Mint Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

This frozen yogurt is kind of strange, but very appealing. I made this last summer and remembered it and made it again this year, so I knew I needed to document it here. I'm growing my own mint in a pot on my front porch. I've tried fresh mint ice cream before, but didn't enjoy it. So I'm excited and surprised this one is so good.

Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt
from The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take on Whole Foods by Sara Forte

1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
Scant 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

Coarsely chop the mint leaves and put them in a saucepan with the cream. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring and pressing the mint leaves so that they release the oils. As soon as it comes to a simmer, add the maple syrup and stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Leave the mixture on the stove top to steep for 30 minutes.

Pour the cream mixture into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the mint leaves. Add the peppermint extract and yogurt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Churn the yogurt mixture in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. When the yogurt is finished churning, stir in the chocolate. Serve immediately, or transfer to a covered container and store in the freezer, where it will firm up increasingly over time.

Key Lime Pie Gelato

Key Lime Pie Gelato
from Cookin Canuck

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup crushed graham crackers, frozen

In a medium saucepan, combine milk and cream and heat over medium-low heat until small bubbles start to form around the outer edge of the pan, stirring occasionally. While the milk and cream are heating, whisk together egg yolks and then add in sugar, continue to beat until pale yellow.

When the milk and cream have reached 170º F temper the egg yolks by adding a cup or two of the hot cream to them and slowly while constantly whisking. Add the mixture to the pan, pouring slowly and whisking. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick enough to cover the back of a wooden spoon and reaches 185º F, without allowing it to boil.

Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any possible lumps. Slowly add in lime juice, vanilla extract and lime zest. Cool slowly to room temperature, stirring every so often, and then cover and refrigerate until cold.

Once the gelato mix is cold, freeze it in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Stir in frozen graham cracker crumbs and transfer immediately to an airtight container. Freeze until firm and serve.

Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream

I found a recipe similar to this one - chocolate and coconut milk - but it had sugar as the sweetener. Then this recipe came across my screen, and I was sold. Ice cream with only honey as the sweetener?! I've been on a natural sweetener kick lately; if I'm gonna talk the talk, I better walk the walk, right?

This ice cream was excellent! I definitely didn't miss the sugar, though my local raw honey is super fragrant, and I could taste it. That's not a bad thing, but it added a dimension that less complex honies may not. Seriously, this is the most delicious honey I've ever eaten. It's like I can taste the many varieties of flowers that the bees touched. Back to the ice cream...the texture was less creamy than custard-based ice creams, but still very acceptable.

Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream
from A Couple Cooks

1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (refrigerate before using if possible)
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk (refrigerate before using if possible)
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cans coconut milk and 1/2 cup honey. Whisk in 1/3 cup cocoa powder until it is fully integrated (it will take about one minute to mix in). Then mix in the remaining 1/3. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of kosher salt.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker (it helps if the mixture is cold before freezing; as noted above, keep cans of coconut milk in the refrigerator so they are already cold). Or, make it without the machine.

You can eat the ice cream right away for a soft serve texture, or freeze it for about 2 hours for a harder texture.

Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream

I found this recipe for black raspberry ice cream one or two summers ago and have been patiently waiting for black raspberries to cross my path. Finally this ice cream and I were meant to be when I found black raspberries at the farmer's market recently. If you can't find them try red raspberries for a pink version.

Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream
from In the Little Red House

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
a few drops of pure vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
7 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups black raspberries, rinsed
2 oz dark chocolate, cut into small pieces

Over medium heat, bring cream and milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and yolks until pale and thickened. When small bubbles have started to form on the surface of the cream mixture, slowly whisk in to sugar and yolks, then return to the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat--stir continuously until mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add vanilla, stirring to combine. Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. While mixture is cooling, place berries in a saucepan and cook on low heat so they start to get nice and juicy. Smash with a fork, and allow to cool.

Once cream mixture and berries are cool, mix together. Add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream has been churning for about a half hour, add chocolate chunks. Transfer to container and freeze for a few hours.

Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream

Fourth of July weekend I picked some blueberries at a local farm. Besides getting fresh blueberries, I love the actual picking. It's simply fun. The weather even cooperated - it was a little cooler and overcast.

I bookmarked this blueberry ice cream recipe last summer, but sometimes it takes a while for the stars to align to allow the perfect timing for some recipes to be made. I'm glad this recipe didn't totally fall off my radar, because this is definitely a keeper. One to make at least once every summer.

