DULCE DE LECHE ICE CREAM

Why do I always feel like a crazy woman in the summer?  I know I am not alone... Taking the kids here and there, canning vegetables, freezing vegetables, making jam, going places.  I am not complaining but it is precisely around this time that I start looking forward to taking a breath in September when the kids go back to school.  I will say, though, it takes like a good month to just be able to sit down and relax.  I kind of twitch because I am used to so much running around.

Do you like Werther's Hard Candy?  This is what this ice cream taste like to me.  Scumptious!


Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vodka
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can Dulce de Leche

In a saucepan heat the milk and cream just until it almost boils.  Remove from heat.  Stir in dulce de leche with a whisk until it has all been melted.  Add vanilla and vodka.  If you make your own vanilla extract with vodka, omit the vodka part.

Pumpkin Mochi Ice Cream

Hope you had a fun Halloween!

I saw these on the Trader Joe website.  I figured I would buy them since I was going there anyway.  I love mochi.  I love pumpkin.  Right up my alley.

These little morsels, I mean pretty little, are only 100 calories.  They are a little larger than a golf ball.  Soft and powdery outside with a bit of confectioners sugar.  Chewy around the outside with a ball of ice cream in the middle.  They are a pretty color of orange.

There is nothing overpowering about these little mochi balls,  Perfectly flavored, they are delicious.  Taking small bites and savoring their yummy goodness.  I really like them.  I also like the fact that I did not need to eat anymore.  Totally satisfied me.  Unlike ice cream sandwiches that I inevitably eat two.  Thats why I just don't keep those around.

I would totally buy them again for a treat!

Disclaimer:  I was not asked to review these nor was I paid anything for this review.  Totally unsolicited- just wanted to share with you.

Ice Cream Cake

At the end of school I usually make the kids some special treat to mark the day that school ends and summer begins.  (Yes, I am way behind posting this.) This was the quick and easy ticket! They agreed.

Grab your 9 x 13, lay your ice cream down, smoothing it out the best you can.  Chop up some chocolate cookies or use chocolate rice cereal or do like I did and chop up some granola bars into little pieces and sprinkle over top.I found after a while that a icing knife is a great way to smooth it out.

Lay down your next layer- I used vanilla.  Make it smooth. Then for a final layer, use whipped cream (like I did) or use non dairy whip creamer. Decorate with sprinkles or cherries. Or whatever your little heart desires.  Pop it in the freezer.

 

My husband bought my one daughter roses to celebrate her winning an award at her "Moving Up" ceremony. We are so very proud.  She went from struggling to read and write to being an avid reader and a darn good story writer.

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

I am so loving all of these strawberries that Driscoll has bestowed upon me.  Thank you so much!  I made some strawberry ice cream over the weekend as well.  I love this ice cream because it is lighter and the taste of the strawberries shines through like nobody's business.

Aren't they just super beautiful?  I think so.

Buttermilk Strawberry Ice Cream

2 cups strawberries, washed and stemmed
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor, process strawberries just barely- liquid-y but chopped into smallish chunks. Pour into a bowl and stir in buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. Chill overnight or at the very least a couple hours.

Following the manufacturers directions, process through ice cream maker.

Rhubarb Ice Cream

Going, going, going.  Stop.  Do housework.  Attack the load of laundry that has multiplied exponentially when I wasn't looking.  Say to whining kids.  "Sorry we have to stay home because nothing is done and the place looks like a pig sty."  Get up and say, dang, "sure is nice, le'ts go to the beach."  Happily, happily enjoying every moment of it.  As much as I can, when I can.  We were suppose to be away this week but due to our accident we had to stay home.  I am making the best of it.  Just keep moving as they say.

I sure hope all is well with you.  What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?


Rhubarb Ice Cream


2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 cups chopped stewed rhubarb*
1 tablespoon vodka


In a saucepan mix 1/2 cup sugar with whole milk and half and half. In a heat proof bowl whisk together egg yolks with remaining half cup sugar. On medium heat, bring milk mixture to a boil.  Remove from heat. Stir about a 1/2 cup of milk mixture slowly into the egg mixture.  Whisk briskly so that egg does not cook.  Continue to add the milk mixture to the egg slowly whisking the whole time.  Pour mixture back into saucepan and return to a boil.  Once mixture begins to boil reduce heat to keep it at a simmer until it thickens up- roughly  160 F.  Pour mixture into bowl.  Refrigerate overnight.  The next day add custard mixture to stewed rhubarb along with vodka.  Place mixture in ice cream maker. 


