oreo chocolate drizzle & graham cracker white chocolate drizzle ice cream

So if you read this regularly you know that for dessert I generally eat a small amount of ice cream later in the evening in one of my little mugs.  Magic in a mug.  My little baby magic mugs (given to Greg when he was a baby) are pictured today.  Time to share.  Now it can’t be any old ice cream.  I need mix-ins… brownie bits, cake scraps, chips, jimmies, m & m’s, chocolate flakes… something has to be in there with the ice cream (and the more the better!)  I was thinking about  a flavor to go with my devils food cake and thought Oreo chocolate drizzle would be decadent and delicious (it was).  But I also wanted something for my non-chocolate loving friends (Jason!) as well.  So I made a big batch of vanilla ice cream (which is really truly the perfect accompaniment to the devils cake) and converted some into Oreo chocolate drizzle and some into a white chocolate graham cracker flavor.  Heaven to me.  Seriously heaven.  Both.  Be as creative as you like (you can even buy vanilla ice cream and add the mix ins – doesn’t have to be home-made.)  Normally I might not use a vanilla base to make the Oreo – I might use a base with out vanilla (a sweet cream) – but hey – it worked.  The vanilla was beautiful with the grahams and white chocolate.  Mmm…mmm…mm!  The recipe below is for vanilla with directions following for these particular mix ins.  Have fun!

vanilla ice cream:

6 large egg yolks (save your whites for meringues or a panna cotta)
1/2 cup sugar (skant)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped (look to bottom of  fruit soup recipe to see a visual)

mix ins–

Oreo cookies coarsely smashed
semisweet chocolate (melted and cooled a bit)
graham crackers coarsely smooshed
white chocolate (melted and cooled a bit)

Prepare an ice bath – a big bowl with ice and water.  In it, place another container or bowl with a strainer.  This is where the vanilla ice cream base will land once cooked.

In a medium heavy weight saucepan mix the cream, milk, half of the sugar and the vanilla seeds and the scraped pod.  Bring until almost a simmer…but do not boil.

In medium sized bowl, place the egg yolks, the other half of sugar, and salt and whisk well.

Slowly very slowly ladle the hot liquid into the eggs and whisk well after each addition.  Keep adding the hot liquid until you’ve added it all to the eggs (again slowly so as not to cook the eggs).

Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook, over medium low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens slightly (reaches 175 degrees) and lightly coats the back of the spoon.  Watch this and constantly stir with your spoon so that you do not scramble the eggs.

As soon as thickened, immediately remove from heat strain the mixture into the prepared bowl.  Make sure you use your wooden spoon to squish and smoosh all the vanilla through the strainer and also all the goodness from the pod.  Let mixture cool in ice bath until it reaches room temp, then place in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 4 hours).

The next day (or 4 hours later), make sure your chocolate is melted and cooled and your Oreos or grahams are crunched.  Or…just leave as plain vanilla.  Churn the ice cream and when done in the ice cream maker, add your Oreos or grahams to the machine to incorporate thoroughly.

As you spoon the ice cream into the freezer container – drizzle the ice cream with the melted chocolate, layer by layer.  The drizzle will harden immediately.   Try to wiggle your spoon around to make some small drizzles and also you can make bigger ones so that you get some big bites of chocolate later.  Work fast because the ice cream melts.  When you have enough (to your taste) – just cover with plastic and the lid and pop in the freezer.

Place the ice cream in the freezer and oh, although soft, this is delicious the same day (A few hours later).  The ice cream will be hard the following day and thereafter so let sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to soften before you serve or on the counter for about 1o.

Find a little mug (or a big bowl!) and enjoy 🙂

Enjoy!

dark chocolate sorbet

Years and years ago – Rob and I had our first meal at Picholine in NYC.  The meal was awesome, but the chocolate sorbet was sublime.  We became somewhat friendly with the chef, Terrance Brennan, because my mom is terrifically chatty and loves discussing food and meeting new people.  By our 5th visit, she told the chef that she was from Boston, that I worked as a pastry cook in NYC, and that we love the sorbet – and wow, can we please have the recipe?  He smiled indulgently and listed a few ingredients (those common in chocolate sorbet!)  No measurements, no method.  I wrote them down – water, chocolate, cocoa and sugar – determined that one day I would fiddle and play and make Rob very happy (since he can’t eat ice cream – and loves chocolate).  I’ve tried over the years, taking notes and comparing recipes from all my books and today, I think it is done!  I do.  This sorbet is rich, dark, chocolaty, and intense.  Fresh out of the machine…ridiculous.  Seriously.  I used Valrhona cocoa powder and I do think that it makes a difference – so go all out (with a high quality natural cocoa powder) if you decide to make it.  Oh, and Rob loved it.  Loves it.  Next time I might let the kids try it – and certainly my parents when they come for a visit!

