Blackberry Ice Cream

A great way to showcase and enjoy fresh blackberries this summer is in this fruitylicious, creamy, beautifully purple-hued ice cream.  It takes a little time to make and you do need an ice cream maker, but if you love blackberries this will be a worthwhile treat.

Recipe: 
Blackberry Puree
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
Cream Base
4 extra large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup 2 % milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Combine the berries with the sugar in a small saucepan and stir well, put on medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the berries are soft and the liquid they release has reduced some, about 10 mins.  Let cool slightly, the transfer the berries and their juice to a food processor and puree until smooth.  Strain half of the puree through a mesh strainer and discard the solids.  Combine the strained and unstrained berries together, cover and refrigerate.  For the base whisk the yolks in a heatproof bowl, then whisk in 1/4 cup of the sugar, set aside.  In a heavy saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar and set the pan over medium-high heat.  When the mixture just approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.  Carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture and add to egg mixture while whisking the eggs constantly.  Repeat adding another 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Then using a heat proof rubber spatula/spoon, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-cream mixture into it.  Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 2 minutes longer.  Strain the base mixture through a mesh strainer into a clean container, set container over an ice bath and stir mixture occasionally until it is cool.  Remove container from ice bath, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours till chilled.  Whisk together the blackberry puree with the base mixture and freeze in your ice cream machine about 20 minutes or according to manufacturers instructions.  Transfer to a container, cover and put in freezer until frozen as desired and a scoop-able consistency, about 4 hours or overnight. 

This recipe is adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones, a great ice cream recipe book, available here:
http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/1607741849

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches ~ AKA Chipwich

I recently enjoyed a Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich from the ice cream man- 2 big chocolate chip cookies sandwiching a big gob of vanilla ice cream.  What a lovely combination I thought as I enjoyed bite after bite and segwayed into my second sandwich.  If I wanted to enjoy this simple pleasure again though, what would I do?  As they are not readily available in supermarkets and the ice cream man is not coming around any more with fall creeping up on us.  Make my own at home, that's what I could do!  So I set out to make these, semi-homemade ~ take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (mine's below) and sandwich them with a good vanilla ice cream 
  

Chocolate Chip Cookies - makes 1 dozen cookies - enough for 6 sandwiches

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/8 tsp baking soada

 1 1/8 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 gran sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 lg egg, room temp

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together, set aside.  In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter, vanilla and sugars on med until light and fluffy about 3 mins.  Add the egg, and blend.  On low add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, scraping the bowl after each, mix on low until blended, add the chocolate chips and mix until combined.  Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, scoop batter into baking pan about 2 inches apart.  Bake @350 degrees for 13-15 mins.  The cookies should be golden brown around the edges but still light in center.  Cool cookies on a wire rack.  Once cooled lay out cookies on wax paper and start assembling the ice cream sandwiches.  Turn over 1/2 the cookies and scoop a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each bottom.  Press the top cookie gently onto the ice cream   

Then wrap each sandwich in saran wrap and place finished cookies in freezer to harden up.  Once completely frozen place wrapped cookies in a freezer safe bag, ready for eating whenever the craving hits.

They're even better then the ones from the ice cream man!

Enjoy!

Reese's Treats Peanut Butter Ice Cream

My favorite ice cream sundae is the loaded Reese's Pieces Sundae at Friendly's.  It has your choice of ice cream with peanut butter and marshmallow sauces mixed in, then topped with whipped cream and Reese's pieces, they have another sundae made with Reese's peanut butter cups which is very good too.  When I saw a recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream in the Cuisinart recipe booklet I had to try it and adapted it slightly to combine the tastes of my favorite sundae.

Recipe

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup combination of reese's peanut butter cups and pieces

Marshmallow sauce: (optional) 1/3 cup mini marshmallows, 1 Tbsp marshmallow fluff,

1/2 tsp heavy cream, melt together on low heat until blended and smooth

With a hand mixer mix the peanut butter and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.  Add milk and mix well about 1 minute.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled through, a few hours or overnight.

Pour mixture in ice cream maker and mix until soft serve consistency about 15 minutes, then add the candy mix-ins and marshmallow sauce until combined.  Pour into an airtight container and freeze until desired consistency.

