Double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 8 hours 30 minutes; Yield: 1.5 quarts 

Cream, heavy	2 cups
Buttermilk	1 cup
Sugar, dark brown	¾ cup
Sugar, granulated	2 tablespoons
Double Dutch dark cocoa	6 tablespoons
Eggs	5 yolks
Espresso powder	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	¼ teaspoon
Vanilla extract	2 teaspoons
Chocolate, dark (around 60%), chopped	3 ounces
Bourbon	1 tablespoon

1. In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, sugars, cocoa, yolks, espresso powder, and salt; the mixture will appear lumpy but it will smooth out as it cooks. 
2. Over medium heat, warm the custard while whisking constantly, just until it begins to steam and is barely bubbling around the edges; don’t let it come to a boil. 
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and chocolate until smooth. 
4. Pour the custard into a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend for 30 seconds to ensure all the cocoa powder is broken down for a very smooth texture. 
5. Cover the bowl, with plastic wrap resting against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate until well chilled, preferably overnight. 
6. Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until it has a soft-serve consistency. 
7. During the last minute of churning, add the bourbon. 
8. Scrape the ice cream into a lidded container, and freeze until firm, at least 8 to 10 hours. 

Recipe mildly adapted from curlygirlkitchen.com.

Best banana bread

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour 30 minutes; Serves: 8 to 10

Butter, unsalted, melted	½ cup
Pecans, toasted, chopped	1 cup
Flour, all-purpose	1 ¾ cup
Sugar, granulated	½ cup
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	1 teaspoon
Salt, fine	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly grated	¼ teaspoon
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt	½ cup
Sugar, brown	½ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Bananas, mashed	1 ½ cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pecans, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla; stir in the bananas. 
4. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and lightly tap the pan on the counter to evenly distribute the batter. 
6. Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. 
7. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely. 

Recipe from Food Network.

Super crispy fried chicken sandwich

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Makes 12 sandwiches

Pickles, dill chips; ½ cup brine reserved, about 60 pickle chips reserved	32 ounces
Salt, kosher	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Paprika	2 teaspoons
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon +
Cayenne	½ teaspoon +
Garlic powder	½ teaspoon
Onion powder	½ teaspoon
Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless	12
Buttermilk or well-stirred whole milk yogurt	1 cup
Water	½ cup
Egg	1 large
Flour, all-purpose	4 cups
Cornstarch	¼ cup
Oil, peanut
Mayonnaise	1 cup
Hamburger buns	12
Lettuce, shredded	6 cups
Tomatoes, ripe, sliced	12

1. Stir together the pickle brine, 1-tablespoon salt, paprika, 1-teaspoon pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. 
2. Place chicken thighs in a gallon-sized ziplock plastic bag; pour in the brine mixture. 
3. Seal the bag, and massage until the chicken is evenly coated. 
4. Place in the refrigerator; let marinate at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours or overnight. 
5. Whisk together the buttermilk, water, and egg in a large bowl. 
6. Remove the chicken from the brine; discard the brine. 
7. Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture. 
8. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 1-tablespoon salt, and 1-tablespoon pepper in a shallow dish; set aside. 
9. Preheat your oven to 200°F. 
10. Pour oil to a depth of ½ inch in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet; heat oil over medium to 350°F. 
11. Working in batches, remove three or four chicken thighs from the buttermilk mixture, and place in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere. 
12. Lift from the flour mixture, and gently shake off excess. 
13. Carefully place the chicken in hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the skillet. 
14. Cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature of 350°F, and turning every 1 to 2 minutes using tongs, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F, and the breading is golden browned and very crispy, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. 
15. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. 
16. Place in preheated oven to keep warm while repeating the frying process with the remaining chicken. 
17. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise onto the cut sides of each bun. 
18. Arrange five to six pickles on each bun bottom; top with one chicken thigh, ½-cup lettuce, and a tomato slice. 
19. Cover with top bun; serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2020

Blue cheese dressing

Blue cheese	2 ½ ounces
Buttermilk	3 tablespoons
Sour cream	3 tablespoons
Mayonnaise	2 tablespoons
Vinegar, white wine	2 teaspoons
Sugar	¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	1/8 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground
Salt

1. Whisk the blue cheese and buttermilk together until it resembles cottage cheese.
2. Whisk in the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Individual peach upside-down cakes

Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
Sugar, light brown	¼ cup
Peaches	2 medium
Flour, all-purpose	2 ½ ounces
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	1/8 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1/8 teaspoon
Sugar, granulated	1/3 cup
Buttermilk, room temperature	½ cup
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon
Cream, whipped

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; ensure a rack is set in the middle. 
2. Divide 2-tablespoons butter among four 6-ounce ramekins. 
3. Melt 1-tablespoon butter; set aside. 
4. Evenly divide the brown sugar among the ramekins, sprinkling it into the bottoms of the dishes. 
5. Halve the peaches, remove the pits, and cut each half into seven to eight slices. 
6. Arrange the peaches on top of the sugar, evenly diving them among the dishes; set aside. 
7. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter. 
9. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture; stir until just combined. 
10. Pour the batter over the peaches, dividing the mixture evenly among the dishes; bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 
11. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack for 5 minutes. 
12. Run a knife around the edges of each dish, and invert it onto a plate. 
13. Serve immediately with whipped cream. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Good Eats 2: The Middle Years by Alton Brown.