July 13, 2008
Mint Chocolate "Chip" Ice Cream
Here we are...A week later at the end of Ice Cream week and to round out the end of ice cream I give you Jamison's all time favorite...Mint Chocolate "Chip"! And why is the "chip" in quotes you ask? Because I actually used shredded or shaved chocolate instead of chips to give them a bit more of a melty quality than a frozen quality. Don't you love how I just make words up like that? Melty...Well it should be a word! ;oP
For several years Jamison had to forgo ice cream. He was diagnosed with IBS a few years ago, but we recently discovered that it was more aptly Celiacs instead of IBS and it turns out that is a common misdiagnoses. Anyway, when he was still eating gluten he had a definite lactose intolerance. We never really found a soy or rice ice cream that he really cared for. He could eat the lactose free vanilla milk version, but I was never able to find a mint chocolate chip lactose free version for him to enjoy. Once we figured out the gluten thing and he has started to heal now he can have some dairy and that meant I got to try my hand at his favorite type of ice cream!
Verdict? Jamison really liked this version! His only beef? "It wasn't green!" (You see what I'm working with here people! ;oP) In my opinion it was really good as well and this is coming from someone who isn't a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream to begin with! We'll most definitely be making this again and no it won't be green! ;oP
This wraps up Ice Cream week and it has worked out so well I think we may have more themed weeks in the future! ;o)
What You'll Need:
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint of half and half
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar (Note: Jamison likes thing SUPER sweet. You could easily get away with 1/4 cup of sugar instead.)
1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
2 - 4 ounce bars of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate baking bars, shaved or grated (Note: I used my box grater.)
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
Mix together heavy cream, half and half, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, peppermint extract and shaved/grated chocolate. Place mixture in the bowl of ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once the mixture hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden fully.
How easy is that? In no time you've got Mint Chocolate "Chip" Ice Cream!
Notes: You could use any type of chocolate that you like. Jamison's favorite is milk chocolate so that is what I used. Dark chocolate would be heavenly in this as well. You could also add some chopped peppermint to the ice cream if you liked, but that would have weirded Jamison out even if it was green! ;oP
Posted by Dianne at 8:23 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
July 12, 2008
Peach Ice Cream
As a child when we spent summers at the lake it was rustic. We're talking no electricity, outhouse, everything you needed you had to take with you...That rustic! And to be honest there were times that I dreaded having to go out there and camp. It was isolated, it was lonely and if you didn't take a friend along it could get down right boring! But at other times lovely memories were formed that will last a lifetime.
One of the things we used to do that I remember fondly was make old fashioned ice cream. And as you'll note above I mentioned no electricity so I'm talking the hand cranked kind. My father did most of the cranking, but my sister and I chipped in here and there. I'm not sure what was worse...The cranking or the waiting? Or maybe it was a little bit of both!
As far as ice cream went there were two basic flavors that we mostly stuck to and that was vanilla and peach. Normally the peach version would be made with canned peaches and I remember thinking as a child "I wonder what that would be like with fresh peaches?" You see I'm a bit of a fruit snob. I like fresh fruit, or dried fruit. Pretty much the only fruit I'll eat willing out of a can are pineapple and mandarin oranges, though truth be told I prefer those both fresh too, though I can tolerate them in canned form. So the first time I made peach ice cream myself I broke out the fresh peaches!
This ice cream is just perfect for when those peaches are juicy right off the tree! I also like big chunks of frozen peaches in my ice cream, but you can dice them smaller if you want. The peach gives the ice cream a fruity sweet kick, all while being smooth and mellow. When Alexis was smaller this was her favorite all time ice cream. Now it's chocolate, but hey there's nothing wrong with chocolate either! ;oP
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
2 large pieces, diced
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint of half and half
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
Chop peaches and place in a bowl with sugar. Let sit until syrup forms. (Note: This usually takes about an hour or so at room temperature, but you can do it in the fridge overnight if you like.)
Add remaining ingredients to the bowl of peaches and stir to mix.
Place mixture in the bowl of ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once the mixture hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden fully.
Notes: You can substitute any fruit for the peaches if you like.
Posted by Dianne at 8:13 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
July 11, 2008
Key Lime Ice Cream
I love Key Lime! Take a look around the blog and you'll find No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake, Key Lime Milk Chocolate Chip Bars, my choice for Tuesdays with Dorie the Florida Pie, Key Lime Parfaits and Key Lime Cheesecake. Stick around for a while longer and inevitably you'll see Key Lime again!