Note that this sorbet is lovely the day you make it – soft and delicious.  But it does firm up very hard over night.  So remember to pull from the freezer a solid 20 minutes before you serve – or place in fridge for a gentler softening for a bit longer.

dark chocolate sorbet:
2 1/3 cups water
8 oz sugar (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
6 oz bittersweet chocolate – coarsely chopped
4 oz natural cocoa powder (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Stir and heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil, and remove from heat.  Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth and set aside to cool.

Melt the chocolate in bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (or a double boiler).  Melt the chocolate gently.  Remove from heat when a few chunks remain – and stir to complete the melting process.  You do not want this to get too hot.  Set aside to cool.

Let the chocolate and the water, sugar, cocoa mixture sit at room temp to cool.  Let cool for about 30 minutes or so.

Slowly add a little bit of liquid to the cooled chocolate and whisk to incorporate.  Really just a little.  Add little by little and really go carefully here so that you don’t break the chocolate.

Once all of it has been added – whisk in the salt and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Run in your ice cream machine and oh…soooo good.  Enjoy-

peppermint stick ice cream

This is my old friend Dani’s all time favorite.  We were lucky growing up – in that both of our families went to Vermont during the winter weekends.  Dani from NJ, me originally from MA, these were very special times.  But oh, it wasn’t just me and “Eight is Enough” that made her smile – it was the holiday season – and Friendly’s featured Peppermint Stick ice cream – her absolute fave!  She requested it a few years ago – maybe for the birth of a baby or a different event (my memory is really fading, sadly) but needless to say she was thrilled.  I think I dipped Oreos in chocolate and then crunched them into the peppermint stick.  Wow.  A friend just mentioned that Trader Joes sells a peppermint version of an Oreo that sounds perfect.  Anyway, this ice cream is really very good.  I made half just peppermint and the other half with ground bittersweet chocolate.  I love that one.  Greg loves the pure peppermint and he’s lucky because no one else in our family will eat it, and Dani is still over that bridge!  Enjoy this – it is nice for the holidays and although rich, it is quite refreshing.

peppermint stick ice cream
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks (room temp)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 peppermint candies (I used peppermint candies in this recipe because I thought they would be easier for the home cook to buy.  You can also use peppermint oil, or extract to taste if you prefer.  Just add 2 extra tablespoons of sugar if so.)

mix in –
1/4 cup ground peppermint candies (ground coarsely or to your liking)
ground bittersweet chocolate (amount to taste – and optional)
crushed Oreos (also, to taste and optional)

Prepare an ice bath – a big bowl with ice and water.  In it, place another container or bowl with a strainer.  This is where the custard ice cream base will land once cooked.

In a medium heavy weight saucepan mix the cream, milk and half of the sugar.  Bring until almost a simmer…but do not boil.

In medium sized bowl, place the egg yolks, the other half of sugar, and salt and whisk well.

Slowly slowly ladle the hot liquid into the eggs and whisk well after each addition.  Keep adding the hot liquid until you’ve added it all to the eggs (again slowly so as not to cook the eggs).

Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook, over medium low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens (reaches 175 degrees) and lightly coats the back of the spoon.

Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl and immediately add the two candies.  Mix until dissolved.  Let mixture cool in ice bath until it reaches room temp, then place in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, churn the ice cream and when hard, add the ground peppermint candies (with or with out the chocolate or Oreos).

Place the ice cream in the freezer and oh, although soft, this is delicious the same day.  (If hard the following day, let sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to soften before you serve.)

Enjoy!

