Roasted blueberry and creme fraiche ice cream

https://food52.com/recipes/71864-roasted-blueberry-and-creme-fraiche-ice-cream

Photo & recipe credit: Food52

Dessert last night: Blackberry lemon poppy seed ice cream

https://food52.com/recipes/37788-lemon-blackberry-and-poppy-seed-ice-cream

 Photo and recipe from https://food52.com/recipes

Peach-maple ice cream

In honor of National Ice Cream Day (apparently a real thing), I'm sharing this gem of a recipe for peach-maple ice cream from Bobby Flay.  The maple syrup and bourbon give it extra depths of flavor, and this is a delicious way to take advantage of peach season!

* I used 1 tsp. vanilla extract in place of the vanilla bean because, convenience.

Peanut butter Oreo ice cream

It's summertime, and at this house, that means lots and lots of ice cream.  We made this peanut butter Oreo version from Nutmeg Nanny and it really hit the spot.  Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combinations, and this doesn't disappoint!!

Espresso bean gelato with toffee

We had a baby last week (welcome to the world, sweet Sam!), so my blogging will probably take a hit. Three little munchkins running around means we'll be eating out and relying on past tried-and-true recipes more. Here's an exception to that statement, though- espresso bean gelato with toffee. It is screaming hot here, so cold, cold ice cream is essential. This was my first recipe out of Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts by Peggy Fallon, and it was a huge hit. Bold coffee flavor, and the toffee is a no-brainer. Try this one!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup espresso coffee beans (I used decaf)
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed chocolate-covered toffee bits, chilled

Makes about 1 quart (our batch looked smaller than 1 quart)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the espresso beans in a heavy-duty zippered plastic bag. Coarsely crush with a rolling pin or under a heavy pot. Do not grind in a coffee mill. (I used a meat mallet).

2. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the crushed espresso beans with the milk and cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in the sugar and salt. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot, about 5 minutes.

4. Beat the egg yolks lightly in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the warm espresso cream. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the remaining espresso cream in the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 170*-175*. Do not let boil or the egg yolks will curdle. Strain the custard into the bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until very cold. Stir in the vanilla extract.

5. Pour the custard into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions (typically 25-30 minutes). Add the chilled toffee candy and process for 1 minute longer, or until incorporated. Transfer the gelato to a covered container and freeze until it is firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Tropical watermelon sorbet

My ice cream maker is working overtime - next up was this tropical watermelon sorbet from Giada deLaurentis. Fruity, cold, and refreshing. So easy, too! Once you freeze it, it isn't very scoopable - more like a snow cone texture. (Snow cones - another one of my summer favorites!).

Cinnamon ice cream

The other ice cream served at game night was this cinnamon ice cream from, again, The Perfect Scoop. This recipe was sooooooooooo creamy- the best texture I've ever accomplished from a homemade ice cream. Not sure if I should attribute that to this particular recipe or if I've just gotten better at making custard with all of the practice recently. Anyway, this ice cream has just the right amount of spice, and is delicious plain or accompanied by something else - fresh peaches, apple pie, oatmeal cookies... you get the picture.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
Ten 3" cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once warm, cover and remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the cinnamon infused milk mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard them. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as your stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Blackberry-lime sorbet

We hosted a game night this week, which I thought was the perfect excuse to make ice cream. First up was this tart and tangy blackberry-lime sorbet from my usual source, The Perfect Scoop. I followed the recipe as is, but I skipped the straining step out of laziness. (The seeds weren't totally offensive, but Robert requested I strain it next time). Also, it needed a few minutes at room temperature before it was scoopable. This sorbet is refreshing and delicious!!

