Showing posts with label Ice Cream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ice Cream. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ice Cream

Everyone in our family loves pie, and what is pie without a scoop of ice cream? We decided to take the best of both worlds and make a strawberry rhubarb pie ice cream, and it has quickly become one of our favorite summer treats. While rhubarb is not for everyone, Boy Mimi especially loves the sweet tart flavor it gives to pies, crumbles, and now ice cream.  When he was small, my sister owned a pie shop and she brought him his first strawberry rhubarb pie, and the rest is history. He is the first to suggest a rhubarb treat as soon as we see some at the farmer's markets in the spring.

Although I usually have a fairly successful garden, rhubarb is something I've had a difficult time growing. This year I finally had enough to make a few batches of jam with some rhubarb left over for a few extra treats. For this ice cream, we used a combination of our classic vanilla base with a strawberry rhubarb swirl, and topped it off with the pie crust crumble from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. It might look like just a scoop of ice cream, but the tartness of the rhubarb and the sweetness of the strawberries, combined with the creamy vanilla ice cream and crunchy pie crust all make for a few perfect bites full of the taste of summer. I hope my rhubarb is successful again next year- this ice cream will be one of the first things we make. 


 Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ice Cream

Ice Cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cups milk (I use 2%)
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

 In a bowl,mix the eggs yolks with half of the sugar. In a medium sauce pan heat milk,cream, remaining sugar and corn syrup together until it simmers.
Gradually add the milk to the egg mixture. Return mixture to pan and cook stirring constantly until thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Mixture will hold a clear path when you run your finger across the spoon.
Remove from heat, strain through a fine mesh strainer, stir in vanilla and cool to room temperature. Chill mixture 3 to 4 hours or overnight before processing  in your ice cream maker, according to manufacturers directions.

 Strawberry- Rhubarb Swirl
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 cup chopped rhubarb 
1/2- 1 cup sugar depending on the sweetness of the strawberries
juice of 1/2 lemon.

 Mix all ingredient in a sauce pan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for about 4-6 minutes until mixture thickens slightly (like runny jam, it will thicken further as it cools). Cool to room temperature and chill until ready to use.

 Pie Crumbs 
 Momofuku Milk Bar 
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick butter melted 
1 1/2 tablespoons water

 Heat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on low speed until well mixed. Add the butter and water and paddle on low speed until mixture starts to come together in small clumps. Spread the clumps on a parchment/silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, breaking up the clumps occasionally.
The crumbs should be golden brown and still slightly moist to the touch at that point; they will dry and harden as they cool. When ice cream has churned, swirl in the strawberry rhubarb mixture. Freeze until firm. Sprinkle with pie crumb  when serving.
printable recipe



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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream

This month's Improv challenge ingredients were cinnamon and sugar. With such a classic combination there are always a ton of recipes that come to mind, but this month I wanted to try something new. Last year I was lucky enough to try the delicious ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco, and when I got back home Mimi Jr. surprised me with a copy of their cookbook, Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones. Since his first flip through the book, their recipe for Snickerdoodle Ice Cream has been at the top of Mr. Mimi's request list, so I knew this was the time to try it.  I made a few changes to the recipe, seeping cinnamon sticks in the cream,adding a little gelatin to help keep it from turning to liquid too fast and replacing some of the sugar corn syrup to help keep it more scoopable.
All I can say is, I should have made this sooner. It was a thick, rich ice cream with the perfect amount of cinnamon- enough to know it was definitely cinnamon, but not so much that it was overwhelming. To up the snickerdoodle factor, I added some cinnamon chip snickerdoodles and topped the whole thing with a buttery cinnamon sauce. I have never thought of snickerdoodles as a personal favorite cookie, but this ice cream may have just changed my mind. I'll probably have to make it again, just to be sure.

