Friday, January 1, 2010

Cinnamon Peach Empanada with Jalapeno Ice Cream


It seems as if I'm in some sort of dessert mode lately and the calories are killing me for it. This dessert is something that I created for an upcoming cooking class that I'm teaching on 1/11/10 about "Colorado Fusion" cuisine. The concept is based on utilizing Colorado ingredients with a southwestern flare. An empanada is a simple thing to make and I personally enjoy using puff pastry for the flaky texture and deep golden color. The peaches are diced and tossed in spices, corn starch, sugar, and lemon juice. Simply fold the pastry over the peaches and crimp the edges with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. The jalapeno ice cream is a nice surprise because it's extremely subtle with a hint of spice at the end. The lime zest that has been grated into the ice cream creates a balanced flavor between the chile and vanilla bean. Placing a scoop of jalapeno ice cream on top of the warm peach empanada fresh out the oven makes it a symphony of hot and cold textures. I'm seriously considering placing this dish on the dessert menu this spring so please try the recipes and tell me what you think.
Cinnamon Peach Empanadas
2 Tbl Cornstarch
½ cup Granulated Sugar
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt
6 ea Peaches (peeled, seeded, chopped)
2 Tbl Lemon Juice
2 sheets Puff Pastry
¼ cup Egg Wash

Procedure: Toss the cornstarch, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, peaches, and lemon juice together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Roll out the puff pastry and cut out 8" circles. Place the peach mixture in the center, fold the pastry over into a half moon, and seal together with a fork on the edges. Brush the empanadas with egg wash and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and puffed. Serve warm with ice cream.

Jalapeno Ice Cream
1 ea JalapeƱo (Seeded and Chopped Fine)
1 ea Lime (Juiced and Grated)
1 cup Water
2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 ½ cups Milk
1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
9 ea Large Egg Yolks
1 Tbl Vanilla Extract

Procedure: In a small saucepan bring jalapeno, water, and 1 cup of sugar to a boil. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Bring milk, grated lime, and cream to a scald. Whisk egg yolks, with the remaining sugar and add hot cream mixture in small portions while constantly stirring. Once the cream is tempered in with the egg mixture, place back in saucepan on medium heat. Slowly stir until custard is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Allow to cool completely before freezing in an Ice Cream Maker.

1 comment:

Andrew said...

Do you have a mail order delivery service for your fine food? If not I will hav to make a trip to Colorado.

"If We Do the Possible, God Will Do the Impossible"