Entertain: National Ice Cream Day

Good news: Today you can indulge in your favorite cold treat without the guilt. Why? July is National Ice Cream Month and today just so happens to be National Ice Cream Day. While it may be hard to choose which flavor to try, it shouldn't be too hard to pick your favorite POSH amuse-bouche or bowl. 

Take your pick: (Clockwise from top left) Simple and sweet with out Catering Collection / Silver Compotes give perfect presentation for ice cream or additional sweets, like these goodies from Cassandra's Fine Catering (Andrea Polito Photography) / Serve it in style with our Barcelona Gold China and Lily Server. Perfect for a sweet sorbet! (Edmonson Photography).

Perfect for after-dinner sweets. Top: Vintage Glass Compotes. Bottom: Trumpet Compotes in blue.

Want to make your own ice cream? Try this great recipe for Peach and Toasted Pecan Ice Cream from Southern Living. Yum!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste*

1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped peaches

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Prep:

1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. 10-12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla bean paste. Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, cook peaches and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. 4 to 5 minutes. Coarsely mash, and let cool 30 minutes. Stir peach mixture into cooled cream mixture.

4. Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture and chill 8 to 24 hours.

5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add pecans, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 9 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).

6. Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container of a  1 1/2qt. electric ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions (times may vary). Before transferring ice cream to an airtight container for further freezing, stir in pecan mixture.

*vanilla extract may be substituted.