Sunday, May 31, 2009

Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

7 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped (used Galaxy, great flavor)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream (used double, single next time)
3/4 cup Guinness Stout
1 tsp vanilla

Chop chocolate and place in medium bowl with a sieve over it.

Warm the milk, sugar and saltin medium saucepan. Ina separate medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. SLowly pour the warm mixture inot the egg yolk, whisking constantly, then scrape the wamred egg yolks back into saucepan. Stir the egg mixture constantly until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour custard through sieve onto chopped chocolate, stir until chocolate is melted, add vanilla extract and cool. Chill in refrigerator until ready to churn.

Almost Almond Amaretto

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream (single)
1 cup whole almonds, toast and coarsely chopped **
5 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup candied cherries (glacé cherries)**

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Finely chop the toasted almonds and add them to the warm milk mixture. Cover, remove from heat and let steep at room temp for 1 hr.

Strain the almond infused milk into a separate medium saucepan. Press the almonds through sieve to extract as much flavor as possible. Save these almonds.

Rewarm the almond milk. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly temper the egg yolks with the warmed almond mild, then add tempered eggs back into saucepan.

Stir the almond-egg mixture constantly until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour custard through sieve into remaining cream, add almond extract and cool. Chill in refrigerator until ready to churn. Add saved almonds to ice cream mixer in the last few minutes of churning, stir in chopped cherries. Freeze hard.

This recipe calls for you to use a new chopped cup of almonds, but I don't think you really need it. I would also cut down cherries and almonds to 1/2 cup each. Too much "stuff" in this ice cream, but great flavor.

David Lebovitz

Monday, May 18, 2009

Applesauce Stolen from Amy

3 LB mixed apples (Courtland, McIntosh, Gala, Golden Delicious), cored and quartered
½ c water
¾ - 1 c sugar, to taste
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan combine the apples, ½ c water and sugar, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up the apples, for 20 minutes. When the apples are tender and the mixture is the consistency of a chunky puree make saucy with a hand blender and, if needed, return to the saucepan. Simmer the applesauce, gently, for an additional 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.

I make this probably once a month, love it.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Orange Julius

1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
3/4 cup water
1 large egg white (pasturised substitute is fine; 3 tbsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed 45-60 seconds, until mixture is very smooth and frothy. Use slightly less ice for a thinner consistency; use slightly more for a thicker shake-like consistency.
Serves 4, makes about 36oz.

This really does serve a strong 3 and respectable 4.

** I will add a pinch of salt next time to see if it brightens the flavor or I might just get a salted lassi!