Blackberry Lime Sorbet

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
4 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 7-8 limes)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor with the sugar syrup. Press the mixture through a large mesh sieve to remove the seeds, then stir the lime juice into the sweetened puree.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Super lemon ice cream

It is already hot, hot, hot in Arkansas, so that is my cue to put the ice cream maker to good use. This weekend we made Super Lemon ice cream from my favorite ice cream book, The Perfect Scoop. I chose this recipe because a) it sounded delicious and made my lips pucker up just thinking about it, and b) it's so easy - no eggs or cooking a custard required! Now, the absence of the custard changes the consistency of the ice cream to almost snow-like, vs a smooth, creamy one, but it tastes great and is very refreshing- and it's nice to take shortcuts every now and then!

SUPER LEMON ICE CREAM
Ingredients:

2 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons)
2 cups half-and-half
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Zest the lemons directly into a food processor or blender. Add the sugar and blend until the lemon zest is very fine. Add the lemon juice and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. Blend in the half-and-half and salt until smooth.
Chill for 1 hour, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

White chocolate ice cream with fudge ripple

It's warming up outside, and that means it is time to put the ice cream maker back into regular rotation! My first batch of the season was white chocolate ice cream from The Perfect Scoop, with the addition of homemade fudge ripple. Do I even have to say it?? YUM.

White Chocolate Ice Cream
Yield: 1 quart

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

5 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, then stir in the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to maker instructions.

Fudge Ripple
Yield: 1 cup

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.
Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using.

Mixing it in: The fudge ripple should be thoroughly chilled, as it's easiest to use when very cold. Just before you remove the ice cream from the machine, spoon some of the fudge ripple into the bottom of your storage container. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, layer generous spoonfuls of the sauce between the layers of ice cream. (Avoid stirring the fudge ripple, as it will make the ice cream muddy looking).

Salted caramel ice cream

Oh, YUM. This salted caramel ice cream from Cooking Light (believe it!) is so creamy and delicious. I have an iffy track record with making caramel, and there was a point in making this that I thought I had ruined yet another one. When I added the caramel to the cream and yolk mixture, it completely seized up and stayed in one large chunk. As it heated back up to 160 degrees as the recipe calls for, I kept stirring and it melted back into the cream. Also, this recipe is intended for a rock salt ice cream maker, but I have/use an electric one. So I halved the recipe, afraid that the original amounts wouldn't fit in my smallish maker - in hindsight, the entire recipe would have worked just fine, and now I'm sad that there isn't more of this ice cream to go around! I'll definitely be making this one again. Soon.

Grilled nectarine bourbon ice cream

I made Rachael Ray's grilled nectarine bourbon ice cream a few weeks ago, and wasn't sure if it was worth a post on the blog. If I make something that is just so-so or below average, it doesn't make the cut for the blog. This recipe was a split decision, though - Robert liked it, I did not. The bourbon flavor is very strong, which I didn't particularly like. If you enjoy that flavor... then this is the ice cream for you!

I scream, you scream...

We all scream for ice cream!  Our ice cream maker was working overtime this week.  We tried two new recipes - pear caramel and Vietnamese coffee.  The pear caramel was my second attempt at this recipe - the first time my pears weren't ripe enough to be tasty AND I burned the caramel.  The second time was much more successful - this was creamy, sweet and delicious!  The Vietnamese coffee was rich and yummy also.  It is a super-easy recipe because it isn't custard based and requires no cooking - just stir and freeze! (Recipe below, sorry no photo!).

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
Makes about 1 quart
Adapted from "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk(600 grams/a can and a half)
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso or very strong coffee
1/2 cup half-and-half
Big pinch of finely ground dark-roast coffee

INSTRUCTIONS:

Instructions: Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half-and-half and ground coffee. Cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze until firm enough to scoop.

Water recommended

Now that the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm again, I've dusted off my favorite ice cream cookbook, The Perfect Scoop, to try new frozen treats.  My first one of the season is Aztec "hot" chocolate ice cream, which is a chocolate recipe with the added kick of chile powder.  And let me tell you, it's a kick in the pants for sure!  This picture may look innocent - but you take a bite, and at first it tastes cool and refreshing, then once you've swallowed you feel a burn in your throat.  An interesting experience with ice cream, but it was still a big hit with everyone!  Recipe calls for 2-3 teaspoons of chile powder, and I used just a bit over 2.  The author recommends using chipotle chile powder (which is what I used, extreme heat) or ancho chile powder (smoky and not as hot).  We like adding a little whipped cream to help put out the fire!

Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

2 1/4 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 to 3 teaspoons chile powder (see Note from Lebovitz below)
2 tablespoons brandy

Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, then whisk until it is completely melted. Stir in the milk, vanilla salt, cinnamon, chile powder, and brandy. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Note from Lebovitz: I like the taste of smoky ancho or chipotle chile powder, available in Mexican markets. They can vary in intensity, so if you're unsure of the strength of your chile powder, add the smaller amount and let it sit for awhile, then see if you like it before adding more. The subtle warmth can heat up as it stands.

07.13.09 Cake batter ice cream

We celebrated Holly's birthday at our Bachelorette watch party, so I made cake batter ice cream for the occasion. Rich and delicious! (Candle optional).

06.19.09 Roasted banana ice cream

We spent the weekend at the lake with family, and we made a couple of batches of homemade ice cream. We had a repeat of the chocolate sorbet, and we also made roasted banana ice cream, another recipe from The Perfect Scoop. It tasted like bananas foster - caramely and delicious!!

Roasted Banana Ice Cream
Yield: 1 quart

• 3 medium ripe bananas, peeled
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the bananas into 1/2-inch pieces and toss them with the brown sugar and butter in a 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once during baking, until the bananas are browned and cooked through.

Scrape the bananas and the thick syrup in the baking dish into a food processor or blender. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. Puree until smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker. If the chilled mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisking will thin it out.

06.16.09 Chocolate-peanut butter ice cream

Last night's sweet treat for the Bachelorette watch party was brownies (nothing special, from a box) with chocolate-peanut butter ice cream. The ice cream was rich and peanut-buttery, so delicious! It's another recipe from The Perfect Scoop, and there are still many more to try.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups half-and-half

¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

½ cup sugar

pinch of salt

½ cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Whisk together the half-and-half, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a large saucepan (very important to use a large pan to prevent boiling over - it gets very frothy). Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, stirring until thoroughly blended.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

06.14.09 Chocolate sorbet

You may have noticed a lack of dinner postings lately - clearly my sweet tooth has dominated during my pregnancy. And now that Sally is here, we'll be eating a lot of take-out and simple meals, so here's yet another ice cream recipe from The Perfect Scoop. This chocolate sorbet is to-die-for! Rich and chocolaty, it's waaaaaaaaaay better than any chocolate ice cream I've ever had. I have no doubt this will be a staple in our freezer.

CHOCOLATE SORBET
Makes 1 quart

2 1/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used semi)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk, for 45 seconds.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it’s melted, then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the mixture has become too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out).

06.11.09 Peach ice cream

My latest batch of homemade ice cream was Paula Deen's recipe for peach ice cream. I love peach season, and this recipe is creamy and delicious! I love the flavor of the brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar. My only comment is that we don't taste a difference in recipes that call for a custard base vs. an (egg-free) milk and cream mixture where the machine does all the work, so I'm not sure the extra steps are worth the trouble.

06.06.09 Banana-blueberry sorbet

I've discovered a fantastic new cookbook to help feed my homemade ice cream addiction - it's called The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. You'll be seeing lots of his recipes on the blog in the coming months. First up was the banana-blueberry sorbet. It is fruity, refreshing, and simple - basically fruit, water and sugar, so much healthier than the creamy stuff. But don't worry, the next recipe I want to try from the book is chocolate peanut butter ice cream, which is certainly NOT figure friendly.

Makes about 1 quart

1 medium-sized ripe banana, peeled
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (I used fresh)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Cut the banana into chunks and puree in a blender or food processor with the blueberries, water, sugar and lime juice until smooth. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.