I've always wanted to make a Key Lime ice cream. My sister and I have talked about it for years, but we never got around to making it. Finally I took the plunge and I have to say it's every bit a delicious as I thought it would be. It's cool, sweet, yet tangy and oh so lovely. If you like Key Lime then this is the ice cream for you!
Oh and don't forget to stop by this weekend...Ice Cream Week isn't over yet! I've got two more recipes to share and I'll be posting one on Saturday and one on Sunday! ;o)
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint half and half
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup of double strength key lime juice
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
Zest of two lemons or limes (Notes: I used lemon zest since it was what I had on hand, but either will do.)
In a large bowl add all the ingredients and stir to mix. Since this mixture isn't heated no need to chill.
Place mixture in the bowl of ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once the mixture hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden fully.
Notes: You could do this with lemon juice if you liked for a lemon version. Or you could use orange juice/zest for an orange twist.
Posted by Dianne at 7:09 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
July 10, 2008
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Until recently I didn't even know what Dulce de Leche was! I know, I know...How could I not? I mean caramel...What's not to like? When I made the first batch of Dulce de Leche I immediately thought "That would be great to make ice cream with!" And I finally got around to trying just that!
Some argue that making Dulce de Leche with sweetened condensed milk is "cheating", but I say don't knock it until you've tried it! This is the version I make and it's to die for! It's simple too! So what are you waiting for? Try it already! ;o) Oh and make some ice cream when you do! ;oP
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
1 - 14 ounce can of dulce de leche, cooled completely (Note: This is basically sweetened condensed milk that has been put through this process.)
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint of half and half
2 vanilla beans, split an scraped
1/3 cup of organic cane sugar
Make 1 can of dulce de leche and let cool overnight.
In a large bowl mix dulce de leche, heavy cream, half and half, scraped vanilla seeds and sugar and stir until mixed.
Place mixture in the bowl of ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once the mixture hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden fully.
Notes: You could use a tablespoon of vanilla flavoring instead of vanilla beans. This would be heavenly topped with hot fudge sauce!
Posted by Dianne at 7:09 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
July 9, 2008
Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Coconut and chocolate? What's not to like? Why not take that classic combo and make an ice cream out of it? I did just that! This ice cream is creamy, chunky and oh so nice! If you're a coconut and/or chocolate lover then this ice cream is the one for you!
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint of half and half
1 cup of coconut
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of mini chocolate chips
In a medium sized pot add heavy cream, half and half and coconut and bring to a quick boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching and remove from heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and place in the fridge until the mixture is cooled completely. (Note: This will most likely take 4-5 hours, but you can leave it overnight if you want.)
Once the mixture is chilled stir in mini-chocolate chips and add it to your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's instructions. Once the mixture hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or place in the freezer in an airtight container to harden fully.
Notes: You could add in a couple of tablespoons of coconut extract if you wanted to make it extra coconutty.
Posted by Dianne at 7:27 AM | Comments (15) | TrackBack
July 8, 2008
Ice Cream Week Meets Tuesdays with Dorie: White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Double Crusted Blueberry Pie
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
Pie and ice cream? Who isn't on board with that? I decided to make mini-pies instead of one big pie, using my mini-tart pans and it worked perfectly! I ended up using most of the dough, though I had quite a bit of blueberry mixture left over, which I froze for later.
The dough was beautiful! I omitted the sugar though. I wanted to be able to use any left over dough for a quiche or something and sugar and quiche isn't exactly a great mix. This didn't affect the overall quality of the dough though. It was fabulous! I did have to add a lot more than 1/2 cup of water though. It took well over a cup of ice water to bring it all together.
I had never seen a blueberry pie filling made in this manner before. With my Blueberry Pie I usually cook and thicken the blueberries BEFORE baking! I must say I was a bit dubious that this version would work, but work it did! I ended up adding the zest of two whole lemons, along with the juice of both of them as well. And I have to admit I thought the bread crumb thing was just weird so I skipped that all together! The filling turned out great and I didn't miss the breadcrumbs at all! ;oP
On the egg wash front I ended up just using 1 egg and not adding any water to it. I guess the water is supposed to make the wash go further, but I had more than enough with just the 1 egg and even had a bit left over.
I decided to cut a shape out of the top of the dough. I tried a little moose cutter I had, because he's just too cute, but when you put him on top of the pie he stretched all out of shape and you couldn't tell what he was supposed to be. I ended up going with the star you see above and it worked perfectly!
