Tag Archives: ice cream

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Irish Coffee Milkshake with Whiskey Caramel

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Yes, it’s another ice-cream-drink…and yeah, maybe it was lunch yesterday. I hope you don’t mind, I’m just in the mood for stripey straws and swift-sweet-tooth-satisfaction…plus, this one is different because of the BOOZE factor.

It’s no secret that this weekend is a BFD for lovers of all things green, and pinching, and Ireland, and Guinness,  and corned beef, and whiskey, and drunk-stumbling camaraderie. As a certifiable hermit, I’m not one for crazy, raucous partying, but I do like to get down with a festive, boozey, treat to share with my favorites (you all included!). Enter this milkshake. It’s dead-simple, I mean…I know we can all handle making a milkshake, so think of this as more of a suggestive guide, rather than a recipe.

We’re blending together store-bought coffee ice cream, a little milk mixed with a little espresso powder, some whiskey (if I had any shame, I’d be real and use certifiable Irish whiskey…but I didn’t), and a boozed-up homemade caramel sauce. This shake has some of my favorite flavors ever–I mean, whiskey and caramel should just be BFF’s, right? plus, coffee? Get out. This shake is a quick indulgence for one, but can be easily adapted to make a batch of impressive, crowd-pleasing treats. Pop in a straw and knock one back!

Irish Coffee Milkshake

Makes 1 milkshake. 

I’m sure you guys know what a milkshake is all about and exactly how you like them, so ratios below are just a suggestion. Shake it up, add mix-ins, do yo’ thing. 

2 hefty scoops of your favorite coffee ice cream

2-4 tablespoons of milk

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 ounce (or as much as you want) whiskey

whiskey caramel sauce (recipe below)

whipped cream to garnish

Begin by dissolving the espresso powder in the milk, add to a blender canister along with the ice cream, whiskey, and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. Blend it up! Drizzle the inside of your glass with more caramel, pour in the shake, top with whipped cream and more caramel if desired. Cheers!

Whiskey Caramel Sauce:

adapted from THIS recipe.

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon golden syrup (or corn syrup)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 ounce whiskey

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water, and golden syrup, gently combine. Heat over medium-high until the mixture becomes a syrup and comes to a boil. Continue to boil until the syrup becomes a deep golden, brown caramel color–as dark as you dare before it burns. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the butter, cream, and salt, until smooth. Return to heat if needed to create a smooth sauce. Whisk in the whiskey to combine. Pour into a heatproof jar and cool. Can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for a week.

 

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Blueberry Maple Ice Cream Soda

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One summer during high school, I spent a week with a family friend, Bobby, while her daughter and family were out of town. Bobby was a totally fascinating lady–she attended Berkeley in the 30′s where she studied micro-biology (a lady! in the 30′s! micro-biology!)…and, she introduced me to the ice cream soda, for which I will be forever thankful.

Before, the world of ice cream sodas consisted of the standard root beer float. After, I knew that the possibilities were endless. An ice cream soda is a super simple, old fashioned, soda fountain treat. It’s a simple mixture of ice cream, flavored syrup, and soda water. Here, I’ve paired super maple-y ice cream with a fruity blueberry syrup…because if we’re talking blueberry sans lemon, then I want it with maple. It just is. Adding soda water makes this drink effervescent and mixes the ingredients to create a creamy lavender color with streaks of pale maple ice cream and bright punches of deep purple.

This Blueberry Maple Ice Cream Soda is SO PRETTY and….it tastes like pancakes…enough said.

Blueberry Maple Ice Cream Soda

There will be enough ingredients to make several ice cream sodas…so, have one today, tomorrow, and the next day, OR share! 

Makes 1 ice cream soda.

2-3 medium scoops of maple ice cream (recipe below)

several tablespoons blueberry syrup (recipe below)

soda water

whipped cream (optional)

In a tall glass layer the ice cream scoops with spoonfuls of syrup. Pour on the soda water to cover, garnish with whipped cream and more syrup. Serve with a straw.

Maple Ice Cream

Adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup

2 cups milk

1 cup cream

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened

In a medium saucepan, heat maple syrup and bring to a boil. Cook, turning the heat down as needed if the syrup bubbles too much, until reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream.

Pour 1/4 cup of the milk into a bowl and whisk in the cornstarch to combine. Set cornstarch slurry aside.  Whisk in the remaining milk and salt with the cream and maple mixture. Return to heat and bring the maple and dairy mixture to a low boil. Quickly whisk in the cornstarch slurry to combine, bring to a boil and cook, whisking until thickened–about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl (preferably with a spout for easy pouring), and mix lightly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the hot ice cream base until combined well.

Prepare and ice bath in a clean sink or large bowl. Pour the hot maple ice cream base into a gallon-size zip top bag, seal, and chill in the ice bath until cooled completely. Process the ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape into a freezer container and seal, freeze for several hours until firm.

Blueberry Syrup

1 heaping cup of blueberries, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a small saucepan, over medium-high, heat blueberries with sugar and lemon until berries burst and release their juices and the sugar is dissolve  Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and press the blueberry syrup through a fine mesh sieve, discard solids. Pour syrup into a heatproof jar, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Brownie Sundaes

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Guys, I know Valentine’s Day gets a bad rap for being too sweet, too commercial, too much…but! I’ve always been a believer in celebrating this day of love and appreciation, whether one is coupled or not. Before I met Sean, all of my Valentine’s were more of a Leslie Knope a la Galentine’s situation…which isn’t bad at all, if you ask me. I love my friends and my girlfriends are so very near and dear to my heart. Girlfriend’s are my spirit animal. It’s just the truth.

So, basically  what I’m saying is that even if you’d rather scrooge the day away, don’t do it alone. Or at least, don’t eat dessert alone. This brownie sundae was made for sharing, you can double up on the brownies and the ice cream and the fudge and just attack it with two spoons–as singles, as friends, as couples, whatevs! and whether it’s romantic or platonic, it’s the day to celebrate the loves of your life! Hugs and sundaes all around!

 

Brownie Sundaes

I cut the brownies out with heart cutters and mini heart cutters to up the festive/cute factor. This is a totally optional step, you can simply cut them into generous squares. These sundaes come together quickly using store-bought ice cream. You can use whatever brownie recipe you love, below I have my favorite. The fudge sauce really is no-nonsense, it comes together perfectly and swiftly in the microwave. The brownie and fudge recipe make enough for several sundaes. 

Brownies (recipe below)

No Nonsense Hot Fudge (recipe below)

Ice Cream (softened slightly for easy scooping)

Toasted Almonds (optional)

If the brownies are room temperature or chilled, pop in the microwave in 10 second bursts until just warm. Place a brownie (or two) in the center of a bowl, spoon a bit of warm fudge over the top of the brownie. Dish out 2-3 scoops of ice cream, top with more hot fudge and almonds (if using). Serve with two spoons.

Spiced Cocoa Brownies

adapted from this recipe. 

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa plus 2 Tablespoons

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cold eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 325*F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment and grease well. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla, to moisten and combine well. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool a few minutes–until no longer hot, but still warm to the touch. The mixture may appear grainy and a bit greasy.

Once the mixture has cooled to warm and the pan is no longer burning-hot, vigorously whisk in the eggs one at a time until completely incorporated–the mixture should be smooth and shiny. Fold in the flour, fold about 40 times. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl whisk together the tablespoon of sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the brownie batter. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before cutting.

No-Nonsense Hot Fudge

recipe from Take a Megabite

2/3 (1, 5 oz. can) cup evaporated milk

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

In a large, heatproof measuring cup combine all of the ingredients. Using the microwave on high, microwave the mixture in 30 second bursts, stirring after each, until the mixture is melted, smooth, and mixed well–about 2 minutes total. Allow the fudge to set up a 1-3 minutes for the best consistency.

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Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream with Cashews

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When I was a smallish child we lived in California, just a few towns over from The Jelly Belly factory. We did the tour a few times  with out-of-town family–that place smells insane like sugar. I always loved mixing the flavors to make other flavors–root beer float and the like. My mom would pretty much only eat those strange buttered popcorn dudes. This ice cream is a nod to that candy bean, though the flavor is less weirdo-artificial-movie-theater-bucket and more delicious popcorn nuttiness.

Even though I’m not a fan of the popcorn jelly bean, I am a fan of popcorn…and caramel and nuts. I mean, it’s just so perfect–salty, sweet, nutty crunchy. It’s like a salty-sweet-crunchy dream. This ice cream starts with a smooth and creamy popcorn base–there are 8 whole cups of popcorn in it! It wilts down to nothing, but leaves behind a cream that’s reminiscent of buttered popcorn, sans the butter plus the popcorn. I added a caramel ripple for good measure and sweet cashews for crunch.

This ice cream is crazy-weird-good. Even though it’s only January, it has me dreaming of late sunsets, ball parks and hot dogs, and summertime goodness.

Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream with Cashews

Salted Caramel Sauce // adapted from The Perfect Scoop

Prepare the caramel sauce ahead of time so it can cool to room temperature. Can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated in a lidded container. You will have leftover sauce, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to use it up :)

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon golden (or corn) syrup

1/4 cup water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

In a measuring cup measure out cream and add vanilla, set aside.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat sugar, syrup, and water over medium-high until sugar is melted and turns dark golden brown in color (the darkest you can get it before burning is best–think whiskey/bourbon color). Remove from heat and quickly whisk in butter and half of cream until combined and smooth. The mixture will steam and bubble furiously, use a oven mitt or towel to wrap your stirring hand. If there are still lumps, heat gently until smooth. Add remaining cream and salt and stir until smooth.

Popcorn

1/2 cup popping corn

paper lunch bag

place the popcorn kernels in the bag, fold the bag top 2-3 times, microwave on high until the corn is popping like crazy, followed by 1-2 second pauses between pops–about 3 1/2 minutes. This may take some trial and error, just be watchful–you may have to pop it in 2 batches. This made me about 9 cups of popcorn–I used 8 and snacked on the remaining cup.

Popcorn Ice Cream // adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home

2 cups heavy whipping cream

8 cups plain popped corn

2 cup milk

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons golden syrup (or corn)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped cashews

caramel sauce

In a medium saucepan heat the heavy cream with the popcorn (the popcorn will basically wilt away, so if it seems like a lot, it won’t be), bring to a low boil, cover, remove from heat and steep for 1 hour. Sieve the popcorn cream through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much cream as possible. Discard solids, you should have about 1 cup of cream remaining, if less add cream to make 1 cup.

Mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch to create a slurry. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan mix together the popcorn cream with the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, add the sugar, golden syrup, and salt. Heat the mixture and bring to a low boil, quickly whisk in the slurry mixture and return to a boil, whisking until thickened–about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl or clean sink basin. Pour the ice cream base into a gallon zip-bag and seal. Chill the base in the ice bath until cooled completely. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Spoon 1/3 of the churned ice cream into a freezer container, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with nuts–repeat 2 more times. Cover and freeze until firm–3 hours or more.

 

 

 

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Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream

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I told you that I wasn’t going to be over frozen stuff, even if Michigan is chilling down with a quickness, and I didn’t lie. I don’t even care! I do what I want! I’ll eat ice cream in the snow.  I have mittens and hoodies and boots at the ready, so bring it seasonal change!

I’m not actually as mad all all those exclamations up there imply…I love Autumn.

LOVE IT.

Fall time layers are my fave and any excuse to wear a cardigan is good by me. There are walks to be had in the crisp air and bike rides through piles of vibrant leaves. Warm spices and hot drinks, braised stuffs and heating up the house with baking, are my jam…but, I’m not giving up ice cream, I’ll just enjoy it with a hot beverage on the side.

This ice cream is an old fave, freshened up with…well, fresh herbs. The natural color from the mint just hints at green, but really, it’s more buttery looking than that. The mint is totally there, from a good long steep in the cream mixture, but not astringent the way that extracts used with a heavy hand can sometimes be. Instead the minty flavor is smooth, lush, and almost buttery. Yeah, I mentioned “buttery” twice (now thrice), and it really is kind of like those little butter-mint-pillow-dudes that seem to grace the candy bowls of certain elder family members. The crisp shards of bittersweet chocolate throughout just compliment the smooth mint flavor, instead of stealing the show. Maybe you have some mint taking over your garden–mint is just that way, it likes to sprawl–or maybe you can just get it at the store. Either way, this ice cream utilizes it in a classic scoop-shop incarnation, all freshened up.

Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream

adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home

I steeped the mint in the cream mixture overnight to really infuse the ice cream with mint flavor. 

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup loosely packed mint leaves, torn roughly

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

In a medium saucepan heat milk with the cream and mint leaves. Heat to a simmer, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to cool and steep in the refrigerator overnight (12 hours is best).

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of milk mixture with the cornstarch, set slurry aside.

Strain the mint leaves from the milk mixture and add sugar, corn syrup, and salt,  reheat in a medium saucepan to a low boil. Quickly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue to boil, whisking, until thickened. Prepare an ice bath and pour the hot ice cream base into a large plastic bag. Chill bag in ice bath until cooled and process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. At the end of processing, with the machine still churning, drizzle the chocolate into the ice cream to create chips. Scrape the ice cream into a container and freeze until firm.

 

 

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Coconut Crumble w/ Summer Fruit & Vanilla Ice Cream

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Even though I complain about the heat and humidity for the entire summer–I’m a fun housemate–there are still times that I HAVE TO turn on the oven. If I didn’t, there wouldn’t be pies and crumbles made with the bounty of summertime fruit that I just can’t resist buying.

While pies take a touch more time and care, and though they are always worth the effort, a crumble is an easy, laid back reminder that summer baking can be done without much fuss and with ingredients that are often already on hand. You can really use any fruit you like for the filling and the topping can take any number of mix-ins, or can be kept simple with just flour, sugar, salt, and butter. I love a crumble topping with lots of texture and this one delivers with chewy oats and toasty coconut. The warm richness of the topping pairs so nicely with the off-tart flavors of plum, raspberries, and blueberries.

Coconut Crumble w/ Summer Fruit

Feel free to use any mixture of fruit, I had about 4 1/2 cups and only sweetened it lightly, as the topping and ice cream are both a sweet compliment to the tartness of the fruit. 

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

6 Tablespoons butter, cubed

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and work butter into the mixture with fingertips until you have coarse crumbs–some sandy bits and some that stick together in chunks. Set in refrigerator while you assemble the filling.

2 plums, seeded and sliced

8 ounces raspberries, rinsed and dried

12 ounces blueberries, rinsed and dried

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375*F.

Combine all ingredients for the filling in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Scrape the fruit mixture into a 8-inch pie dish and top with refrigerated crumble. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the juices are bubbling.

Vanilla Ice Cream

adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home

If you don’t have a vanilla bean, use 2-3 teaspoons of extract. 

2 cups milk

1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 Tablespoons (1/5oz) cream cheese, soft

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of milk with the cornstarch, set slurry aside. Set the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mesh strainer over the top. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan heat remaining milk with the cream and vanilla beans + pod. Heat to a simmer, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk mixture and add sugar, corn syrup, and salt,  reheat to a low boil. Quickly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue to boil, whisking, until thickened. Whisk a ladleful of the hot mixture into the cream cheese, before straining the remaining hot mixture into the cream cheese mixture and whisk to combine. Prepare an ice bath and pour the hot ice cream base into a large plastic bag. Chill bag in ice bath until cooled and process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

 

 

 

 

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Raspberry Goat Cheese Ice Cream

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So, I have this thing where I LOVE goat cheese. I love it on salads, in quesadillas, scrambled with eggs, on a cheese plate, with this conserve…love it.

I know a lot of other people who feel the same and we can dine happily together, eating all the goat cheese we want. There are others who hate it though and won’t touch it, not even nut-crusted and fried sitting atop a pile of greens (deeeelish!). It seems to be a very divisive cheese, this goat variety.

I have tried to translate my love of goat cheese into an ice cream before and it was a disaster. Not only did I try to serve it to friends that were in the latter party mentioned above, but I also over-did it on the cheese. It was not sweet enough and far, far too…goat-ish? Yeah, just too much goat cheese, not enough ice cream. This time, I dialed back the goat cheese and stirred in some raspberry puree–making a pale pink ice cream with the tart berry flavor of rasberries and the creamy tang of chevre. There’s enough sugar here to bring the goats cheese from cheese-plate to dessert plate–the flavor is reminiscent of cheesecake, but with the tangy assertiveness of goat cheese.

Raspberry Goat Cheese Ice Cream

Adapted from Jeni’s Spendid Ice Creams at Home 

2 cups whole milk

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 Tablespoons (1.5 oz) cream cheese, softened

5 ounces soft, plain goat cheese (like chevre), softened

raspberry puree–made from 2 containers of raspberries blended with 1/4 cup sugar and sieved to remove seeds

In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch. Set the slurry aside. Place cream cheese and goat cheese in a large heatproof bowl, set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a low boil and quickly whisk in slurry. Continue whisking and bring the mixture to a boil, to thicken, continue to cook and whisk for an additional minute. Mixture should be thick enough to leave whisk tracks behind. Whisk a ladleful of the hot mixture into the cheeses to combine, pour in the rest of the hot mixture and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the raspberry puree to combine well and pour the mixture into a large zip-top bag and cool in an ice bath. Once cooled, process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape into a container, cover, and freeze to set.

 

 

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Butterscotch Fudge-Ripple Ice Cream w/ Hazelnuts

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It is HOT and humid here in Michigan and I feel like a melty, sweaty, mess.

Shade offers little respite, clothes are clingy, and the only thing that feels right is sitting in front of the AC. I can’t really wrap my head around eating or drinking anything that is even slightly warm.

Enter this ice cream. My love of ice cream will always remind me of my grandpa, an enthusiast of ice creams with fudge-y and crunchy mix-ins. Having known days before AC and refrigeration, he knew that a jump in the river, a cool drink, and a swirly ice cream cone were just the things that beat the summer heat. He was a wise man and I like to think that he would have loved this ice cream. It would have been just his style.

This ice cream is a rich and creamy summertime dream. The flavors of sweet butterscotch with deep, dark fudge, and the crunch of hazelnuts work magic here. Even though the flavors are rich and decadent, they aren’t heavy due to a lightening churn in the ice cream machine and a long freeze.

Butterscotch Fudge-Ripple Ice Cream w/ Hazelnuts

Fudge Ripple

adapted from The Perfect Scoop

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup water

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the edges begin to bubble. Continue whisking and bring to a low boil, cook while whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool completely before layering with ice cream.

 

Ice cream

Adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams At Home

This ice cream base uses cornstarch instead of egg yolks as the thickener and it creates the smoothest, creamiest ice cream I have ever made. It’s definitely worth a whirl. For the butterscotch, I like to brown the butter first, just to create an additional layer of flavor and depth. 

4 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups whole milk

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons cream cheese

1/2 -3/4 cup toasted/cooled hazelnuts, rough chopped

In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup of the milk with all of the cornstarch, set the slurry aside. In a 4 qt. saucepan melt butter and brown–taking care not to burn–and stir in brown sugar to moisten. Add remaining milk, cream, salt, and corn syrup to the pan. Bring to a low boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add slurry, return to a boil, and cook 2 minutes to thicken well. Place cream cheese in a large heatproof bowl and pour in 1/4 cup of the hot mixture, whisk to combine, then whisk in remaining mixture. Pour ice cream base into a large ziplock bag and chill in an ice bath. Once cooled, process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

Mix-in the hazelnuts at the end of churning and layer the ice cream and fudge ripple in a freezer container, cover and freeze. You will have extra fudge which can be used for serving.

 

 

 

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Recipe: Roasted Strawberry Stracciatella Ice Cream

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I have a confession to make.

I used to be totally weirded-out by strawberry ice cream. Though, admittedly, I can’t resist a ripe and perfectly red, fresh berry, I have carried this strong aversion to all things strawberry-flavored for most of my life. From ice cream to jam, I just couldn’t deal.

I’m getting over it now and with dreams of spring and summer evenings on the horizon, I’ve been picking up less-than-perfect berries from the store. Mostly I’ve been blending them into smoothies, but last weekend I roasted a pint with a split vanilla bean and the smell was just perfect. Sweet, vanilla-scented, strawberry heaven.

This ice cream starts with syrupy, heady, roasted berries which get stirred into a creamy, custard base, there’s a long chill where everything mingles, followed by a churning in an ice cream maker, and finally, near the end of churning I drizzled a bit of homemade “magic shell” in for a stracciatella effect. The chocolate/coconut oil combo vs. straight-up melted chocolate makes for extra-crisp little bits of chocolate in every spoonful of ice cream. It really is like ice cream magic.

Roasted Strawberry Stracciatella

For the berries:

1 pint strawberries

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2-4 Tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of your berries

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pick through the berries, rinse, drain, and hull. Toss berries in a baking dish with vanilla bean and sugar. Roast for 30-40 minutes until berries are dark pink, and the juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For Ice Cream:

2 cups half and half

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

Set a mesh strainer over a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan heat half and half over medium-low heat to scald.

Meanwhile, whisk sugar, salt, and yolks in a heatproof bowl until pale and thick. Slowly add the hot half and half to the yolk mixture and scrape back into the saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl and stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.

Mash the roasted berries coarsely with a fork and stir into custard base. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

For the Stracciatella:

4 1/2 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 ounce coconut oil

Right before you are ready to churn, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water until smooth and combined. Process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. At the very end of churning, drizzle in the melted chocolate/coconut oil to form crackling ribbons of chocolate throughout the ice cream. Scrape the ice cream from the ice cream maker into a airtight container and freeze.

 

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Recipe: Brown Butter Cookie Ice Cream

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Sometimes we don’t get to all the cookies in the cookie jar before they get all stale and sad. In this case the cookies were those delightful bars I made last week. I l-o-v-e those bars, but sometimes even I can’t eat a whole batch…and most of the time, I really shouldn’t. Instead of letting them go stale on the counter, I chopped them up and toasted them crouton-style in the oven.

Cookie Croutons!

That happened and it was a pretty amazing idea…not to high-five myself or anything. Anyway, I’ve been wanting to try out a brown butter ice cream for a while now and I thought it would be great with the cookie croutons as a mix-in. This ice cream is toffee-like from the brown butter and brown sugar, crunchy from the cookies, and creamy-dreamy from all that cream and those egg yolks. It’s definitely a special treat.

Those little cups up there are compostable, super cute, and the perfect size for a decadent little sampling of this crazy ice cream. I got them c/o Susty Party, home of biodegradable, eco-friendly party supplies.

Brown Butter Ice Cream with Cookie Crouton Mix-In

Adapted from Epicurious

I put rum in this ice cream to keep it from freezing solid…and because, butter + rum = love. Feel free to leave it out for kiddos or if you don’t want to add it. 

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

5 egg yolks

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon rum (optional)

1 cup cookie croutons*

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat, until solids brown and turn fragrant like toffee. Be sure to watch closely so the butter doesn’t burn. Pour into a small heatproof bowl and set aside.

Pour rum into a large bowl, set a fine mesh strainer over the top, and set aside.

In  a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt to combine. Set aside and heat cream and milk in a saucepan to scald (just before boiling, look for tiny bubbles along the perimeter of the saucepan). Slowly whisk hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and whisk in the browned butter. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and thickens. Remove from heat and pour the custard mixture through the fine mesh strainer into the bowl and stir to incoporate rum (if using). Set the bowl over a large bowl of ice water and stir to cool. Cover the surface with plastic and chill well (I like at least 6 hours).

Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Fold in cookie croutons by hand before storing in the freezer.

*to make the Cookie Croutons, chop up 4-5 cookie bars (or cookies). Preheat oven to 300F, place cookie pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until golden brown and crunchy.