Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Nectarine Blackberry Pie

I'm savoring the rest of the summer fruits with this delicious pie - brown sugar and cinnamon mixed with sliced nectarines and blackberries, topped with a crumble of oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.  You can substitute peaches and/or raspberries as well.

Filling:

6 large ripe nectarines, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick slices

1 cup blackberries

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup gran sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup flour

Stir the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then add fruit, stir to coat.  Place in a 9" inch homemade or prepared pie crust.

Topping:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

7 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Mix all ingredients except butter, then cut in butter with fingertips until pea size crumbs form.  Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 50-60 minutes or until topping and crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling.  Allow to cool and serve, its nice topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  

Enjoy!

S'mores Ice Cream

Today, August 8th is National S'mores Day, I love these food holidays, they give me a good enough reason to try out a new food or recipe.  In honor of today's holiday I have made a S'mores ice cream.  This ice cream has all the s'more goodness - marshmallows, graham crackers and a chocolate ganache mixed into a sweet custard base.  If you like s'mores you will love this ice cream!  From Punchbowl:  It’s National S’mores Day! S'mores are a delicious treat made from three simple ingredients—graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and melted chocolate bars. Yum!The first official s'mores recipe was published in the Girl Scout Handbook in 1927, but culinary historians believe that the tradition began much earlier. Over the years, the recipe was passed from camper to camper and eventually became the most famous fireside dessert. Ever wondered why it is called a s’more? Because you’ll always want "some more" of this decadent sweet!as

Here's the recipe: blished in the 
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup mini marshmallows toasted - till lightly browned on top
1/2 cup mini marshmallows - reserved for topping
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the 1/2 and 1/2 and next 3 ingredients in a small saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until simmering.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks.  Reheat 1/2 and 1/2 mixture, when hot, temper the yolks by adding half of the mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.  Then add egg mixture to saucepan, whisking and heating until thickened.  Pour heavy cream into a large mixing bowl over an ice bath.  Pour the custard into the cream, stirring until cooled (if lumpy - strain the custard into the cream).  Add vanilla, stir, cover and refrigerate until chilled a few hours or overnight.
When chilled, pour into icecream maker and freeze according to directions for about 15-20 minutes, until a soft serve consistency.  Prepare mix-ins.  For ganache: Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.  Heat the 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering.  Pour the cream over the chocolate, cover and allow to stand for 3 minutes.  Stir the mixture until smooth and shiny.  Stir in the vanilla extract and allow to cool.  In a toaster, line baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with baking spray and spread 1/2 cup mini marshmallows over.  Toast briefly to just get the tops golden.  Set aside.   When ice cream is soft serve consistency start adding mix ins:  start with fluff, then 1/2 cup graham crackers - reserve rest for topping, then toasted marshmallows then 1/2 cup of the ganache- reserving some for topping - mix until just blended.  Remove from ice cream maker and continue to fold in the mix ins till blended to your preference.   Scrape out ice cream into a container and cover and freeze until desired consistency - I usually do overnight for a stiff ice cream consistency.  When serving top with remaining mini marshmallows, graham crackers and ganache if desired. 
Adapted from:  The EVERYTHING Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Desserts Cookbook

Toasted Marshmallows

Mix-ins getting mixed in

Enjoy!