*Stewed rhubarb:  Combine about 6 cups chopped rhubarb with 1 cup plus sugar.  I say plus because rhubarb is very tart, maybe you like that maybe you don't.  Adjust sugar to your taste bugs (as my daughter would say).  I tried to explain that to her but it just didn't register and since I am kind of getting a kick out of it, I just let it go. Usually at the end I will add vanilla or vanilla bean seeds.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

I had been wanting to make ice cream sandwiches but was a bit ambivalent about it because I really wanted a soft cookie.  All the recipes I had tried in the past were a crisp cookie.  The bad part about eating an ice cream sandwich with a crisp cookie is that when you bite it, it kind of oozes out all over.  I had heard that adding more sugar to a recipe will make it softer.  That was how I approached these cookies.  Certainly if you want it crispy I recommend not adding the extra sugar (take away a 1/4 of a cup). 

Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder ( I will add more next time)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Line a 10 x 15 baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with non stick cooking spray.

Whisk together the melted butter and sugar.  Whisk in egg and vanilla extract.  Combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, and salt.  Add to butter mixture.   Whisk until incorporated.  Spread evenly over parchment paper.

Remove from oven after about 10 to 12 minutes.  Score immediately.  I used a pizza cutter which worked very well.  Let cool.  Remove from parchment and place the squared up ice cream on top of cookies.

I used a store bought ice cream.  I have way too much quilting/creating to do to make ice cream at this moment.  Yes, notice there is a scoop missing.  It still worked.  I made about half the sandwiches and had to slip the ice cream back in the freezer because it was softening rapidly.  If you have two people helping and have the sandwich halves all lined up and ready you should be fine.

There were more but they were eaten up pretty quickly.

Mint Ice Cream

My top three flavors of ice cream are: Mint Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin and Coffee. If I am at Baskin and Robbins it would be Jamocha Almond Fudge. But I haven't been there in, oh 15 years or so. One of these days I am going to make some Jamocha Almond Fudge myself.

This Mint Ice Cream is based on the King of Ice Cream, David Lebovitz. His Ice Cream book is definitely on my wish list. I did change up his recipe just a bit.

Mint Ice Cream
inspired and largely based on David Lebovitz recipe found here.

2 cups Half and Half
1 cup heavy cream
5 egg yolks
3/4 sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup mint leaves*
2 tablespoons Creme de Menthe

Heat half and half, mint and salt in a heavy saucepan until it is just boiling.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let the mixture sit for at least an hour.  Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove mint leaves.  Squeeze them out to make sure you extract as much of the flavor as you can.

In a large bowl combine yolks, heavy cream and sugar.  Heat milk again to boiling.  Remove from heat and ladle the cream into the yolks, whisking briskly to prevent the yolks from cooking.  Once the mixture has been added to the yolks, return it to the pan and heat untilt he mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and put in an ice bath and chill in the fridge overnight.

Pour Creme de Menthe in during the churning process.  Freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

*Note: Last year I made mint ice cream from mint that just tasted terrible. All mint is not created equal. Taste it first and make sure it is the kind of mint you want in your ice cream.

No Ice Cream Maker Needed

 
Maybe you have a food processor but no ice cream maker?  Have I got the ice cream for you.

Want ice cream but you are lactose intolerant?  Have I got the 'ice cream' for you.

Want ice cream but can't eat that many calories?  Have I got the ice cream for you.

I saw it first on Kat and Matt's blog, A Good Appetite.  Then I found the recipe at The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy.  If you like bananas- this stuff will twirl your toes.  Seriously- it's that good and that easy.


Step one:  Buy bananas.
Step two:  Slice bananas.
Step three:  Freeze bananas (two hour minimum).
Step four:  Process bananas in processor.
Step five:  If they have been whirling in the processor and are still dry, add some water or milk (if you like).  Or even a couple tablespoons chocolate syrup (ah, c'mon, live on the edge).
Step six:  Once the bananas have moved from a crumbly dryish stage, they will move into a soft serve ice cream kind of stage, like the picture.
Step seven: Remove from processor.  Sit down, kick your feet up and enjoy.