 Snickerdoodle Ice Cream
adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones
 5 egg yolks
 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar
 1 cinnamon stick
 1 cup milk
 2 cups heavy cream
 1 teaspoon gelatin
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 2 tablespoons corn syrup
 cinnamon chip snickerdoodles* the amount you use is up to you

 In a small bowl soften gelatin in a tablespoon of water.
 In a medium sauce pan combine milk, cream and cinnamon stick bring to a simmer. Let cinnamon infuse for 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and add corn syrup and 2 tablespoons sugar, bring to a simmer.
Add 1/4 cup hot milk mixture to softened gelatin, stir to dissolve gelatin. Add gelatin to the milk pan and stir to incorporate
 Whisk egg yolk and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl until thick and sugar has dissolved.  Temper the egg yolk by whisking in about 3/4 cup hot milk.. Add egg yolk mixture to the milk, stirring with a wooden spoon, you do not want to make this frothy by using a whisk. Cook over medium heat until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 170 degrees f. Remove from heat and strain into a clean bowl, allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours or overnight.
Churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
Break snickerdoodles into bite size pieces.When ice cream has finished churning but is still soft, fold in (as much as you like) snickerdoodles pieces, then place in a freezer safe container, cover and freeze until firm.While ice cream is firming up, make the cinnamon syrup.
printable recipe

 Cinnamon Syrup

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Light corn syrup (Karo)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

In a deep pot combine the butter, sugar, buttermilk, salt, cinnamon and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the baking soda and vanilla and stir until combined. *The baking soda will cause the mixture to foam to twice its volume, so be sure to use a big enough pot* The color of the syrup will turn to a golden brown. Remove from the heat and continue to stir until the syrup thickens. Let it cool and serve immediately, or store in the fridge in an air tight container. It will thicken as it cools, but you can warm it up in the microwave to thin it out.
printable recipe
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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Goat Cheese Nasturtium Ice Cream


I can never resist adding a new cookbook to my collection and I was lucky enough to be offered a copy of Cooking with Flowers by Miche Bacher of Mali B Sweets in New York. We live on a 1/2 acre with lots of fruit trees and a big vegetable garden, as well as lot of herbs and flowers. I love being able to grow some of our favorite fruits and veggies, and I was excited to be able to get some more use out of my garden, this time by using flowers as a fun new ingredient in my kitchen. 
This book is full of both sweet and savory recipes, and beautifully photographed. The recipes use a wide variety of flower, from your typical rose, all the way to violets, sunflowers, tulips and hollyhocks. Using flowers as food is the epitome of seasonal eating, as I had to choose my recipe based on what was in bloom, and that happened to be nasturtiums.
Nasturtiums have a peppery taste and I have used them in salads, but nothing more. We wanted to try the flowers in a way that was completely new to us, so we made the Goat Cheese Nasturtiums Ice Cream and the Nasturtiums Thumbprint Cookies.
 Both recipes were straightforward and easy to make. The thumbprint cookies used a nasturtium jam, but I didn't have time to make my own so I embellished some red currant jelly with nasturtium petals and white pepper. It added just the right bit of sweetness to the buttery, peppery shortbread cookie.
The goat cheese ice cream was smooth and creamy, with the distinct tang of goat cheese, but was still sweet enough to be called ice cream. It had a very light and refreshing feel, making it the prefect dessert for the upcoming hot summer nights. I know we will continue to flip through this book, and try new recipes based on what is blooming in my garden, and maybe even plant some new varieties of flowers to use in the kitchen.

Goat Cheese Nasturtium Ice Cream
Cooking With Flowers- Miche Bacher

 8 ounces soft goat cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar, divided
6 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup nasturtium petals, finely chopped.

 1. Crumble goat cheese in a heat proof bowl.

 2. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, warm the milk and half the sugar. Summer until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and salt in a heat proof bowl. When the milk has absorbed the sugar but before it comes to a boil begin to temper your eggs by slowly pouring half the hot milk mixture over the yolk mixture, while whisking vigorously. Then slowly pour the egg- milk mixture back into saucepan, whisking vigorously. Heat the mixture until it coats the back of a spoon and the temperature reaches 160 F.

