I Scream
2001-08-02 @ 3:49 p.m.
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Yea, I'm a loud one. Though I wouldn't say a screamer so much as a yeller, less high pitched. But then I'm not the one listening to me. When Jake and I went on our fabled bicycle trip to Tallahassee, Florida (drove to Tallahassee, rode bikes from Tallahassee to St. Marks) we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast in St. Marks across the hall from a woman with a new infant. We worried a little about waking them up, but not enough to keep us from making me a little noisy that night . . . and again the next morning.
But I digress. I'm actually talking about ice cream.
I didn't used to me big on making desserts. I like to eat them, but I've never been one to collect dessert recipes for some reason. I'd much rather make savory dishes than sweet. Until my girls got me an ice cream maker for Christmas. Ice cream is by far my favorite dessert. Sara calls the ice cream maker the best present they've ever gotten themselves. Along with the machine (which I have almost worn out already and they just got it last Christmas) they gave me two recipe books, the Williams-Sonoma ice cream book and Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book. The Williams-Sonoma book is good with great pictures and exotic recipes, but I highly recommend the Ben and Jerry's book. It has easy, tasty recipes that don't require much actual stove use. I will give you one of their recipes and a couple of mine. But get the book if you have an ice cream maker. You won't regret it.
They have three "sweet cream bases" to start from. This is the one I use most.
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Makes 1 quart. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to its instructions.
Okay, I'll give you two of their recipes.
Jerry's Chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt the chocolate in the top of double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Gradually whisk in the cocoa and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth (The chocolate may "seize" or clump together. Don't worry, the milk will dissolve it.) Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and heat until completely blended. Remove from the heat and let cool. [my note: I've actually had good results from alternating the cocoa and the milk in the double boiler with the melted chocolate.]
Mix the eggs, sugar, cream and vanilla together by the same instructions as the sweet cream base.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 to 3 hours, depending on your refrigerator. Freeze in ice cream maker according to its instructions.
Starting with these two bases, you can do lots of things. Ben and Jerry have plenty of wonderful suggestions, and I came up with a couple on my own. One of Badsnake's favorites is the chocolate ice cream base with chunks of brownie. Just make a batch of brownies (I usually use a mix). When they cool I use half of the brownies broken into pieces. (So you also have half a batch of brownies to eat when you're done! Bonus!) When the ice cream is almost done in the maker, add the brownie chunks.
One of my own recent favorites was cinnamon ice cream that I made to go with a fruit cobbler. Using the sweet cream base, I just added a tablespoon of cinnamon.
No, these are not low fat recipes, but I believe that everyone deserves a little cream in their lives.
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