ICE CREAM!...ICE CREAM!...AND MORE ICE CREAM!

I love ice cream. Next to Cheesecake, of any flavor, it is one of my favorite desserts. On New Year's Eve I helped my good friend Debby Vis make ice cream for the first time. She is such an accomplished home chef that making ice cream was easy for her. Deb made the custard base night before we arrived.


Here's Deb slowly adding toasted pecans
into the ice cream mixture as it churns.

BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM

I found this recipe on the 'Taste of Home' site. I use this site a lot and have never been let down, and this recipe is no exception!


I nabbed this photo from the 'Taste of Home' site.
Our New Year's Eve celebration got wild and crazy...
No time for food photos!
Ours looked as good, if not better!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:
In a small skillet, toast the pecans in butter for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Cool.

In a heavy saucepan, heat half and half to 170 degrees, whisking occasionally. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of hot cream mixture into the eggs; return to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches at least 160 degrees (no more than 170) and coats the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes to cool it down. Stir in heavy whipping cream and vanilla. At this point if you have any lumps, because a little of the egg "cooked" when adding the hot half and half into the eggs, strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve pressing the custard through, but leaving the lumps behind. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard so a crust does not form and refrigerate several hours or overnight. I prefer to make the custard the day before for 2 reasons: 1) you know it is perfectly chilled when time to churn and, 2) it helps by having this entire step done ahead of time.

Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. As you begin to freeze the ice cream pour in the toasted pecans. My Cuisinart Ice Cream maker usually takes between 20-30 minutes to freeze, but everyone is different. After churned, remove from the ice cream maker and pour into a freezer-proof bowl and freeze for 2-4 hours before serving.

VANILLA ICE CREAM

Since a kid, one of my all-time favorites is Vanilla Ice Cream. From this basic, but delicious recipe you can add all kinds of fruit or other flavorings to change it up, but I like it just like this--creamy, eggy and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups half and half
5 large egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract*

* I have never used a vanilla bean and the ice cream is delicious using plain old vanilla extract.

Preparation:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the half and half and vanilla bean (if using) to the scalding point (the milk begins to foam up). Remove from heat, take out the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds from the bean with the back of a knife, and mix the seeds back into the half and half.

Meanwhile, in a stainless steel bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. I use a hand mixer, but you can also do this with a wire whisk. It will take much longer. Gradually pour the scalding half and half into the whipped egg yolk mixture, making sure you keep whisking constantly so the eggs don't curdle or "cook". If any lumps do form, strain through a fine mesh sieve before re-heating.

Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler effect), and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until the custard thickens enough that it coats the back of a spoon; or until custard reaches 170 degrees.

Immediately remove the custard from the heat and continue to stir for a few minutes so it does not overcook. The stirring helps cool it down. At this point stir in the vanilla extract (if using). Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the top of custard and cool until reaches room temp and then place in refrigerator for several hours, or overnight.

Transfer the cold custard to the chilled container of your ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Once made, transfer the ice cream to a container and store in freezer until ready to serve. If the ice cream becomes too hard, place in refrigerator until softened--15-20 minutes.

Nothing as pure, simple and
scrumptious as Vanilla Ice Cream!

Next, I'm giving you a recipe I found on another excellent food blog, Allrecipes. When our good friends Joe and JoJo Hammond came for dinner I served this ice cream for dessert. Turns out JoJo's favorite is Maple Walnut, as was my dear Mom's. I've tried a lot of different Maple Walnut recipes, but this is my  favorite. We always got our maple syrup from Putnam's farm in Charlestown, NH; absolutely the best, and a beautifully run, multi-generational, owned and operated family farm.

MAPLE WALNUT ICE CREAM

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
5 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/8 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Sticky Walnuts:
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1/2 (fat) cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Preparation:
Pour heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the bowl. Whisk egg yolks together in a separate bowl.

Heat milk and sugar together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until milk begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup heated milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with a heatproof spatula.

Cook and stir milk mixture constantly with the spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the saucepan often, until mixture thickens and coats spatula; about 10 minutes or until it reaches 170 degrees. Remove saucepan from heat; pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the heavy cream.

Stir 3/4 cup maple syrup, coarse salt, and vanilla into cream mixture, then place the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water; stir to cool to room temperature. Press plastic wrap on the surface and chill the mixture in the fridge, about 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spread walnuts onto a baking sheet. Toast walnuts in the preheated oven until they turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 15 minutes. Set nuts aside to cool to room temp. Chop nuts coarsely.

Heat the (fat) 1/2 cup plus maple syrup in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. (This reminds me of days visiting the Putnam's Sugar House with my Dad...the sweet smell of sap boiling!) Stir in walnuts and return to a boil. Stir nuts for 10 seconds or so, remove from heat; set aside to cool completely. This can also be done ahead. The nuts will be wet and sticky when cooled.

Remove custard mixture from refrigerator; pour into ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturers instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, stir in wet walnuts.

Keep in freezer until ready to serve.

