pistachio-strawberry swirl ice cream

a warm winter makes way for an early harvest of strawberries

meandering down a country road this weekend passed

i happened across a roadside stand

loaded with berries and heaps of pistachios

locally grown

to keep up with our highly productive flock

i find myself

dreaming up custards

frozen custards

frozen custards made from

backyard eggs

fresh milk

and

farmstand goodies

pistachio-strawberry swirl ice cream

1 cup unsalted (roasted and shelled) pistachios

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 large eggs yolks
pinch salt (sea or kosher)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (optional)
whisk the egg yolks, salt and 3/4 cup sugar. place milk and the pistachios in a blender and puree until the nuts are completely liquid and smooth.  add 3/4 cup sugar and place over low heat and warm to a simmer.  remove from heat and whisk into the eggs and sugar mixture.  tip back into the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring continually with a rubber spatula.  do not allow to boil, and cook until it just begins to thicken to nappe.  remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a clean bowl.  stir in vanilla and heavy cream. refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.  freeze according to ice cream manufacturers instructions. 
once the custard is frozen, transfer it to a freezer safe container.  swirl in the strawberry preserves and the chopped pistachios (if using)

*if you choose to make your own strawberry preserves, simply place 2 cups of roughly chopped strawberries in a saucepan.  taste for sweetness.  squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon.  add sugar according to sweetness.  add up to 1 1/2 cups of sugar (less if sweet strawberries, more if not sweet).  cook at a simmer until strawberries break down and soften and they sit in a thick glaze.  refrigerate until needed

jammy almond crumb bars

we live 

in the country

not the county of estates and tag sales

but the country

of 

pastures and dairy sheep

so when

someone stops by

we wave them in

take their coat

and 

sit them down with a

hot cup of coffee and a sweet

these bars are a twist on the common crumble bar

i use whatever jam i have on hand

{usually something not too sweet loaded with bits of fruit}

the twist comes in the form of almond paste

it finds its way into these cookies

at every bite

jammy almond crumb bars

(printable recipe)

2 sticks unsalted butter--room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

7 oz almond paste (divided)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup high quality-not too sweet jam (ollalaberry, raspberry, blackberry, fruits of the forest, etc)

1/4 cup toasted pistachio nuts

place sugar, flour and 1/3 of the almond paste in a bowl.  by hand, work in the almond paste so that it is in small bits throughout the flour.  Add the butter and work by hand until you get a crumble that will stick when pressed together.

press about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom and up the sides of  a 9"x9"  fluted tart pan*. take remaining almond paste and lightly press a thin layer on top of the crust.  you may not use all of the paste. spread evenly with jam.  

Mix the pistachio nuts in with remaining dough.  Evenly distribute remaining dough by crumbling on top of jam.  (i like a thick layer of topping)

Bake at 350 for approximately 40-45 minutes. you want the crust and crumble to be slightly colored, but not over-browned.

*if you do not have a fluted tart pan, this works fine in a standard 9x9 cake pan, just be sure to bring the crust 1/4-1/2"  up the sides.