Verdict? This one is definitely a keeper! It also melded so well with the White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! Thanks to Amy for such a great pick this week!
Stop on over at the Tuesday with Dorie blog and take the links to see what everyone else baked up! And take a look below to see the recipe for the White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for Dianne's Dishes Ice Cream Week!
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
1 pint of heavy cream
1 pint of light cream
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
3-4 vanilla beans, split and scraped
1 3/4ths of 2 Green and Black's Vanilla Creamy White Chocolate 3.5 ounce candy bars, melted (Note: Why 1 3/4ths of 2 bars instead of 2 whole bars? Alexis ate 1/4 of the second bar! ;oP)
In a medium sized pot add heavy cream, light cream, sweetened condensed milk, organic cane sugar, vanilla and split vanilla beans and seeds and cook on low until sugar melts and flavors meld (about 20 minutes). Do NOT bring to a boil! Remove from heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl or pitcher.
Using a double boiler or in your microwave (I use the microwave) melt the white chocolate carefully until smooth. Don't let it go to far or it will go grainy.
Once it is melted (and it will be a thick melt) add a ladle or two of the vanilla/cream mixture into the melted white chocolate and stir until smooth. Add white chocolate mixture to the remaining vanilla/cream mixture and stir to incorporate.
Cover mixture and place in the fridge for at least four hours to overnight. (Note: The first time I tried freezing the mixture I didn't let it cool down enough and it didn't set up. I put it back in the pitcher and put it in the fridge overnight and it worked perfectly the next day. The mixture has to be cool.)
Once the mixture is cooled pour into the bowl of your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once it hits the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or put it in an airtight container in the freezer until it firms up completely.
Notes: If you leave out the white chocolate you have a basic vanilla bean ice cream.
Posted by Dianne at 9:43 AM | Comments (50) | TrackBack
July 7, 2008
Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
It's Ice Cream week! What better way to celebrate summer than with a little frozen goodness? If you've been a visitor to Dianne's Dishes for a while you know that Alexis and I love ice cream! And I love making it ourselves so I know exactly what goes into each and every bite! In honor of the occasion we have a new Ice Cream category on the blog and a new Flickr Ice Cream set!
Let's get this party started! Shall we?
In the past we've had Blueberry Ice Cream (one of my all time favorites), Peanut Butter Ice Cream (to die for!), Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (a definite classic), Strawberry Chocolate Mint Ice Cream (mint and strawberries are fabulous together...don't believe me then try it and see!), Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries (yum!) to accompany my pick for Tuesdays with Dorie and in honor of the 7th Harry Potter book we even had Pumpkin Ice Cream (I know it sounds weird, but if you're a fan of pumpkin then it's a must try)! Starting today you are about to get seven more fabulous ice cream recipes!
Don't let ice cream scare you...It doesn't have to be hard and it doesn't have to have eggs in it either! Some of the recipes this week are classics, while others are a bit different, but all of them are divine! If you've been looking for some quick, simple, yet delicious ice cream recipes to help celebrate summer, then journey no further! You're about to have more choices than you hoped for! ;o)
Chocolate is one of the quintessential flavors that most people love. It's one of Alexis' all time favorites and she loved this version. In fact when she saw me looking at the pictures I have in the back log for Ice Cream week she said "Let's make that again!" We may have to do just that! ;oP
Note: This recipe is designed to fit this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
1 - 5.3 ounce bar of Green & Black's 72% Baking Chocolate
1 pint of heavy cream
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 of 1 pint of half and half
1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
In a sauce pan over medium heat, or in the microwave on low, melt chocolate with 1/2 of the heavy cream until completely smooth. Be careful and don't let it go too far or the chocolate will become grainy. Let cool completely.
Stir in sweetened condensed milk, half and half, the rest of the cream and sugar until smooth. Place mixture into your ice cream freezer and freeze according to your machine's directions. Once the ice cream has hit the soft serve stage you can serve immediately or you can place in an airtight container to harden further and make it more scoopable.
Notes: It is extremely important to let your mixture cool completely BEFORE you begin the freezing process or it most likely will not set up.
Posted by Dianne at 10:58 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 13, 2008
Tuesdays with Dorie My Pick: Florida Pie! Plus Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries Just for Fun!
