Hickory Bark Ice Cream

Note: Hickory chips and nuts can be foraged in eastern and central North America (see post here), or ordered online.

Special equipment: Ice cream maker

Ingredients

serves Makes 2 1/2 pints, active time 1 hour, total time 1 day

• 1/2 pound shagbark hickory bark, broken in to pieces small enough to fit in a large pot (see note above)
• 1 cup smashed hickory nuts or shells (see note above)
• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 4 ounces (1/2 brick) cream cheese, softened

Procedures

1. Adjust an oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 325°F. Spread the hickory bark and shells apart on a baking sheet with parchment paper and toast until fragrant, about 8 minutes.
   
2. Combine milk and toasted hickory bark and shells in a large pot. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until simmering. Adjust heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, let cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then cover and transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
   
3. Strain milk through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and discard solids.
   
4. Whisk 2 cups of hickory milk with the cornstarch in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine remaining 2 cups hickory milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Whisk milk/cornstarch mixture, then pour into boiling milk. Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes,
   
5. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then combine with cream cheese. Transfer to a blender in two batches and blend until thoroughly. Transfer to sealable containers and let cool at room temperature with no lids for 1 hour. Cover and transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate about 4 hours.
   
6. Process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Remove to freezer-safe container and harden in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

Wild Hickory Nut Shortbread Cookies

Crisp short bread cookies made with wild foraged hickory nuts.

Note: Pecans can be used in place of the wild hickory nuts.

Ingredients

serves makes about 3 dozen cookies, active time 30 minutes, total time 2 1/2 hours

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon zest from 1 orange (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (about 10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup roughly and finely chopped wild hickory nuts (see note above)

Procedures

1. Cream butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at medium-low speed. Alternatively, beat with a wooden spoon in a bowl until creamy and aerated. Add the orange zest and salt. Next add sugar and flour, stirring until just combined. Finally, stir in the nuts. The dough should hold together but still be dry. Form the cookie dough into 2- by 12-inch log and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
   
2. When ready to bake, adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 325ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange on cookie sheets leaving 1-inch between cookies. Bake until the edges are light golden brown, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes total. Let cool slightly and serve. Fully cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.