Espresso Ice Cream (from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten)

• 3 cups half & half
• 6 extra-large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons espresso/finely ground coffee beans
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) chocolate covered coffee beans

Heat the half & half until bubbles form around the edge of the pan and steam starts to rise. While the half & half is heating, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes, or until light yellow and thick. Slowly add the hot half & half to the egg mixture until combined. Wipe out the pan and pour the mixture back into the clean pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until its thickened and coats the back of the spoon (this could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, just be careful the mixture doesn’t get too hot-otherwise it will curdle).

Pour the cream through a sieve into a bowl. Add the ground coffee beans, Kahlua, and vanilla. Refrigerate until completely chilled, a few hours.

Pour the espresso cream into an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Mix in the chopped espresso beans, spoon into a container, and allow to freeze for a few hours. Soften slightly before serving.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 quarts ice cream, slightly softened

Sift flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter and confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until blended.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until a firm dough forms. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle about 4 by 3 inches. Wrap in plastic and chill for 20 minutes.

Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with plastic wrap and spread the ice cream evenly in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refreeze.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll one rectangle of dough to form a 1/4 inch thick 9 x 11 inch rectangle. Cut the dough into six 2.5 x 5 inch rectangles. Repeat with the remaining dough to form a total of 12 cookies.

Using the blunt end of a wooden skewer, poke holes into the cookies (5 rows with 3 holes in each row). Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the pan 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Assemble the sandwiches: Place half of the cookies face down on a clean work surface. Remove the ice cream from the baking pan and unwrap it. Using a sharp knife, cut 2.5 x 5 inch rectangles to fill the sandwiches with. Place on each of the cookies and top with the remaining halves. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until set- about 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 servings. You can pretty much make whatever sizes and shapes you want, so adjust to your liking!

• 4 ears fresh sweet corn
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
• 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 pints blackberries
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Using a chef’s knife, cut the kernels off the cobs. Add the kernels and cobs to a large pot along with the half-and-half and cream.

Add the 2/3 cup sugar and the salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep for at least 3 hours or up to overnight (if steeping for longer than 3 hours, refrigerate the mixture).

Strain the corn mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Using your hands, wring out the cobs and press on the kernels with a spoon to extract as much liqud as possible; discard the cobs and kernels.

Measure the liquid; you should have about 3 cups. If not, add more cream as needed. Cover and refrigerate the corn-infused mixture for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. Basically you want it to be nicely chilled.

In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 2 pints of the blackberries and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the lemon juice. Puree the berry mixture, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Freeze the chilled corn-infused mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. If desired, pack it into an airtight container and freeze until very firm.

To serve, scoop the ice cream into bowls, drizzle with the blackberry sauce, top with a few of the remaining berries, and serve right away.

Yield: 1 quart ice cream, 6 servings

Why do we like corn in the first place? Because it’s sweet! This ice cream perfectly captures the irresistible flavor of fresh sweet corn. This nod to late summer flavor is further enhanced with a tart, fruity blackberry sauce.

If there’s one thing we grow well in Indiana, it’s corn, and right now people are offering up plenty of it, freshly picked. When a family friend delivered a big box of summer produce to us, I felt the need to get creative.

While I’d certainly pick a double dip waffle cone of espresso chip ice cream over sweet corn ice cream, this is great for a tasting menu (Word of advice: if preparing this for a tasting menu halve the recipe). Paired with the blackberry sauce I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the flavors abundant with summer’s conclusion.

Once you have your fresh sweet corn, the cobs and kernels are steeped in cream to infuse their natural sweetness into the mixture. If you’re a bit wary about the corn flavor, I suggest only steeping for 2-3 hours. Afterwards, the cobs and kernels are strained from the mixture, so your ice cream will be smooth. Don’t worry, there aren’t going to be frozen chunks of corn in here or anything. Just flavor.

The blackberry sauce is made by cooking the blackberries until they become soft, pureeing them with some lemon juice in a blender, and then straining out the seeds. That’s it.

So do as I did, and next time you find yourself with some fresh sweet corn lying around and a basket of berries in fridge, it’s time to make ice cream!

Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Blackberry Sauce (New Flavors for Dessert by Williams-Sonoma)

• 4 ears fresh sweet corn
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
• 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 pints blackberries
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Using a chef’s knife, cut the kernels off the cobs. Add the kernels and cobs to a large pot along with the half-and-half and cream.

Add the 2/3 cup sugar and the salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep for at least 3 hours or up to overnight (if steeping for longer than 3 hours, refrigerate the mixture).

Strain the corn mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Using your hands, wring out the cobs and press on the kernels with a spoon to extract as much liqud as possible; discard the cobs and kernels.

Measure the liquid; you should have about 3 cups. If not, add more cream as needed. Cover and refrigerate the corn-infused mixture for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. Basically you want it to be nicely chilled.

In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 2 pints of the blackberries and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the lemon juice. Puree the berry mixture, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Freeze the chilled corn-infused mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. If desired, pack it into an airtight container and freeze until very firm.

To serve, scoop the ice cream into bowls, drizzle with the blackberry sauce, top with a few of the remaining berries, and serve right away.

Yield: 1 quart ice cream, 6 servings