 3. Slowly pour mixture over the goat cheese, whisking to fully dissolve and incorporate it. Fold in chopped flowers and chill mixture for at least 4  hours and up to overnight. (The flowers will release their essential oils when they absorb some of the residual heat from the cream.) Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container and let harden in freezer until firm. Let ice cream sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

  

Link: Foodie Friday
G'Day Saturday
 Poofy Cheeks
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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Apple Pie Ice Cream


It continues to be pretty hot here in Southern California, but that doesn't diminish our desire for Fall treats. We had some friends over for dinner in the middle of October, but instead of a bowl of soup or a cozy fall meal, we ended up grilling outside because it still felt like summer. For dessert I decided to combine the best of both summer and fall in an apple pie ice cream. This ice cream is cool and creamy, but filled with chunks of warmly spiced apples and topped with a crunchy pie crust crumble. If you want to go all out, a nice drizzle of homemade caramel sauce is pretty good on here too.

Even though we are in November, if it continues to stay so warm, we are going to have to experiment with transforming many of our favorite  fall flavors into frozen desserts!

Apple Pie Ice Cream

Apples:
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium apples, peeled core and cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 cup apple cider
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine the all the ingredient in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until apples are soft and liquid has evaporated. remove from heat and cool. Pour into a food processor and plus a few times to chop apples. Remove 1/2 of apples and reserve. Plus remaing apples to a smooth puree.

Ice Cream Base
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon corn syrup

 In a medium bowl whisk egg yolks, cornstarch and 1/2 the sugar.

In a sauce pan heat the cream, milk, salt, corn syrup and remaining sugar to a simmer. Carefully add 1 cup of the hot liquid into the egg yolk, whisking the eggs constantly. With a wooden spoon stir the hot egg mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining cream/milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly unit the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Cool for at least 2 hours.

Add custard to the pureed apples in the food processor, puree until smooth.

Process in your ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.

When your ice cream is churned swril in the reserved apple chunks in big streaks. Freeze until firm.

Pie Crust Crumble
Momofuku Milk Bar

1 1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick butter melted
1 1/2 tablespoons water

Heat oven to 350 F.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on low speed until well mixed.  Add the butter and water and paddle on low speed until mixture starts to come together in small clumps.

Spread the clumps on a parchment/silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, breaking up the clumps occasionally.  The crumbs should be golden brown and still slightly moist to the touch at that point; they will dry and harden as they cool.

Let crumbs cool completely before using .

When serving ice cream sprinkle each bowl with the pie crust crumble.

printable recipe




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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Cornflake Crunch


Sweet corn ice cream has long been on my to-make list, so I was delighted that the July Improv challenege ingredients were corn and butter. My new favorite cookbook is the Momofuku Milk Bar book by Christina Tosi, and I knew her cornflake crunch would be the perfect topping for the corn ice cream. I did double the sugar in the crunch to make it sweeter since I was using it for an ice cream that wasn't super sweet on its own.


The ice cream was good, with a smooth and creamy texture and a taste that reminded us of Captain Crunch cereal. But for us it wasn't a wow recipe. I added cornflake crunch to half the ice cream after churning, before letting it cure in the freezer, but it lost its crunch, so next time I'll just save it for the topping. When we tried the cured ice cream, it really needed something more, so we added a drizzle of honey and some crunch on top. The sweetness of the honey picked up the subtle sweetness of the corn flavor, giving it the boost in flavor we were looking for. While not the most favorite ice cream we've made, it was definitely fun to try something so different. 


Sweet Corn Ice Cream

4 cups sweet corn*
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
1 cup sugar**
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Scrape corn from the cob or use frozen corn to measure 4 cups.
In a medium sauce pan, add 2 cups milk, corn (and cobs, if using fresh corn) with 1/2 cup sugar, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the cobs and puree the remaining corn and milk mixture until very smooth. Return to the pan, add the cream and over low heat bring to a simmer again. Turn off the heat and let stand for 1 hour. With a mesh strainer strain the milk mixture, using your ladle to push on the solids to extract as much liquid as you can. Toss the  solids that remain.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar** and salt. Drizzle in about 1/2 cup of the corn and cream mixture while whisking constantly.
Add the warmed egg yolks to the remaining corn liquid in the sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 160 F. degrees. Strain the mixture into a bowl and add the vanilla. Stir, and chill for 4 hours.
Process in your ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.

** I would substitute honey for 1/2 of the sugar next time I make this **

Cornflake Crunch
adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar

5 cups (6 ounces) Cornflakes
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
9 tablespoons  butter, melted

Pre heat oven to 275F.