 Yum Yum Yum

Enjoy!

Creamsicle Ice Cream

What is your favorite treat from the ice cream man?  My all time favorite since I was a kid is the orange creamsicle, it is so refreshing ~ a popsicle of vanilla icecream in the center covered by an orange sorbet.  When I found out that August 14th was National Creamsicle Day, that inspired me to create a homemade creamsicle dessert.  I searched for recipes and found a tangerine-sicle ice cream that was made with vanilla cream custard base and mixed with fresh juices.  In this recipe fresh orange and clementine juice was used.  These flavors bring me right back to my sweet creamsicle  memories, I can almost hear the ice cream truck music playing ;)

Recipe:
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups mixture of fresh clementine and orange juices - approx 2 oranges and 12 clementines
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Stir the cream and sugar in a saucepan over med heat until begins to bubble.  Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt in a metal bowl, slowly pour in 1/2 of the hot cream - whisking constantly, then return mixture to saucepan.  Cook over med-low heat, stirring constantly witha wooden spoon, until mixture thickens about 6 mins.  Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl over an icebath.  Stir occassionally until almost cool, then remove from ice bath, stir in the juices and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours until chilled.  Freeze in ice cream maker for about 30 minutes until thick.  Pack the icecream in a chilled container and cover.  Freeze overnight or until desired consistency.  Top with clementine slices or bits of clementines.
Adapted from Farmers' Market Desserts

 
Book available here:  
http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/0811866726

Enjoy !

S'mores Ice Cream

Today, August 8th is National S'mores Day, I love these food holidays, they give me a good enough reason to try out a new food or recipe.  In honor of today's holiday I have made a S'mores ice cream.  This ice cream has all the s'more goodness - marshmallows, graham crackers and a chocolate ganache mixed into a sweet custard base.  If you like s'mores you will love this ice cream!  From Punchbowl:  It’s National S’mores Day! S'mores are a delicious treat made from three simple ingredients—graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and melted chocolate bars. Yum!The first official s'mores recipe was published in the Girl Scout Handbook in 1927, but culinary historians believe that the tradition began much earlier. Over the years, the recipe was passed from camper to camper and eventually became the most famous fireside dessert. Ever wondered why it is called a s’more? Because you’ll always want "some more" of this decadent sweet!as

Here's the recipe: blished in the 
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup mini marshmallows toasted - till lightly browned on top
1/2 cup mini marshmallows - reserved for topping
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the 1/2 and 1/2 and next 3 ingredients in a small saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until simmering.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks.  Reheat 1/2 and 1/2 mixture, when hot, temper the yolks by adding half of the mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.  Then add egg mixture to saucepan, whisking and heating until thickened.  Pour heavy cream into a large mixing bowl over an ice bath.  Pour the custard into the cream, stirring until cooled (if lumpy - strain the custard into the cream).  Add vanilla, stir, cover and refrigerate until chilled a few hours or overnight.
When chilled, pour into icecream maker and freeze according to directions for about 15-20 minutes, until a soft serve consistency.  Prepare mix-ins.  For ganache: Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.  Heat the 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering.  Pour the cream over the chocolate, cover and allow to stand for 3 minutes.  Stir the mixture until smooth and shiny.  Stir in the vanilla extract and allow to cool.  In a toaster, line baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with baking spray and spread 1/2 cup mini marshmallows over.  Toast briefly to just get the tops golden.  Set aside.   When ice cream is soft serve consistency start adding mix ins:  start with fluff, then 1/2 cup graham crackers - reserve rest for topping, then toasted marshmallows then 1/2 cup of the ganache- reserving some for topping - mix until just blended.  Remove from ice cream maker and continue to fold in the mix ins till blended to your preference.   Scrape out ice cream into a container and cover and freeze until desired consistency - I usually do overnight for a stiff ice cream consistency.  When serving top with remaining mini marshmallows, graham crackers and ganache if desired. 
Adapted from:  The EVERYTHING Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Desserts Cookbook

Toasted Marshmallows

Mix-ins getting mixed in

Enjoy!