This is actually one of the simpler ice cream recipes I've made. The texture for this ice cream was perfect - soft and creamy. And the color is gorgeous. I need to use up the rest of my huge bag of blueberries soon. I'm thinking I will prepare the blueberry, water, and sugar portion and then freeze it in a ziploc bag to finish up on a early (still warm) autumn day. I love finding forgotten surprises in my freezer!

Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream
from Susi

2 cups (8 oz/ 250g) fresh blueberries
3/4 cup (6 fl oz/180 ml) water
1 cup (8 oz/ 250 g) sugar
1 cup (8 fl oz/ 250 ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a heavy saucepan, combine the fresh blueberries, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally too help dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes to steep.

Transfer the blueberry mixture to a blender. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture in to an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.

Gianduja Gelato

Hazelnuts are one of my favorite nut flavors. I'm not sure why they seem so scarce in the U.S. Italians love hazelnuts, and hazelnut-flavored (gianduja) gelato is common. This is another fabulous recipe from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop.

This ice cream has quite a few steps in the process, but is totally worth it. I used semi-sweet chocolate because I didn't have any milk chocolate, but it didn't overpower the hazelnut flavor.

Summer is coming, so look forward to more ice cream recipes!

Gianduja Gelato
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1-1/2 cups (185 grams) toasted hazelnuts (see note)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
3/4 cup (170g) sugar
1/4 tsp coarse salt
4 oz milk chocolate (at least 30% cacao solids), chopped
5 large egg yolks
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

1. Rub the toasted hazelnuts in a kitchen towel after roasting to remove as much of the papery skin as possible. Discard the skins. Chop the hazelnuts in a food processor or blender until finely chopped.

2. Warm the milk with 1 cup of the cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove from heat and add the chopped toasted hazelnuts. Cover and let steep for 1-1/2 hours.

3. Put the milk chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat the remaining 1 cup of cream in a medium saucepan until it begins to boil. Pour the cream over the milk chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top of the bowl.

4. Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan. Squeeze the nuts with your hands to etract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts.

5. Rewarm the halzenut-infused mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. If you don’t have a rubber bottomed bowl, place it on a rubber glove or moistened kitchen towel for the next step. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

6. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden or heatproof plastic spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the straner and stir it into the melted milk chocolate. Add the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.

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

8. Serve immediately for a soft, smooth gelato. Place gelato in a container and freeze for a firmer gelato.

Note: To toast hazelnuts, place hazelnuts in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes. Stir once while roasting. Remove from oven and let cool and then remove skins.

Makes about 1 quart of gelato

Orange Sherbet

One of the standout foods I ate in Italy was mandarin oranges from the corner grocery store. Hands down the best oranges I have ever eaten. It makes me wonder why the only available mandarin oranges I've seen are in a can. So the other day when I saw a carton of mandarin oranges for sale in Whole Foods, I had to get them. They were pretty juicy and sweet, like the ones from Italy. There were only a few cartons of the oranges for sale; that was the only time I saw any.

I came across this recipe for orange sherbet using satsuma oranges. Satsuma oranges may or may not be the same thing as mandarin oranges. All I'm going on is internet research. But the author of the recipe also recommended navel oranges or tangerines.

Sherbet contains more juice than cream (as opposed to ice cream, where cream wins). The sherbet was a nice forecast of the spring and summer months to come. My husband did not like the zest - too tangy - and I think the recipe would work fine without it.

Orange Sherbet
adapted from Scoop Adventures

1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice (zest the fruits before juicing them)
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Zest of 3 small or 2 large fruits
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cup orange juice, sugar, and salt. Heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl. Add zest. Stir in remaining orange juice, milk, and cream. Whisk to combine.

Cover bowl and place sherbet base in refrigerator to fully chill. Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place plastic or parchment over sherbet (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Another excellent ice cream recipe from the ice cream master, David Lebovitz. I recommend using canned pumpkin puree. I used homemade puree and ended up with tiny strands of pumpkin in the ice cream, which made for an odd texture. Actually, in looking at the recipe again, I see that one of the last steps is to strain the ice cream, which I probably didn't do. I'm sometimes a sloppy cook; don't follow in my footsteps.

Pumpkin Ice Cream
adapted by David Lebovitz from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco

5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks: set aside.