Pour cornflakes in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size.  Add the powdered milk, sugar, and salt and toss to mix.  Add the butter and toss to coat.  As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the cereal, creating small clusters.
Spread the clusters on a parchment or silpat lined pan and bake for 20 minutes. they should look toasted and smell buttery.
Cool completely before using.



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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Orange Sherbet and Lime Ice Cream

Summer is winding down, some of the local schools are already in session, but in Southern California our hot weather is really just beginning. Late August thru mid September are some of our hottest days so there is still plenty of time to enjoy a cool, fruity treat. If we are lucky we will have warm weather until late October and we can continue swimming and eating on the patio almost until Halloween. This Orange Sherbet comes from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook and the Lime Ice Cream is from the blog  La Casserole Carree. Vibi has a beautiful blog and I knew that this ice cream would make it to the freezer in record time, since we had a bag full of limes just waiting to be squeezed and zested.


Orange Sherbet
The America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon Triple Sec or vodka
2/3 cup heavy cream

1. In a  bowl add sugar, salt and orange zest. Rub with your fingers to release the oils in the zest.  Your sugar with be moist and orange colored. Add the orange juice, lemon juice and triple Sec and stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
2.In a second chilled bowl whip the cream to soft peaks. While whisking constantly, pour the chilled juice mixture down the side of the bowl into the whipped cream. Once the juice is completely incorporated into the cream transfer the mixture to your ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.
printable recipe
 

All ice cream is welcome around here, especially the ones made with fresh fruit juice. The sherbet was just like all those 50-50 bars that we ate as kids and who can resist the fresh orange/sweet vanilla combo? The lime ice cream quickly became a new favorite, with its perfect balance of sweet, tart, and citrus flavors. The zest is the most flavorful part of these fruits, and that one simple addition makes such a huge flavor impact without adding more ingredients or more work, so don't skip that part! These both have just a few simple ingredients and are a tasty way to cool down as we head into some of our warmest days yet.




Lime Ice Cream
adapted from La Casserole Carree

2 large eggs
⅔ cup sugar
Zest of 2 limes, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and lime zest until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
Add milk and cream, beat until well mixed. Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan and cook on medium heat to 170 °, stirring regularly.
Remove from heat and let cool .
Add lime juice, mix well. (My mixture looked a little curdled so I pureed it with my immersion blender.)
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl, cover and refrigerate until well chilled
When properly cooled, pour into ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions.
printable recipe

Dig in!
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Ice Cream Sandwich



The dog days of summer are the time when memories are made. School is out, the kids are free to run and play, and whenever we look back on that stretch of scorching days (or weeks, sometimes) we always remember the things we did trying to stay cool- running through the sprinklers, spending days at the beach, hours in the pool, and eating every kind of popsicle, ice cream and frozen fruit imaginable. Although we haven't had weeks of 100 degree weather here, it is still hot enough to devour our favorite homemade ice cream treats. This time around we made ice cream sandwiches. We used Dorie Greenspan's Carmel Crunch Bars as a buttery brown sugar base for vanilla ice cream.

The tasty shortbread cookie is flavored with espresso, chocolate, and bits of rich toffee, and becomes the perfect portable (and edible) container for our favorite vanilla ice cream. Since there are usually only three of us at home, I halve most recipes, but this time I made the whole thing, and was glad I did. I made a bunch of mini sandwiches and it was nice to have a pre-made stash of cold treats in the freezer that we could snack on for the week. I know we will be making these again this summer, trying lots of other combinations of cookie and ice cream!



Carmel Crunch Bars
Baking:from my home to yours- Dorie Greenspan

Bars
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped
Topping:
6 ounces bittersweet or milk chocolate, finely copped
3/4 cup Heath Toffee Bits

