Porcini Ice Cream with Candy Cap Crisp and Truffle Salt

RECIPE AND PHOTO BY JESS STARWOOD

This porcini ice cream with a candy cap mushroom crisp is fun to make and gives your sweet tooth a satisfying blend of sweet, salty and umami.

For the ice cream:

½ cup porcini powder

1 cup cashews, soaked for at least an hour

1 cup almond milk

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

In a preheated cast-iron skillet, lightly toast the porcini powder until fragrant, about 3–5 minutes.

Add porcini powder and remaining ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy. Adjust for sweetness if desired.

Place the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

For the candy cap shortbread crisp:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup candy cap mushrooms, dried and powdered

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fine pastry flour

¼ cup pecans, chopped and toasted

Sea salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars and candy cap powder together until creamy and mixed thoroughly.

Add flour and pecans, mixing until just combined without overworking the dough. Turn out onto a piece of wax paper and form into a log with about 1⅛ inches thick. Wrap the wax paper around the log tightly and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°F.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut into ¼-inch rounds. Place rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each crisp. Sprinkle the crisps lightly with sea salt.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

To Serve: Place the candy cap crisp on a plate and top with a modest scoop of porcini ice cream. Garnish with seasonal flowers and sprinkle with white truffle salt.