Decadent Two Tone Ice Cream Cake

Ahhhh, summer.  End of school.  Picking fruits, going to the beach, going to the park, playground, crafts, library, get togethers with friends and family...  We always celebrate the end of the school year.  (And we also celebrate the beginning of the school year).  I wanted to make an ice cream cake, I thought it would be fun.  Besides it has just been to muggy for baking.  I did a search on the internet for an ice cream cake.  I found some good ones but they were not really kid friendly.  Then there were some that called for Oreos.  While I have nothing against Oreos, in fact it's one of my favorite store bought cookies, I wanted to use what I had. After some research and thought I came up with a plan for the cake. 

You know ice cream cakes are SO EXPENSIVE.  It's really amazing how easy (albeit time consuming) they are to make.  The hardest part is getting the ice cream into layers.

Decadent Two Tone Ice Cream Cake
Of course you can use any flavors you want.  This is merely a guideline of what I did.  Sprinkle nuts in if you like too! You could even do a banana split theme.  The possibilities are endless.

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup dulce de leche or caramel
4 cups rice crispy cereal
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

equipment needed:
1- 10 inch spring form pan (chill ahead of time if you can)
cookie sheet
plastic wrap
rubber spatula

Melt chocolate in a large bowl with butter- either in the microwave or a double boiler.  Spoon out half of chocolate/ganache mixture into a measuring cup.  Add rice crispy cereal to the chocolate in the large bowl and stir until combined.  Spread out on cookie sheet and let cool.

Take a 10" spring form pan and place plastic wrap on bottom and up sides if you don't want to deal with struggling to get the cake out after it freezes. 

Soften either the chocolate or the vanilla ice cream.  Because the ice cream melts at different rates, you need to spoon the softened ice cream into the spring form pan and place the pan in the freezer until the rest of the ice cream softens.  Once the first layer of ice cream is in, sprinkle the chocolate rice crispy cereal over the top.  Spoon dulce de leche over the crispy chocolate cereal.  With a spoon spread it out as best as you can.  Place pan back in the freezer. 

Place next 1/2 gallon of ice cream on the counter and repeat the process. Once all the ice cream is smoothed into the pan return to the freezer once again. Spread reserved ganache over this layer once it is firmed up.  Finally whip up the heavy cream until frothy, sprinkle in sugar.  Whip until peaks form.  Smooth the whipped cream over the top.  Decorate top at this point if you like.  Return to freezer.

Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Note:  I kept the spring form pan on a cookie sheet because it did dribble out of the pan a little.

Blueberry Creamy Dreamy Ice Cream

We are busily getting ready for our vacation here. Sadly, it will just be me and my girls going. My husband has lots of work to do. What a bummer. But on the bright side after our time away we will all be so happy to see one another that we will appreciate each other just a bit more. As the expression goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

You know with all these blueberries we picked, I just had to make some blueberry ice cream. I admired the one from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan, so I just had to give it a swirl!

Yum, delicious, really everyone this has such nice flavor, its one of the best ice creams I have made this summer.

Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, if frozen, thaw and drain)
2/3 cup sugar, or more to taste
Pinch of salt
Grated zest of one lemon
Juice of 1 a lemon, or more juice to taste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups sour cream

In a medium saucepan cook blueberries, sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice over medium heat, stirring, until mixture boils and the berries pop and soften, about 4 minutes.

Pour the berry mixture into a blender and whirl until a seemingly homogeneous puree is achieved, about 1 minute. The mixture will not be completely smooth. Add the heavy cream and sour cream and pulse to blend. Taste and add a bit more lemon juice or sugar if you choose.

Pour the blend into a bowl and refrigerate until it is chilled before churning into ice cream.

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

My monthly group, Four Corners came over my house the other day. I love getting together with these ladies. They are the best. They are my source of support and strength. I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, I told them I was scared. I was really close to my due date and filled with trepidation and excitement over the upcoming delivery. They gathered around me and each put a hand on my big belly and they said a prayer for me and the baby. Talk about love and support. I am truly blessed to have these amazing ladies in my life.

So, of course, you know I go all out for them because I love to cook and I love them. I made a taco salad with my beans that I made last week and ground turkey with a little chorizo. A fairly light meal because the star, this ice cream, was to follow.