Prepare pan: butter a 9x13 pan, line with foil, butter foil. Pre heat oven to 375degrees F.
Whisk together flour, espresso powder, salt and cinnamon.
In a mixer bowl  beat butter for 3 minutes until smooth.  Add sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients, and mix until they just disappear into the batter. Add chopped chocolate and mix quickly just to incorporate.
Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth into a thin even layer.  Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the base is bubbly. Remove pan from oven and turn off the oven.
Scatter the chopped chocolate evenly over the top of the  hot base and pop the pan back into the oven for 2-3 minutes, until the chocolate is soft. Remove from oven and immediately spread the chocolate over the bars using an offset spatula. Sprinkle the toffee bits over the chocolate and press them down lightly with your fingertips. Cool to room temperature.
Using the foil edges lift the bars from the pan and place on a cutting board and cut into desired sizes. We made our sandwiches about 2x4
For ice cream bars: Line a 9x13 pan with foil.  Spread and even layer of your favorite ice cream over the bottom of the pan.  Place in freezer and chill until firm. Using the foil liner lift the ice cream sheet from the pan and cut to match the dimensions of your crunch bars. Layer ice cream between two crunch bars. place bars on a rimmed cookie sheet and return to the freezer until firm.
Stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summer.


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Monday, July 18, 2011

Strawberry and Peach Blender Ice Creams



 In Southern California, it is really ice cream season year round, but it always tastes just a little bit better on a hot summer's day.  When we were children it was a special treat to make ice cream. We had to have plenty of ice, rock salt, friends willing to turn the crank, and of course my Dad, who would do the final turns when it was too difficult for our tired arms. After all that work, there was nothing better than that first bite of homemade ice cream. Although making ice cream the old fashioned way is fun, I love my new, no pre-freezing required ice cream machine. The only wait time is chilling the custard, but the great thing about both of these ice creams is that they are made in the blender and do not have a cooked base, so they can be ready to churn in minutes. These kind of desserts are perfect for those summer days when it is too hot to turn on the stove and you can't wait 24 hours for your ice cream.


Nothing is easier to make than this peach ice cream. It is light, delicate and silky smooth, and is really nothing more than peaches and cream. Since we have a large crop of peaches, we did make two versions- one with diced peaches marinated in amaretto and one without. We were split on which was better. Mr. Mimi and I liked the chunks of peaches, while Boy Mimi preferred the smooth one, so it is just a matter of personal ice cream taste.

Peach Ice Cream
This is really just a method and we make it with almost any type of fruit.

Peaches
Lemon
Sugar
Cream
Amaretto, or almond extract

Peel and pit peaches, add to blender with the juice of one lemon. Puree until smooth. To 2 1/2 cups of peach puree we added 1/2 cup sugar, but the amount of sugar depend on the sweetness of the peaches so adjust as necessary, remembering that when frozen it will taste less sweet. We added 1 cup cream and pureed until thick. Taste your ice cream and if the flavor is too mild add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract or a couple tablespoons amaretto.  Freeze in your ice cream maker according the manufacturer's directions. If you like, chop up some additional peaches to add at the ending of churning for a chunky peach ice cream. We let our peaches sit in a tablespoon of amaretto while the ice cream was turning.
printable recipe


The recipe for the Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream comes from my friend Kim at Stirring the Pot. It is also a blender ice cream, creamy and smooth with a fresh strawberry flavor balanced by the slight cream cheese flavor in the background. Next time we might bake a graham cracker crust, and add some crumbled pieces to make it even more like a cheesecake.


Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Adapted from Food.com and Stirring the Pot
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup fresh pureed strawberry
1 cup half and half or cream


Blend all ingredients until smooth. Chill ingredients for about 1 hour, or until cold, and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.
printable recipe



Links: Foodie Fridays at Designs by Gollum
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

TWD :Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

 Katrina of Baking and Boys picked Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream. The lone woman in a houseful of boys, Katrina has her hands full, yet she always manages to cook up some tasty treats.

When I first saw this recipe pick, I had mixed feelings. None of us really like chocolate ice cream because it usually tastes artificial  and  doesn't have a real chocolate flavor or texture, so I was hoping that this wouldn't be a waste of time, ingredients, and freezer space. But I was also excited, hoping that this recipe would be the one to change our minds since Dorie has had more hits than misses with our family. And with this recipe, Dorie succeeds again. We all liked the smooth creamy texture and deep, true chocolate flavor. Everyone practically licked their bowls clean, and the remaining ice cream was gone in record time. I know that this ice cream will be reappearing as the summer days get hotter, and that says a lot coming from a bunch of people who "don't like" chocolate ice cream!