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
If you're a frequent guest to Dianne's Dishes you've heard me talk about my love for Key Lime before and if you come back you'll most likely hear about it again. When I looked through the book I looked at several recipes as a possibility for this week, but I kept coming back to the Florida Pie. I know some people are not fan of Key Lime, so it will be interesting to see how everyone did with this recipe and I know several people that didn't like the idea of coconut in with the Key Lime, but I had always been curious as to how the two would blend so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to test some boundaries and after all that's what makes being in the kitchen fun.
I actually made a few tweaks to this recipe. I decided to make the pie in an 8 inch springform pan, instead of a pie dish to make it have a bit more height. I also added some whole, raw cashews on top of the crust and I did not bake the crust either.
For the lime juice I strayed a bit too. I added in 3/4 a cup of Nellie and Joe's Double Strength Key Lime Juice instead of using fresh juice and I used 3/4 a cup instead of 1/2 a cup and I really liked the depth of flavor it brought to the pie overall. It was most definitely a nice addition.
In terms of the meringue I did not follow the recipe. I didn't heat the egg whites, I simply just made meringue by beating the egg whites with organic cane sugar. I also forgot to add the coconut to the meringue, though I had intended to make that addition. In the end though the pie overall turned out fine without it so maybe it was a providence. ;o)
Usually on Tuesdays I send whatever I make if it's possible to work with Jamison, but this one was a bit on the messy side for that, so I made some Key Lime Milk Chocolate Chip Bars to send along with him instead in the spirit of the whole Key Lime theme. I'll post the recipe for those tomorrow so be sure to check back then!
Anyway, this is my choice for this week. Overall I was very pleased with how it turned out. The cashews were a nice surprise and I really liked the coconut overall too. The pairing with the Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries was fabulous as well! I would definitely make this again.
Be sure to stop over at the Tuesdays with Dorie blog to see how everyone else's pie turned out.
What You'll Need:
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar
What You'll Need for the Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries:
2 - 12 ounce bottles of Izze Clementine sparkling juice
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of dark chocolate covered goji berries
1 cup of coconut
Note: The above ingredients are set up to work in this ice cream maker
Getting Ready to Make the Pie:
(Note: First make and freeze the ice cream. See instructions below.)
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.
Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.
Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.
To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.
Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.
To Make the Ice Cream:
In a large bowl stir together ingredients. Dump mixture into the tub of your ice cream maker and freeze according to your model's directions. Remove from ice cream machine when it's done and place in the freezer until firm. Serve alone or along with the Florida Pie.
Posted by Dianne at 6:04 AM | Comments (59) | TrackBack
May 5, 2008
Strawberry Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
So you buy those heavenly smelling, ripe, juicy strawberries and just for fun you pick up two packs, because well they smell so heavenly and you just know that the taste will more than compare, because after all a good smelling strawberry is a good tasting strawberry! You eat some fresh, you might throw some into some yogurt, cereal or a smoothie, you can use them to make various salads or there is always cobbler or shortcake and of course strawberry ice cream, but what if you want to take the ice cream and switch it up a bit? What if you want to make it a little different? Why not throw in a little chocolate mint?
I have been looking for chocolate mint for years and when we went to South Mountain Creamery's festival a week ago the grower that had a booth there actually had it! Some say it's doesn't taste or smell like chocolate, but I disagree. It does have a hint of chocolate there. Others say it was named that because of the sensation it brings to your tongue when you bite into much like an Andes Mint. Regardless the chocolate mint gives the ice cream a cool, fresh burst and it really compliments the strawberries. The mint doesn't over power the overall taste, it simply adds to flavor with a hint of freshness and mint.
Note: This recipe is designed to fit in this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
2-4 cups of ripe strawberries, capped and chopped into pieces (Note: I like little bits of frozen strawberries throughout the my ice cream, but if you prefer it to be smooth then process in a food processor until smooth. I also like a lot of strawberry taste so use more strawberries or less depending on what you like.)
1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
1-2 tablespoon of fresh chocolate mint, chopped fine
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1 - quart of heavy cream
In a large bowl add strawberries, mint and sugar and toss to coat. Let sit for at least 1 hour to let the strawberries and mint form a syrup with the sugar. You can leave it to sit overnight in the fridge if you like.
Stir in sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream and pour the mixture into your ice cream freezer.
Freeze ice cream according to your machine's directions until it is thick. It will be the consistency of soft serve ice cream:
For a hard set place in a container in the freezer until completely set. You can serve it in the soft serve state or frozen completely depending on your tastes. Either way you're left with a lovely ice cream with tiny bits of mint and lovely chunks of strawberry throughout.