Now, I'm going to turn to some Ice Cream recipes I've made over the years...

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ICE CREAM

and

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=ice+cream

Very peanut buttery and I served with
Peanut Butter and Strawberry cookies. Oh my!

 

This Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream
was really fun for me as it was my
first-ever ice cream creation.
Having goats milk on hand made it easy!

Next, the first ice cream I ever made...which happens to be my husband, Jerry's favorite:

PEPPERMINT STICK ICE CREAM

http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2017/01/peppermint-ice-cream-and-italian-cookies.html

I've made this Peppermint Stick Ice Cream many times
over the years. For me, a little too sweet,
but if you like those sweet pepperminty flavors,
you'll love this one.

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2013/02/lets-start-with-dessert.html

I made this one for my husband's birthday one year.
How can you go wrong with fresh strawberries, cream and eggs?

And, this year's special birthday ice cream...

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-menu-2018.html

AND FINALLY...
This last recipe is a "cheating" Ice Cream, but so delicious and nobody has to know.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2013/12/turkey-tales.html

Scroll down to the bottom to find this recipe. Really fun way to add a festive and easy treat to Thanksgiving dessert.

This is the Pumpkin Cheesecake I served
that year with the Pumpkin Ice Cream.

I think that is enough Ice Cream for today,
but before we close...

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

 

Until next time, keep indulging, keep experimenting, keep cooking, and keep on having fun in your own kitchen!

 

www.cookwithcindy.com

 

Jerry ALWAYS enjoys a little ice cream!

 

COOKIES AND ICE CREAM!

Looking for a rich and decadent dessert? Try this one...a grown-up version of your favorite childhood sandwich!

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ICE CREAM

 

WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY

SANDWICH COOKIES

For the Ice Cream-

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup unsalted natural peanut butter (I used salted.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup good quality strawberry jam (or whatever jam flavor you prefer)

Preparation:
Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. milk with the cornstarch. Whisk and set aside. Whisk the peanut butter and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a low boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil over high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Pour into the bowl with the peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl in the ice bath to cool, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. I like to do this step the day before churning so always chill it overnight. Pour chilled ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturers instructions. This batch took about 20 minutes. Spoon a small layer of jam into a freezer-safe container and lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top. Continue to alternate layers of jam and ice cream until the container is full. Gently swirl the layers with a spoon, careful not to muddy the ice cream. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 1 generous quart.

The texture of this ice cream was perfect. I found the recipe online, but don't remember exactly the source. Really fun combination of flavors!

And now for the cookies-

Ingredients:

COOKIE DOUGH
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts for topping

FILLING
1/3 cup peanut butter
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 cup strawberry jam (or whatever your favorite is!)

Start by making the dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing well between additions. Fold in the peanut butter until fully incorporated.

Scoop 24 1 inch balls of dough onto the baking sheets at least 2" apart. Press the balls down slightly; they should be about 1 1/2" in diameter. Sprinkle the tops with chopped peanuts. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are light golden brown and tops are slightly cracked; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to let cool completely.

While the cookies are baking, make the filling.

In a bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the peanut butter with the butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes until chilled.

Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the filling on the underside of 12 cookies. Spread 1 tsp. of jam on the underside of the remaining cookies. Sandwich the halves together and serve.

These cookies are ridiculously good. This recipe came from Food and Wine Magazine and they got it courtesy of Chef Tiffany MacIssac, Owner of Washington D.C.'s Buttercream Bakeshop. I'd like to visit that bakery!

I'm going to share one more ice cream recipe with you today. This was my own creation and my first attempt at making a recipe for ice cream. And, I just happened to have some goats milk on hand! Most ice cream calls for 1 or more eggs, but since the recipe above was eggless I decided to make this one eggless, too.

 

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

I served with empanadas from our local bakery.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups goats milk
8 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup strawberry jam

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

Gently heat the sliced strawberries with 2 Tbsp. sugar until sugar is dissolved. Put the berries in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until ready to churn.

I basically used the technique above using these ingredients. Stirring continuously, heat the goats milk, cream cheese half and half, salt, and sugar until the cheese melts and mixture comes to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and add the cornstarch mixture and 1/2 cup strawberry jam. Return to high heat and bring once more to a boil. Pour into a bowl and cool quickly in the ice water bath for about 20 minutes. Then place in fridge overnight to completely chill before churning. Once you have chilled the ice cream base, pour into your ice cream maker. As it begins to churn add the fresh strawberries that have been cooked down a bit in the sugar. Churn until the desired consistency is reached; about 20 minutes. Place in freezer for a few hours to firm up.

I will admit the texture of this ice cream was not perfect, but the flavor was delicious. I think the cream cheese made the texture a little icy. Maybe next time add 2 eggs to the ice cream base to create a custard with the cream cheese.

All for today!

Fall is just around the corner.

Days in southern Arizona will begin cooling off.

Time to do more cooking!

 

Tune in again soon, for another episode of:

www.cookwithcindy.com