This ice cream has a few simple ingredients and is very easy to customize.  Add some nuts, chocolate chunks, and marshmallows for Rocky Road, or crushed candies or cookies for your own special treat. Whatever you do, you will definitely enjoy this creamy, chocolatey ice cream.

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
Dorie Greenspan, Baking From My Home to Yours
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring ¾ cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.
Bring the milk and the remaining ¾ cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid—this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.
Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.
Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into the container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop. Makes about 1 quart.
Serving: If the ice cream is very firm—as ice cream made with premium-quality chocolate often is—allow it to sit on the counter for a few minutes before scooping or warm it in a microwave oven using 5-second spurts of heat.
Storing: Packed tightly in a covered container, the ice cream will keep in the freezer for about 2 weeks

Thanks for a great pick Katrina. If you want the recipe for this excellent ice cream stop by Baking with Boys and Katrina will have the recipe for you, along with her special take on the recipe.  If you want to see what the other TWD bakers made visit our blog roll.

THE WINNERS
Thank to everyone who participated in the Girard's salad dressing  give away. Winners where chosen by :
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random integers, generated with replacement:

9 24 5 3 16
Timestamp: 2010-08-09 20:57:19 UTC

Barbara at Barbara Bakes
Becky Boyer at Columbus Foodie
Scrambled Hen Fruit
Michelle at Big Black Dog
Lynn  at Queen of the Castle Recipes

Please email (epsteinrr5@gmail.com) your complete mailing address so Girard's can send you your winnings.


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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Sweet Cherry Birthday Pie and Gelato

Sweet Cherry Pie and Vanilla Gelato


June is a busy time at Mimi's kitchen. We have plans to celebrate Father's Day, High School Graduation (we already had college graduation in May) and Boy Mimi, the baby of the family turns sixteen. The tradition  at Mimi's Kitchen  is that the birthday person picks the birthday meal, and dessert. Boy Mimi is a lover of all things sweet, but he does have a preference for pie and cherry pie is high on his list of favorites (along with coconut and strawberry rhubarb).
I was lucky enough to be able to use fresh cherries because they are readily available at this time of the year. I got a big bag at the store, recruited Mini Me and Mimi Jr., and we went to work making his birthday dessert. Mini Me spent a long time pitting all those cherries, but it was definitely worth it for this pie  had an intense fresh cherry flavor. Paired with Julia Child's flaky pie crust, it was truly delicious.
Note to Boy Mimi:  As with most fruit pies, this pie  needs a few hour to cool before serving, so the filing has time to set and the pie is easier to slice.



Sweet Cherry Pie
Double Crust pie
4 cups pitted sweet cherries
3 tablespoon tapioca
1 1/3 cups sugar *if the cherries are super sweet, you can use less sugar, just adjust to your taste
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sweet butter

Roll out 1/2 half of pie dough and line a pie pan. Put in the refrigerator to chill (along with the other half of the pie dough) while making the filling.
Combine cherries, sugar, tapioca, salt and almond extract, let sit for 15 minutes.  Pour fruit in to pie shell and dot with butter.
Cover with a well pricked top or a lattice top. You can sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if you would like. Bake 10 minutes at 450F, then reduce heat to 350F and bake about 40 minutes longer or until golden and brown and the filling is bubbly.
 After the 10 minutes at 450 I covered the edges of the pie in foil to prevent over browning. Remove the foil during the last ten minutes in the oven.

I use a Julia Child recipe for pie crust that is always tender and flaky. Just be sure that you do not over mix your pie dough. You can find the recipe  here.


What would fruit pie be without ice cream?  According to Boy Mimi, that would be a crime. So being the good big sister, Mimi Jr. whipped up some very yummy vanilla gelato to top the birthday pie.

Vanilla Gelato
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Bring the milk to a simmer over low heat. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks until creamy. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the hot milk into the egg mixture, than beat in remaining milk, a little at a time. Stir in the sugar, then transfer back to the sauce pan or a double boiler and cook over gentle heat (do not boil), stiring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl set in ice water to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool then add the cream and vanilla extract. Chill mixture in refrigerator for 2 hours, then churn in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturers directions.
Because the gelato was like soft serve when it was done churning, I froze it in a plastic container for another hour so it was easier to scoop.


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