And that my friends is a very, very good thing.
Notes: If you can't find chocolate mint then spearmint or peppermint will work fine as long as it's fresh and not dried. Also if you don't like mint you can leave it out for a basic strawberry ice cream.
Posted by Dianne at 10:17 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
February 6, 2008
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Jamison and Alexis are both avid peanut butter people. I mean seriously, if peanut butter ceased to exist the world might just cease to exist for the two of them, as far as they are concerned. I too enjoy peanut butter, but truth be told almond butter, or more importantly cashew butter, are more up my alley. Overall though, if you’re not allergic to peanuts, which we aren’t, then what’s not to like?
The other day my little sous chef asked me if anyone made peanut butter ice cream. I told her that I’m sure someone out there did, but right off the top of my head I couldn’t think of anyone. We got busy with other things and I forgot to do a little research to see what I could find. The next day she asked me if we could make some peanut butter ice cream and since we hadn’t made any ice cream in a while we gave it a whirl.
Now let me tell you, if you like peanut butter, even the tiniest little bit, you will LOVE this ice cream! It’s rich and creamy and there are little bits of peanut butter throughout the whole peanut buttery flavored ice cream itself that just burst in your mouth. The ice cream itself would be superb topped with some hot fudge sauce, but even alone this is the very epitome of the peanut butter lovers dream!
P.S. Speaking of chocolate...If you haven't gone over to Culinate yet to vote in their Death By Chocolate contest then you should! You could win a trip for two to Napa's Chocolate Festival! My entry was Hot Fudge Cake.
What You’ll Need for the Peanut Butter Ice Cream:
1 - 18 ounce jar of peanut butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pint half and half
1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
In a large stock pot add all ingredients and cook until sugar and peanut butter are melted. Remove from heat and let sit until the mixture cools to room temperature. (Note: As the mixture cools the peanut butter may separate from the milk a bit, but you can easily stir it back into the mixture. I stirred it several times as it was cooling and once before putting it in the ice cream maker. Once in the ice cream maker the machine does the stirring for you!) Once the mixture is cooled add to your ice cream maker and freeze according to your models operating instructions. When it is finished you will have your basic soft serve ice cream and can serve it immediately. Place the mixture into the freezer in a covered container to let harden fully if you prefer a more firm ice cream. Thaw for a few minutes before serving.
Notes: Alexis wanted to add chocolate chips to the ice cream itself, but we couldn’t find mini-chocolate chips, as they work best in ice cream mixtures due to their small size. (Do they make those anymore? I haven’t looked for them in years!) This ice cream is not low-fat or anything of that nature. While I normally try to look at making things healthier, in this case this is an indulgence and as such should be enjoyed once in a while in moderation, but you know that drill! ;o) That being said if you wanted to lighten it up a bit you could use light cream, fat-free half and half and light peanut butter and it should all work fine, though it might freeze harder once you put it in the deep freeze. Also this recipe is designed to be made in this ice cream freezer, but you could double it to go in a larger model. In reality I ended up with a bit more (about a cup or so) than what my freezer would hold, but you could freeze that and use it later if you needed.
Posted by Dianne at 8:54 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
August 18, 2007
Blueberry Ice Cream
My Mom and Daddy were visting this week from Tennessee and my father is a big snacker. He's also a big ice cream eater, so I thought it would be nice to whip up a batch. I had a bunch of blueberries in the freezer that I had frozen over the past few months and thought it would be fun to put them to use in Blueberry Ice Cream! I had never had this before, but what I came up with was really wonderful! Alexis really loved it and my Mom and Daddy seemed to like it too. I certainly loved it! It has a wonderful blueberry flavor that is a refreshing change from standard ice cream. Sometimes it's nice to mix things up!
What You'll Need:
4 cups of blueberries (Note: I had frozen the blueberries, but fresh blueberries will work just as well. You're looking for big, normal sized blueberries, not those tiny frozen ones that you find in the freezer section.)
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of water
1 pint of half and half
1 quart of heaving cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 can of evaporated milk
1 cup of organic cane sugar
In a medium sized pan cook blueberries, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water until sauce forms. (Note: You can cook it further until the blueberries break down or let them retain their shape. I chose to let them retain their shape so that there were lovely bits of frozen blueberries that popped in your mouth when you ate the ice cream. It's a matter of personal choice.) Remove from heat and let cool completely before using in ice cream mixture. The easiest way to accomplish this is to put them in the fridge.