Warm the milk, cream, sugar, spices and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the edges begin to bubble. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by placing a medium-sized metal bowl in a larger bowl filled with some ice and a little water. Set a mesh strainer on top.

Gradually add half of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Turn the heat to low and scrape the yolks back in to the saucepan. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (between 160˚ – 170˚F).

Working quickly, pour mixture through the strainer and into the bowl with the ice bath. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved and cooled. Chill thoroughly in the fridge, preferably overnight.

Once chilled, add the vanilla and pumpkin puree. Whisk until incorporated, then press through a fine-mesh strainer. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze for at least one hour before serving.

Hot Fudge Sauce and Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

There's a group of bloggers who do "Tuesdays with Dorie" and all bake and blog the same recipe from her cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Recently they made Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream. I happened over to Dorie's blog and saw she posted a hot fudge sauce to accompany the chocolate ganache ice cream to "put it over the top." I thought that sounded amazing. I was not disappointed.

Both the sauce and ice cream are super chocolately, so if you don't adore dark chocolate, these are not for you, or at least don't make them at the same time.

Hot Fudge Sauce
from Dorie Greenspan
Makes 1 3/4 cups

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Bring the cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa and salt to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in the chocolate and butter. Return to a simmer for 1 minute more, then stir in the vanilla. Pour into a heatproof jar and use now or cool, cover tightly, chill and reheat very, very gently before serving.

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring ¾ 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 the remaining ¾ 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 reach 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.

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. Pack the ice cream into the container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop. Makes about 1 quart.

Serving: If the ice cream is very firm—as ice cream made with premium-quality chocolate often is—allow it to sit on the counter for a few minutes before scooping or warm it in a microwave oven using 5-second spurts of heat.

Storing: Packed tightly in a covered container, the ice cream will keep in the freezer for about 2 weeks.

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

This is by-far some of the best homemade ice cream (and possibly non-homemade) ice cream I've had. It doesn't look like anything too special, but don't let that fool you. This ice cream is just soooo good.  The caramel flavor is amazing.  And the ice cream stayed a little softer in the freezer than other ice creams I've made.

I didn't make the praline candies to mix in just because I got impatient, but I'm sure they'd take this perfect ice cream to perfecto mundo levels.

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream
from David Lebovitz

One generous quart

For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard
2 cups whole milk, divided
1½ cups sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.)  Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it's just about to burn. It won't take long.

3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don't even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they're floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

5. Spread 1½ cups sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.

The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup of the milk.

7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F.

8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.

11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they're intended to do.

Peach Ice Cream

When I first made this ice cream, I wasn't that impressed. At the time of making it, I had many exciting flavors of ice cream to choose from in my freezer.** After the other flavors were gone, I was left with peach ice cream. And it tasted good. It's a lighter, less dense, fresh tasting ice cream. And while I love sugar, lately I've been impressed with treats that aren't too sweet. To me, this ice cream was that - sweet enough, but not like candy.

**My good friend bought a package of pint-sized containers for ice cream, like the one below. She made several batches of ice cream and shared them with me. She also gave me some containers which I filled with ice cream as well. Her flavors (some of which I will make myself and share the recipes): rich chocolate, salted butter caramel, cinnamon with cookie dough, and vanilla with peanut butter cups.

Peach Ice Cream
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1 1/3 pounds ripe peaches (about 4 large peaches)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
a few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice

Peel the peaches, slice them in half, and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, then cool to room temperature.

Puree the cooked peaches and any liquid in a blender or food processor with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until almost smooth but slightly chunky.

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

CSA - Week 7

The CSA shares are coming in strong. This week included: garlic, radishes, onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, red potatoes, green pepper, green tomato, yellow beans, corn, eggs, banana peppers, blackberries, and a carrot.

I made potato salad and a lovely green garden salad as well as the following recipes.

There really aren't too many recipes for green tomatoes out there. I found this salad recipe and was very pleased. Actually, I think any salad with a good dose of cheese and nuts is always tasty. I used feta cheese and peaches instead of blue cheese and nectarines, because that's what I had on hand.

Caramelized Green Tomato and Nectarine Green Salad
from danazia.wordpress.com

For the vinaigrette:
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots
4 tablespoons of champagne vinegar or
white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of salt
Few cranks of black pepper

Put all the ingredients into a jar and put on the lid. (Important safety tip, make sure it is a tight fitting lid!) Shake it all up till well blended.

For the salad:
2 large nectarines or apples, cut into thin wedges
4 unripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon of sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
A few drizzles of olive oil
6 cups or so of mixed salad greens
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ cup or more of crumbled blue cheese
½ cup of chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts
Fresh cracked black pepper

In a medium bowl, toss the tomato and nectarines wedges with the sugar and the salt. Mix the salad greens and basil together. Arrange 6 salad plates with the greens. Heat up your favorite large skillet and add a few drizzles of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, lower the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and nectarines, laying them on their sides. Try not to crowd them in the skillet and cook, without disturbing them till them begin to brown. Flip them onto their other sides and caramelize that side too.

Working quickly, remove the tomatoes and nectarines from the skillet and arrange them artfully on the greens. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and hazelnuts and drizzle with the dressing. Crank a bit of pepper on top and serve immediately.

Green beans are not my favorite...I actually don't really like them at all. But this salad is so zesty that the green beans are masked so I gobble this up like candy.

Green Bean, Feta Cheese, and Kalamata Olive Salad
from The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook by Diana Schwarzbein

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally into
1-inch pieces and steamed until tender
½ thinly sliced red onion
2/3 c. pitted and diced Kalamata olives
2/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
¼ c. slivered fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil

Dijon Garlic Marinade
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 minced garlic cloves
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil

In a small bowl, using a fork, combine vinegar, garlic and black pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking until smooth and well blended. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Combine all ingredients and mix with Dijon Garlic Marinade.

I have seen David Lebovitz's cookbook The Perfect Scoop mentioned all over the web. I borrowed a copy from the library and have tried several selections. He definitely is an ice cream master. This white chocolate ice cream is very rich and the blackberry swirl goes well. My only complaint is that the blackberries stay a little icy, so this is best served after sitting out for 10 minutes or so. Or if you're too impatient, stick it in the microwave for 10 seconds to start the melting process.

White Chocolate Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz via joelens.blogspot.com

8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons sugar

Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and 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 white 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 overnight for flavors to meld.

When ready to prepare the ice cream, combine the berries and sugar in a bowl and mash slightly; set aside. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn account to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream has churned, alternately place the ice cream and a couple tablespoons of the blackberry mixture into your freezer container. Freeze overnight for ice cream to ripen before enjoying.

Banana Ice Cream

I saw an article about using just frozen banana slices to make 'ice cream'. I froze a banana to try it, but then found this recipe. Basically it's the same idea, but with a few added flavors. I made this with vanilla protein powder in place of the malted milk powder and drizzled caramel sauce on top. I loved this and it was soooo fast and easy. I prefer soupy ice cream, but you could throw it in the freezer for a bit to firm it up, if desired.

No Freeze Banana Ice Cream
from thestonesoup.com

2 bananas
3 Tbsp. malted milk powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Peel your bananas, break into chunks and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for at least 5 hours or up to a couple of months.

When you’re ready for dessert, place all ingredients in a food processor and whiz until smooth and creamy.

Serve immediately.

CSA - Week 4

My CSA share contained garlic, pickling cucumbers, popcorn, zucchini, yellow squash, sugar snap peas, eggs, and red raspberries.

I added the peas to stir-fry, the zucchini and yellow squash to pasta, cucumbers to salad, and garlic to just about every savory dish I prepare.

Now on to the sweet stuff...

A friend who also belongs to the CSA made Caramel Corn with her popcorn. So I copied. She had the brilliant idea of adding pecans instead of peanuts. This recipe makes crunchy popcorn - not sticky at all.

Caramel Corn
from my mother

5 qts. popped popcorn
1 large jar dry-roasted peanuts (opt.)
2 sticks butter
2 c. brown sugar
½ c. light Karo syrup
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

In large pan, melt butter. Add sugar, salt and Karo syrup. Stir constantly until boils. Lower heat and boil 5 minutes. Take off heat and add ½ tsp. baking soda. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, stir. Pour over popcorn and nuts, mix. Put in deep roasting pan and bake for 1 hour at 250˚. Stir every 15 minutes.



After eating some of the delicious red raspberries raw, I had about 3/4 cup left.  I just borrowed The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz from the library, and there were several raspberry recipes to choose from.  I made Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream, which turned out tangy and rich.  I love homemade ice cream just after it's made and not quite frozen, a little soupy, like in this photo.

I made half the recipe and added a few strawberries to fill the required cup of berries.

Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

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 raspberries. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. If you wish, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds.

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