Watermelon Ice Pops

Home made fruit ice pops are a healthy alternative to store bought sugar filled pops, and in my opinion taste so much better!  They are easy to prepare in a few steps and fun to do together with your kids, my 9 year old daughter assisted with this recipe :)  You can try these with other melons as well!

Recipe
4 1/2-5 cups ripe chopped - seedless watermelon - or seeded and remove seeds
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Use a food processor or blender to puree the watermelon.  Add the remaining ingredients and process to blend.  If seeds remain in the puree strain the mixture to remove seeds.  

I used a funnel to pour them into the ice pop molds - these are rocket molds from Williams Sonoma.  You don't need molds though you can use plastic bathroom cups for the mold.  This amount makes about 8-10 pops, depending on your molds.

When filled, cover and place in your freezer for about 24 hours or until completely frozen.  If using plastic cups, when 1/2 way frozen insert popsicle sticks so they stay up, then continue to freeze.  When ready to serve you may need to run cool water over mold to loosen.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Sorbet

I'm loving my new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and the manual that comes with it has some great recipes.  Today I made the raspberry sorbet ~ it was very easy, few ingredients and refreshing, yummy and healthy!  Look at that vibrant pretty pink color :)

Here's the recipe adapted from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet: 
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
pinch salt
1 package frozen raspberries = about 3 cups
1 small container fresh raspberries = 1 cup
Puree together both raspberries in a food processor.  In a medium saucepan cook together the water and sugar over med-low heat, cook until the sugar is fully dissolved.  Add the salt and raspberry puree.  Strain half the mixture at a time through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. 

Cover and refrigerate for 2 -3 hours or overnight.  Turn on your ice cream maker and pour in the raspberry mixture.  Mix until thickened about 15-20 minutes.  Pour the sorbet in an air tight container and place in freezer until desired firmness, I left mine in overnight.

The soft, just churned sorbet

After freezing overnight, ready for scooping and serving!

And ready for eating!

Enjoy!

Ice Cream Maker available here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B0043XYHLS

OMC! Oh My Cannoli! ~ Ice Cream

Most of you know that I just love cannolis, the Sicilian pastry treat - consisting of a shell made of fried pastry dough that is filled with a sweet, creamy filling containing ricotta.  I have made a Cannoli Cheesecake for the holidays and now that we are in the heat of the summer I had to make Cannoli Ice Cream.  I did and it was really good, it has all the good flavors of a cannoli in a refreshing summer ice cream.  You have to try it!  Here's the recipe:

2 cups whole milk ricotta
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg 
2 cups whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed cannoli shells

Put ricotta and zest in a food processor and process until blended.  Add condensed milk and egg and blend.  Add whipping cream, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar and process until blended.  Pour this mixture into a 2 quart container, cover and refrigerate 1 1/2 -2 hours until well chilled.  Then pour mixture into prepared ice cream maker and churn for about 15 minutes until soft serve consistency.  Then add chocolate chips and crushed cannoli shells and churn for 5 more minutes until well blended.  Pour this mixture into a 2 quart container and freeze for a few hours until firm and desired consistency.  
* If making without an Ice Cream maker - I would suggest the following:  Follow all instructions up till the ice cream maker instructions, instead transfer mixture to freezer for about 4 hours, stirring with a fork 1/2 way through,  or until you reach a soft serve consistency.  Then add chocolate chips and crushed cannoli shells, blend well, then cover and freeze an additional 4 hours or overnight until firm or desired consistency.
**Note - this makes almost 2 quarts of ice cream so is best for a 2 quart ice cream maker, I did make it in my 1 1/2 quart maker and it reached well up to the very top - after churning I had to stir again to make sure everything was blended, and it was a little messy, but I didn't mind.  If you want to avoid this decrease ingredients a little bit proportionately.


Just churned - soft serve consistency

After being scraped out of ice cream chamber, yes I ate all the remnants for testing purposes :)

 

 

Enjoy!!

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream

I christened my new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker today with this easy and yummy Snickerdoodle Ice Cream, tastes just like the cookie ~ with all that cinnamon sugary goodness!

Recipe:
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 1/2 tsp vanilla


Combine the sugars and spices in a medium bowl.  Stir in the cream, 1/2 and 1/2 and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze/churn for about 20 minutes or to desired consistency.  Pour into a container, cover and freeze about 2 hours or overnight, then enjoy this sweet cookie tasting ice cream!
Adapted from Land O Lakes

Dig in :)

This was so fun and easy to make, I'm lovin my new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, next to try:  Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream and Raspberry Sorbet!

