring until it starts to thicken and reaches a simmer, about 4 - 5 minutes. Reduce heat to the lowest possible and stir for 2 - 3 minutes or so until thick. Don't overcook after adding the cornstarch or the cornstarch will overcook and won't thicken the mixture!
4. Remove from heat and let the mixture come to room temperature. If there are lumps (although there shouldn't be), strain the mixture into a bowl. Chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Remove from the fridge and stir. If there's a skin on the mixture, stir it in. 
5. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Just when the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve, add the almonds. Blend for a few minutes and when the ice cream is almost done freezing, add the bourbon and let it mix for 2 - 3 minutes longer to blend it in.
6. Serve right away for a soft serve, or freeze for a couple of hours till firm.

WAFFLES: EASY, NOT BOXED

Now that summer's here, it's time for waffles-and-summer-fruit weekends! The cornstarch gives these a crispy exterior and the egg whites beaten and folded in make a fluffy interior. If you don't want to bother with separating the eggs and all of that, lightly beat the eggs without separating and add to the dry ingredients when you add the wet ingredients.

According to my Vermont friends, the best maple syrup is Grade B, not Grade A. The consensus is that Grade A is too light and lacks the smoky maple flavour that the Grade B has. So they've advised me to focus on Grade B, and leave the Grade A to snooty New Yorkers. I have both grades at home so I tried them on these waffles and those pancakes, and I'm a convert to Grade B! That's also what I used in these almond and cashew butter fudge bites.

No maple syrup? Honey's just as great!

Waffles
Makes: 5 waffles

- 1 cup oat flour (grind 1 cup rolled oats in a blender till you have flour)

- 3/4 cup all-purpose (AP) flour (or bread flour)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch

- 2 eggs, yolks and whites separated

- 1-3/4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup oil (coconut, grape seed, olive, or any neutral oil)
- 4 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp. oil (to brush on the hot waffle iron)

1. In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
2. Make a well and add the wet ingredients except egg whites. Stir until you have a smooth mixture.
3. Beat the egg whites in another bowl till you have soft peaks. Fold into the smooth mixture and set aside. (If you don't want to bother with separating the eggs and all of that, lightly beat the eggs without separating and add to the dry ingredients when you add the wet ingredients.)
4. Preheat waffle iron.
5. Brush preheated waffle iron with a teaspoon of oil. Ladle about 1 cup batter onto the hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.
6. Serve hot with butter, maple syrup, and fresh fruits.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX: BEST PANCAKES, EVER.

Want to have pancakes for breakfast? Ditch the sad boxed pancake mixes travesties and do what I do: make them the old-fashioned, chemical-free way in a snap! These are not just quick and easy, they're also light and just the right thickness to really enjoy them without feeling too full too fast. I love them with just maple syrup and a bit of butter, but if you still feel a void, or want a more filling pancake experience, have them with fresh fruit. Sliced berries, mango, peach, banana, pear - they're all terrific on pancakes! Chopped walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, cashews are great too.

I do poached fruit like peaches or pears (shown in the first photo) on pancakes if I have them left over from something else, but I prefer raw fruit. The concentrated flavour of cooked fruits like berries overpowers the flavour of the maple syrup and there's no point in wasting perfectly great maple syrup. Honey is a much better alternative if you want to have your pancakes with macerated fruits, compotes, preserves, etc.

Best Pancakes, Ever.
Makes: 10 - 12 pancakes

- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached AP flour)
- 3-1/2 tsp. baking powder (not baking soda)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. orange zest (optional)
- 1-1/4 cups milk, at least 2% or higher fat (or nut milk of choice - I don't eat soy but you can use soy milk if you want)
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted (coconut oil, or safflower/other neutral oil for dairy-free pancakes)

1. Put the oats in a blender and process into oat flour. 
2. Prep the dry ingredients: Mix together the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl. Make sure to mix everything well.
3. Prep the wet ingredients: Break the egg into the blender jar, add the milk and melted butter. Process until everything is just mixed. 
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until everything just comes together in a smooth batter. A few small lumps are ok, but don't overmix the batter.
5. Heat a lightly oiled skillet (or griddle or frying pan) over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure or small ladle, pour the batter onto the hot skillet. The batter will spread to form a 6 - 7 in. pancake. After 30 - 40 seconds, flip the pancake and brown on the other side. Repeat to make more pancakes.
6. Stack 2 pancakes on a plate and serve hot with a pat of butter and/or maple syrup.

Notes:

1. The oat flour won't be as finely milled as the AP flour, but that's fine.
2. If the batter doesn't spread into a 6 - 7 in. pancake, add 1/8 - 1/4 cup milk to thin it.
3. This may be obvious but... if the first pancake is dark brown or burnt, lower the heat for the rest!
4. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat as needed.