Warm Peach and Raspberry Compote over Crème Fraîch Ice Cream with Pine Nut
Cookies
:          Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

: 1 1/2 cups milk

: 6 egg yolks

: 3/4 cups sugar

: 1/2 vanilla bean,
or
: 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

: 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche In small saucepan whisk together the
milk, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean. Whisk constantly over medium heat
until thickened. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a stainless
steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Remove vanilla bean. Transfer
to the mixing container of an ice cream machine. Refrigerate until slushy.
Add the crème fraîche and continue mixing until the ice cream is firm.
Transfer to a storage container and pack down lightly. Freeze until
serving. Makes about 1 quart.

Warm Peach and Raspberry Compote

2 to 3 ripe peaches, peeled

2 tablespoons water

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 pint raspberries

Cut peaches into cubes, place in a small saucepan. Stir in water, sugar and
lemon zest. Cook just until peaches are tender. Stir in raspberries and
heat just until warmed. Taste and adjust flavor with sugar or lemon juice
as needed.

NOTE: This is best made shortly before serving.

Pine Nut Shortbread Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

5 ounces cold butter

2/3 cup (5 ounces) ground pine nuts

1 teaspoon Cointreau (orange flavored liqueur)

Whole pine nuts for decoration

In the small bowl of a mixer combine flour, sugar and baking powder.
Gradually mix in the butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Blend
in pine nuts then mix briefly. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and
gently knead in the Cointreau. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with
plastic and refrigerate until firm. Allow dough to soften slightly at room
temperature before rolling out.

Roll dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to a thickness of
1/8-inch. Leaving the dough on the paper, neatly cut rows of round cookies
spaced about 1 inch apart. Remove the excess dough from between the cookies
and transfer the entire sheet of parchment onto a baking pan. Repeat
process with dough scraps.

Gently press a few whole pine nuts onto the top of each cookie. Bake at
350°F until golden (8 to 10 minutes). Do not overbake. Allow to cool
slightly before removing from baking sheet. Makes about 2 dozen small
cookies.

NOTE: To grind pine nuts, place in a food processor fitted with a metal
blade and sprinkle lightly with flour. Pulse several times until ground.

TO SERVE: Place a few small scoops of ice cream in a dessert dish (or a
very elegant glass). Spoon the warm compote over the ice cream and arrange
a couple of cookies at the side. Serve immediately, and do the dishes in
the morning.·