Ice Cream Maker available here:
http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B005QSFMI6

Enjoy!

Oreo Icecream

I recently found some treasured old recipes and one of them is for this awesome yet so simple to make Oreo Ice Cream.  I believe the source was from a magazine and it dates back to some where around 1983 - when I was a very young lady.  I remember making a batch of this for my then boyfriend Sal ~ I knew even then that food was the way to a mans heart :), and I remember him loving it!  So I'm so happy to have found this favorite old recipe and just made it again, its very very yummy!!!

 
Recipe: 
3 egg yolks
1 14oz can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsps water
4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely crushed Oreo cookies
2 cups whipping cream
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks.  Stir in condensed milk, water and vanilla until smooth.  Fold in cookies and whipped cream.  Pour into an aluminum foil lines 9 X 5" loaf pan or other 2 quart container.  Cover and freeze 6 hours or until firm.  Scoop ice cream from pan or peel off foil and slice.  Return leftovers to freezer.  Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.
Here are the old cards that I wrote the recipe on:

Ready for the freezer

If you love Oreos you've got to go and make a batch of this, you will not be sorry!

Enjoy!

Red White and Blue, Berry Ice Cream

I'm still on the 4th of July theme and all the wonderful fresh berries that are in season, so wanted to try a berry ice cream.  I kept the berries in pieces instead of pureeing because I wanted to retain some white in the ice cream for the "white" in red white and blue.  This came nice this way, with frozen chunks of fruit.  I bet it would taste great too if you pureed the fruit.  This is a refreshing ice cream, chock full of fruit.

Recipe:
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mixed red and blue fresh berries - I used blueberries cut in 1/2, strawberries cut into small chunks, and raspberries cut in 1/2
Whisk together 1st 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Then toss in the berries.  Transfer mixture to a 9 X 5 loaf pan lined with aluminum foil and cover with aluminum foil.  Freeze at least over night until completely frozen.  Every few hours turn the mixture with a fork or spoon to help it evenly freeze.

Enjoy!

Pecan Praline Ice Cream

So yesterday was National Praline Day and that was enough to inspire me to make up some sweet Pralines and even try making Pecan Praline Ice Cream.  I LOVE pecans and the sweetness added by the praline candy mixture makes them such a heavenly treat :)

I am not very experienced at making ice cream nor have an ice cream maker, but that didn't stop me from trying, and I am glad I did.  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup packed light brown sugar

4 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup chopped pecans

Optional:  caramel or apple cinnamon ice cream topping for mixing in 

Optional toppings:  chopped up pralines, chopped dark chocolate

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan combine the cream, milk and brown sugar, cook over med-low heat, stirring frequently until hot and sugar is dissolved.  In a med bowl whisk the egg yolks together.  Add and whisk about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks until blended.  Then slowly add the egg mixture to the saucepan, whisking until well blended.  Continue cooking on med-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Cook until the mixture coats the spoon.  

Stir in vanilla and pecans and let cool completely, for quicker cooling transfer to a metal bowl placed in an ice bath.

Pour cooled mixture into a aluminum foil lined 9 X 5 loaf pan or other 2 quart container. 

Cover tightly and freeze for 6 hours or more until firm.  Once or twice move the mixture around with a fork to distribute and freeze evenly.  

If desired about 1/2 way through freezing process mix in chocolate syrup, caramel or apple cinnamon ice cream topping for more flavor.  In this batch I added about 1/2 jar of the apple cinnamon topping, it gave it a pecan-apple pie flavor, I liked it but I think it would have been just fine and delicious without it too.

adapted from about.com southern food

Optional apple-cinnamon add-in

Ready for the freezer

When it was all done I topped it off with whipped cream and crushed praline pecans to make it over the top sweet!  This tasted just like praline pecans in ice cream form, the texture was in between a gelato and icecream.

On a cone dipped in chopped pralines and chopped dark chocolate, heaven!

For the praline topping I used this recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/praline-pecans-10000001133867/

Enjoy!