Mix cooled blueberry mixture, half and half, heavy cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk and sugar and stir to mix. Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's directions. Serve immediately for soft serve ice cream or place in the freezer to let it set up to a harder state.
Note: I really loved the color this ice cream turned out to be! I used a large ice cream maker for this recipe. You can substitute any fruit you like for the blueberries. Strawberries are a personal favorite and peaches as well. You could even do a mix and make things really interesting!
Posted by Dianne at 9:07 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 21, 2007
In Honor of Harry Potter...Pumpkin Ice Cream!
OK...I'll admit it...I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan! Before Alexis arrived I would go stand in line at the store at midnight to get my book! Now I do overnight delivery, but I still devour them the first day! I've already read it in fact and I won't ruin it for those of you who haven't finished yet, but I will say for the most part I was pleased.
So in honor of Harry I thought I'd make something pumpkin themed, even though it's not really pumpkin season! I thought about a pumpkin smoothie or pumpkin muffins, but decided since it was the middle of summer and has been hot as Hades lately (though today and the next few days are looking heavenly!), I decided creamy ice cream was the way to go! It tastes a lot like pumpkin pie and Alexis and I both loved it!
So grab a spoon, have some Pumpkin Ice Cream while you're reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What You'll Need:
1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 pint of half and half
1 pint of heavy cream
1 - 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
In the bowl of a mixer cream pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. With the mixer on low add half and half, heavy cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk until well mixed. Cover mixer with a towel to prevent splattering and mix on medium for 5-8 minutes until airy. Pour mixture into a large bowl, cover and place in the freezer. Remove every 45 minutes to an hour and stir with a whisk until ice cream is set.
Notes: You could also do this in an ice cream maker and just pour the mix right in. I however wanted to try this non-ice-cream maker/whisk method I had read about and I was very pleased with the outcome.
Posted by Dianne at 9:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 3, 2007
Hot Fudge Cake
Most people will agree that an ooey, gooey chocolate dessert is exactly where the money is! Growing up my mom was somewhat famous amongst friends and family for her Hot Fudge Cake, which is an ooey, gooey, warm chocolate sensation. Several of my friends would specially request that she make her Hot Fudge Cake whenever they came over! My mom, being the wonderful person that she is, usually obliged.
My mom always used a chocolate cake mix, though sometimes the ice cream was homemade and sometimes it wasn't. The hot fudge sauce was always made from scratch to bubbling perfection! But regardless of the make up it was delicious!
The olive oil, yogurt and chocolate make this chocolate cake moist, spongy and oh so chocolatey, while the hot fudge sauce gives it an even bigger chocolate punch. These two chocolate elements, paired with the vanilla ice cream, meld together to make the perfect chocolate delight and any chocolate lovers dream!
As I've gotten older I've moved away from box mixes, but that doesn't mean you have to stop making something all together. This is my take on my Mom's classic. It's oh so good and oh so sinful! After all isn't that exactly what you're looking for in a dessert? ;o)
What You'll Need For The Ice Cream:
1/2 a quart of half and half
1 small carton of light cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of sugar
2-4 teaspoons of vanilla (Note: More if you like it really vanilla, less if you don't)
Note: This recipe is designed to fill this ice cream maker
Mix together and pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to your model's directions. For harder ice cream after making it put in an air tight container and store in the freezer until completely firm.
What You'll Need For The Chocolate Cake:
3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa (Note: I recommend Ghirardelli or Green and Black's)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of light olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Sift together flour through baking powder in a large bowl. Add sugar, yogurt eggs and olive oil and stir until mixed and pour into a 13 X 9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cake sticks done.
What You'll Need For The Hot Fudge Sauce:
2 tablespoons of butter
2 squares of baker's chocolate (Note: Again I recommend Ghirardelli or Green and Black's)
2/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Over medium heat melt butter and chocolate with sugar and half and half. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes stirring to keep from sticking. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To Assemble Hot Fudge Cake:
Cut cake into squares. For each person take a piece of cake and top with a scoop of ice cream. Top ice cream with a ladle of hot chocolate sauce and serve.
Note: If you're a chocolate lover than you could easily make this Hot Fudge Cake with chocolate ice cream for a triple chocolate punch! You could even use chocolate yogurt in place of the plain in the cake if you were just really feeling chocolatey! ;o) This cake doesn't really need it, but you could add whipped cream and some strawberries or cherries if you wanted. You could even go crazy and add a little chocolate whipped cream! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 3:26 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack