TWD: Burnt Sugar Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

Well, I'm late to the party, but I come bearing hand-made ice cream and even embellished it with a thick ripple of fudge. Did I mention I had to go the hand-made route? No, not just homemade HAND-made.

Yes, I'm proud of myself for following through on it, against all odds (odds being lack of groceries, 11 week old complicated baby, and the fact that I'm having surgery tomorrow - yeah, I'm feeling pretty crazy at the moment.... what better reason for ice cream then, right?! - more on all the above soon, I promise, I have details to share and just haven't gotten in gear to do it yet).

I obviously still haven't gotten around to replacing my ice cream maker that broke last year, but I didn't want to miss this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick from my darling friend and fellow Utahn Becky over at Project Domestication. Becky is a complete doll and I didn't want to let her down this week. So, I hope you will all forgive my being late to the party.

So, Becky, this one is for you my dear.

I actually finally made it to the grocery store for milk and cream, which I was of course out of, late on Monday afternoon. I then went home and didn't get to start making the custard until around 8:30pm. I then just stuck the custard in the fridge to cool until this morning. I then put it in the freezer, whisked it about 45 minutes later, stuck it back in the freezer, then ignored it for another 45 minutes, whisked it again, repeated that process one more time.

Then it was thick enough for me to bust out my KA with beater blade. I froze my KA bowl, then dumped the thoroughly chilled and mostly frozen custard into the bowl with the blade to act as my churn. I then beat the custard on one of the highest settings for about 30 seconds to whip some air and texture into the mixture. Then I dumped the well churned stuff into a shallow baking dish and drizzled some slightly warmed chocolate ganache (which had a little corn syrup in it to keep it supple and more chewy than hard) so that when I scooped it out it would get that rippled effect. I didn't do as good of a job on that as I wanted, but that was mostly just my lack of technique. It came pretty darn close.

I covered the whole mixture with a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the ice cream and let it freeze and harden for a couple more hours before scooping, and voila, Burnt Sugar Fudge Ripple.

The flavor of the ice cream alone is complex and heavenly. As you can see I really let my sugar caramelize to a golden amber color which really enhanced that deep caramel flavor. The recipe is a keeper, even if it was a little more labor intensive here, I'm glad that I was able to get myself to do it, even without a specialty machine and more time.

Make sure to check out the LYL post for more ice creamy goodness from the TWD group.

TWD: Honey Peach Ice Cream

The recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie this week, chosen by Tommi at Brown Interior is for the Honey Peach Ice Cream. I have had my eye on this ice cream ever since I got the book. I really wanted to wait until local peaches were really in season here in Utah, but since we are to the recipe already, I decided to find the very best options I could. I headed on in to Whole Foods to find out if there were any decent peaches to be had - and I am so glad I did.

I really didn't want this recipe to disappoint me by having to use something else or something that just wasn't good at all. In fact, it was really important to me because my very first memory of homemade ice cream was when I was probably about 10 years old and we were visiting some friends here in Utah (we lived in Wyoming at the time). It is one of my fondest memories because it was a gorgeous, really warm, summer day - the perfect (no wind) kind of weather we never had back home. We played outside all day and had the most awesome time with water fights, trampolines, tag and all that. The day was all topped off with homemade peach ice cream. The funny part is, I couldn't tell you what we had for dinner, but I still remember that ice cream.

So, back to Whole Foods. I asked one of the produce guys if he had tried any of the peaches they had in stock. He mentioned that the only peaches he thought were any good there that day were some organic white peaches. I was going to take his word for it, but before I knew it, he was going through all the peaches, cutting me slices of each of the kinds in stock and letting me have a little testing to make sure which ones I wanted. I can't remember the last time I had that kind of amazing service!

I actually did go with the organic white peaches, as well as a few yellow peach slices that I had in the freezer. The custard for the ice cream was easy to make and was creamy, peachy, smooth and delicious. Definitely a keeper, and I can't wait to make them when the peaches are really in season here.

Key Lime Sorbet... and I'm Cooking on TV Tomorrow

Well, I mentioned yesterday that I had a recipe for a light and refreshing dessert that would go very nicely after the main dish I'll be making on live, local television tomorrow. I'll be making a variation of the Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas I posted a while ago. We will also be talking about food blogs and foodies here in Utah, and I'll be joined by fellow Utah food bloggers, Lindsey and Becky.

I have to admit that I am both thrilled to be doing this, and slightly petrified. The hostesses of Good Things Utah on ABC4 are absolutely delightful ladies to watch on TV and they are so fun and refreshing, but as far as I'm concerned, they must have nerves of steel because I find that I am quaking just a bit at the idea of going on live TV. So, if you live here in Utah, please tune in if you can and then, even if I fall flat on my face, do me a favor and tell me how good I did. You can lie if you must! I will be recording the program so that I can torture myself (and be delighted at the same time) and watch it when I get home. Seriously though, I think it is going to be a blast and I am super excited to meet Lindsey and Becky in person.

If you want to make a full menu of the enchiladas I'll be making as a main dish on tomorrow's show, followed by this Key Lime Sorbet for dessert, then you really ought to check out this fantastic looking Jicima and Black Bean Salad that Lindsey put together as the perfect compliment to the enchiladas.

So, on to the dessert, right? Right. I made this Key Lime Sorbet as a way to continue the lime lovin' goodness after the enchiladas, and as a way to quench the heat from the enchiladas if you go for the spicy version. This ice cream is so simple to put together that it borders on the ridiculous. Seriously, all you do is boil some sugar and water together then add some lime juice and a can of condensed milk. Let that cool, then churn it up and you are good to go. When I made my ice cream, I wasn't sure if I got it right because it was still so slushy even after churning, so it really does need a few hours in the freezer to firm up, but all things considered, it is fairly quick to make with minimal effort.

The ice cream is smooth, puckery and completely refreshing. I know I will make this one to cool off many times this summer. If you don't like the pucker factor of a strong lime flavor, then add some more sugar to the mix.

Key Lime Sorbet
Source: Dorie Greenspan, via Epicurious

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup fresh or bottled Key lime juice

Bring 3/4 cup water and sugar to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Mix in sweetened condensed milk, then lime juice. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; place over large bowl filled with ice and water and cool, stirring often, about 30 minutes.

Process lime mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to medium container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

TWD: Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte

I was excited when I found out this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe pick from Amy of Food, Family and Fun was the Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte... until I read that the recipe used 8 raw eggs in the ganache. I wasn't grossed out or anything, but that seemed like a lot to take in. I'm actually not usually one that is concerned about the whole raw egg issue (being a total spoon licker myself) - but, still.

Aside from that I also had pretty much no occassion to make a whole torte to share with anyone. I haven't missed a week yet though and didn't want to start now. So, I am down to the wire and just finishing up making my two individual serving sized tortes. Like Steph suggested I used a couple of my mini paper wrappers to make these. I ended up making a caramel banana flavored ice cream to layer, but chose to just sandwich the ice cream between two layers of ganache - and I didn't read the directions to refreeze the ice cream, so this melty version is what you get (ok, what I get anyway) when I don't read the recipe before forging on.

If I ever get to make this again then I will do the three ganache layers - and not be so impatient. Either way, it still tasted really good - but then, how can ice cream ever be wrong?!

Make sure to check out the creations of the other TWDer's (you know, the ones who read the recipe - LOL!).

Get the book!

TWD: Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream + Rewind

Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity chose the Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream on page 434. I'm not going to lie. I was looking forward to making ice cream, but I wasn't really excited about the flavor. I knew it would just be way too much berry-flavor for me - which it was.

It was still a fun recipe to make even though I didn't like the flavor. I also decided to go back to the TWD roots and do a rewind of the Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread Cookies. They were absolutely wonderful (even though I over-baked them).

As always, don't miss all the fun - go check out the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie crew's fantastic efforts!

Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Marshmallows + Chocolate Ice Cream = Stone Soup Ice Cream

Oh, sweet nostalgia. Growing up, Rocky Road Ice Cream was my absolute favorite. Today, while I was looking at the marshmallows still left from my first Tuesdays with Dorie and thinking about how to use them up I decided to make some ice cream.

Here's the thing. I've made ice cream with the machine I "had" to have only 3 or 4 times in the past four years... and two of those times are in the past month. I think I just used to be a lot more intimidated about making custard than I am now. Anyway, I went to my copy of BFMHTY... book and decided to check out her ice cream recipes. I figured this would probably be safe, since it would be difficult to choose ice cream for Tuesdays with Dorie since it is a given that not everyone has an ice cream machine.

While I was making this, I realized that I've only made vanilla ice cream before and with no mix-ins. Well, now the top is blown off folks, because there is no going back. Oh, I'll still make vanilla, but now the sky's the limit! Oh, yeah. Homemade ice cream rocks! This recipe ended up being the perfect one to make because I already had all the ingredients on hand and needed to get them used up. It kind of reminded me of a cold version of Stone Soup, so I guess for me, at least today, that is why it's called Rocky Road (and seriously, does anyone know why it is called that or who came up with it?!). So, here is another great way to use homemade marshmallows with another great Dorie recipe.

Before we get to the ice cream, one last reminder that you still have a few days to send in your entry for Blogging for Babies. I also updated a few days ago that there are some prizes up for grabs, so send in your entry (or entries) and get in on the fun. The deadline for entries is April 21st (Monday) and I'll post the round-up next week so everyone can check it out and vote for their favorites!

Stone Soup (aka Rocky Road) Ice Cream
(Adapted with the Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream Recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Notes from Dorie: I go for dark, dark bittersweet chocolate in this ice cream, but it is good made with semisweet as well. (You could even use milk chocolate, but the flavor will be very mild.) It's also good with chocolate chunks, rum raisins (page 92) or both, tossed in at the last minute of churning.

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I actually used Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - mainly just because I had them on hand)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup small diced marshmallow pieces (I cut my marshmallows with a clean, sharp pair of kitchen shears into pieces about the size of mini marshmallows)
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or large heatproof bowl. Bring 3/4 cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then, using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.

Bring the milk and remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid - this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reah at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.

I also poured the custard into another bowl at this point through a strainer to make sure it was nice and smooth. Dorie doesn't suggest this step, but I did it just in case and there was a little bit of a skin from boiling the cream, so, totally up to you.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. At this point, in the last couple of minutes of churning is when you would add the nuts and marshmallow pieces. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.