I am using capitals for emphasis. YOU HAVE NOT HAD CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD THIS ICE CREAM! OMG. A little scoop of chocolate, decadent heaven. We did sprinkle a little cinnamon on top in our individula servings. This is why when I made it the second time for my parents, I added the cinnamon right to the mixture.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
adapted from this recipe from Cooking Light
* I did not use the vanilla pod for one of the two times I made this. I didn't think it made any difference in taste. Next time I will try it with 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup cream. It is VERY rich.

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
9 ounces Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan combine the cream, milk, Mexican chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

Remove cream mixture from heat and let steep 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, put egg yolks, sugar, and salt in the bowl whisk until egg mixture is thick and pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes. (I used my hand whisk for a little extra exercise. It didn't take long.)

Return cream mixture to medium heat and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat and fish out the sticks. Whisk egg mixture and add a cup of chocolate mixture very slowly, whisking all the while. Slowly drizzle in remaining chocolate mixture, continuing to mix as you go.

Pour this custard into saucepan. Return to stove and cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens a bit.

Pour custard into a couple of quart jars, cover and let cool. Place in frigerator overnight.

Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight plastic container and freeze until hardened.

Yield: MAKES 1 1/2 qts.; 12 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 346 (62% from fat); FAT 24g (sat 13g); CHOLESTEROL 149mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g; SODIUM 86mg; PROTEIN 3.8g; FIBER 0.7g

As if that is not enough. You can put a dollop of this chocolate sauce over top with some Spanish peanuts.

Chocolate Sauce

3 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares
1 cup sugar
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put chocolate in heavy bottomed sauce pan and melt the chocolate over low heat. Add the sugar and whisk in. Gradually add evaporated milk and turn up the heat a little, stirring constantly as you go. Once mixture has melted and sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.

If you want a glossier and thinner sauce add 1/4 cup corn syrup to the mixture.

You see that monkey? He has his mouth covered- I am not sure if he is saying "oh my" or he is saying "wow I ate too much of this amazing ice cream."

Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce over Frozen Yogurt

Yesterday we had a glorious day for picking strawberries. The skies were overcast and it was about 72 degrees. And the strawberry plants were loaded. Strawberries, red and plump pulling down the branches with their juicy weight. Honestly, I don't think I had to move for than ten feet to pick a flat of strawberries (9 quarts). How nice is that? It took all of a half of an hour.

As we were walking out I spied a huge clump of chamomille. You know I have been looking for chamomille for two years now. Chamomille likes rocky areas and it always seems to be around farms. For some reason I just never found it. Until yesterday that is, I hit the jackpot. I filled a grocery bag with the weed. After plucking all the heads off I ended up with two cups of buds!

I love ice cream. If there were only two foods in the world- ice cream and popcorn I would be completely satisfied.

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup of Lyles Golden Syrup (could use corn syrup instead)
32 oz Greek style yogurt
1 1/2 cups sugar
the seeds of one vanilla bean

Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate for four plus hours. I did overnight. Pour ingredients into you ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions.

Strawberry Rhubarb Vanilla Sauce

4 cups strawberries
4 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 cup sugar
juice of one lemon
Vanilla pod

In a large pot combine rhubarb, strawberries, lemon and sugar. Cook until rhubarb is tender. Add vanilla pod and let cool. Remove pod and blend mixture into a puree.

Here's a list of the ways I have used the mixture:

• Over cottage cheese
• in my tea, both hot and iced
• over pancakes or waffles
• drizzled over crepes that have cottage cheese in them
• as a base for a sherbet

Rhubarb Bandwagon

Sometimes you just gotta jump on the wagon and make what everyone else is making. Why? Because there is a reason everyone is making it! I seen it first on A Good Appetite, then Two Peas in Their Pod... then some other places. Since I already had Rhubarb Compote in my fridge, I knew this ice cream was destined for our menu.

This was one lovely tasting, low fat, frozen confection.

Rhubarb facts:

The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous.
Rhubarb is a vegetable
Remember to cook only in non-aluminum pots only due to the acidic nature of rhubarb.

Rhubarb, Strawberry and Vanilla Compote

the seeds of one vanilla pod
15-20 stalks of rhubarb, cleaned and cut into one inch pieces
2 cups of strawberries
1/2 cup of water
1~ cup of sugar

In a large pot, place water, rhubarb and strawberries. Heat on low. Add sugar, give or take a cup depending on your taste. Continue to heat on low and stir frequnetly until the strawberries and rhubarb give up there juices. Once they do, turn up the heat to medium and let them stew until rhubarb is softened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla seeds. Reserve pod for vanilla sugar or other use. Let the rhubarb mixture cool.

*I love to eat the compote with cottage cheese- dahlicious!
To make the ice cream:

Blend about 4 cups of the mixture for the ice cream. Combine the rhubarb compote with a 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. Refrigerate overnight.

Place in ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

TOFU and YOGURT ICE CREAM a winning combination

My husband's birthday is coming up and I have been searching for the perfect cake. He wants something with hazelnuts and chocolate, that's all I know so far. I have thought about remaking this cake or that cake but I need something new for my blog. Some uncharted territory that I can post. I looked through my Bo Friberg's book, The Advanced Profession Pastry Chef. While I did not find anything that jumped out at me for DH, I did find this fabulous recipe for Tofu Ice Cream. I was so excited. I went to the store the next day to buy soft tofu! I already had the bananas! Whoo hoo! I didn't change anything as he is a master (except for a few minor things as they were in my pantry). Next time I will try some type of chocolate addition- hmm maybe chocolate and hazelnuts.

If you have been wanting to try tofu, this is the recipe to start with! No one, I mean no one would ever know there is tofu in it. No aftertaste. No unfamiliar flavor. All creamy, delicious goodness. Lipsmacking in fact!

Banana Tofu Frozen Yogurt
from the The Advanced Professional Pastry Chef, by Bo Friberg; Jon Wiley and Sons, Inc.

12 ounces soft tofu
2 pounds ripe bananas
4 teaspoons lime juice ( I used lemon)
1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I used corn oil)
1 1/2 cups unflavored nonfat yogurt
3/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a food processor, puree the tofu, peeled bananas, and lime juice until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in oil, yogurt, honey and vanilla.

Process in an ice cream freezer following the manufacturers instructions. Transfer to a chilled bowl and store, covered, in the freezer.

A SUMMERTIME CLASSIC: PEACH ICE CREAM

When I was getting my MSW (masters in Social Work) a professor had our class over for some homemade peach ice cream. It was so delicious! Prior to that I was never a "fruit-in-my-ice-cream" kind of person. That all changed that day. I had never had homemade ice cream either. I was hooked.

When my DH and I got married about five years ago I asked for an ice cream maker in my registry. And we received this lovely gift. So funny I forgot most of the gifts but I remember that and who gave it to me. Such a foodie I am. Anyway ever since then peach ice cream is made every summer.

This year I did a little experimentation and came up with something I really like! I found the original recipe in Bon Appetit! I made some changes and am happy with what came out of the machine!

PEACH CUSTARD ICE CREAM

2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 pound peaches, peeled and diced
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

In a heavy saucepan combine whipping cream, milk sugar and yolks. Whisk initially to combine and then switch to a wooden spoon. Do not let it come to a boil. Heat until a little thickened. Lift up the wooden spoon and turn it over to its backside. Run your finger down the spoon. If your finger leaves a trail on the spoon then it is ready. Pour into a glass bowl. Set aside. Wash out the saucepan. Place peaches, sugar and corn syrup in sauce pan and heat through until peaches become tender. Cool a little and then pour into milk mixture. Add almond extract and stir. Refrigerate until cool.

Use ice cream machine according to your manufacturers instructions.

PROFITEROLES

Sinful, delectable, melt in your mouth goodness, profiteroles. A few days before our get together I made David Lebovitz, mint ice cream. Our group almost always enjoys mint tea at our gatherings. So I knew I could not go wrong with mint flavor.

The puff pastry is from Dorie Greenspan. The chocolate sauce is basicly a ganache. I heated 2 ounces of milk chocolate and about a 1/3 of a cup of heavy cream in the microwave and whisked it periodically until it was warm enough to melt and mix. I had prescooped the mint ice cream into balls so that when it was time to serve, it came together in a snap. Pop open the puff, insert ice cream ball put top back on, drizzle with chocolate sauce. Easy peazy!