(my favorite) brownie sundae with carmalized bananas

OK, so you’ve seen this photo when I wrote about the coffee ice cream, and the caramelized bananas…but you haven’t heard me talk about the sundae itself.  Well, pretty self explanatory really.  Right?  Just look at the picture.  What is better?  Ice cream of your choice atop the glazed nutty brownie…with freshly whipped cream and the caramelized bananas.  A little chocolate sauce to top it off and oh my.  Really oh my.  This is the ultimate (clearly for me).  Although chocolate chip is my favorite ice cream out there…(irrelevant I know).  Chat 19 – a local restaurant, was my inspiration for this.  I happen to love and order their sundae whenever I’m with a group (usually girls) who will share it with me (almost always).

Not sure you need a recipe here.  You’ll find most of the ingredients in the blog and of course you can buy the ice cream.  But don’t skimp on the the whipped cream please.  Get those beaters out.

Enjoy!

coffee ice cream (Philadelphia style)

I love coffee – coffee with milk and sugar.  This ice cream is just that – but cold.  (There is coffee ice cream hiding in this photo.)  The ice cream has a great mellow coffee taste that is perfect.  In addition, for those of you who don’t want to go through the trouble and time to make a custard (or egg based) ice cream – Philadelphia style ice cream is just right for you.  This recipe is quick and easy to make – although I should mention that it is less rich and smooth as its’ custard based counterpart.  With all ice cream – but especially Philadelphia style, it is best to really let it soften in the refrigerator 20 minutes before you eat for the best flavor and consistency – unless you eat right after you churn it which is when it is the best.  I added melted chocolate to some of the frozen ice cream which gives it another dimension and bite (which I happen to need).  I used this ice cream and the espresso brownie ice cream in the above sundae with carmalized bananas, fresh whipped cream and the glazed nutty brownie.  Amazing.  Have fun – make it Mexican by adding a 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (with the coffee beans), or add other mix-ins try Oreos or chocolate covered nuts.  Yum.  Next time.  This ice cream also pairs well with the brown sugar cookies – in an ice cream sandwich.  Enjoy!

* A quick word about ice cream machines – they are so easy to use and affordable these days.  In addition to ice cream, you can make sorbets, sherbets, frozen yogurts and slush drinks.  I happen to like Cuisinart’s 2 quart model – it is on sale for 50.00 bucks.  The 1.5 quart model is also good.  And if you have a kitchen aid mixer – there is an ice cream attachment that you can purchase and your done!

coffee ice cream (Philadelphia style) adapted from The Ultimate Ice Cream  Book by Bruce Weinstein:
3  cups heavy  cream
1 cup milk
about 3/4 cup sugar (or just under…or add to taste)
1 cup whole coffee beans

mix-ins:
melted semi sweet chocolate
chocolate chips
Oreos
Grape Nuts cereal
nuts

Mix together the cream, milk and sugar in a heavy saucepan and heat until mixture bubbles around the edges.  Do not boil.  You want it to heat to the point right before it boils.  Remove from the heat and add the coffee beans.  Cover and cool to room temperature then place in refrigerator and let sit overnight (best) – or at least 6 hours .

The following day or hours later, strain the mixture and freeze the ice cream in your machine according to the instructions.

If adding a a mix in, go for it.  If you want to add the melted chocolate (it forms nice strings of chocolate throughout)…simply melt chocolate in a double boiler 0r over a pan of simmering water and then let cool a bit.  Once ice cream is churned drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the ice cream – in a bowl or container and fold it in.  Keep drizzling and adding to taste.  The chocolate will harden and form little chocolate strings throughout.

With all ice creams, place in container and cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the ice cream and then a cover and freeze.  Eat that night for best results but again, pull out and let soften in the refrigerator if making ahead.

Enjoy!

vanilla ice cream (custard base)

Home-made vanilla ice cream is sooo very good.  The vanilla beans, cream and milk freshly churned make for an extra special treat.  Vanilla ice cream pairs well with most desserts – cookies, crisps, cobblers and pies…with chocolate cake, loaf cakes, brownies and fruits – it is one of my favorite things!  (My family is really very tired of hearing me exclaim…”that would be so good with vanilla ice cream!”)  But it is true.  It is a staple.  I cut the espresso brownies into little pieces and added some to half of the ice cream and turned it into an espresso brownie swirl (photo above).  Really good.  And to right is the ice cream with apple cranberry crisp.  Really completes the dessert.  For a new ice cream mix-in, try Grape Nuts cereal and raisins…I had a version of this at Toscanini’s (my favorite ice cream parlor in Cambridge, MA) many many years ago (and I’m so happy that I can remember).  I don’t even love Grape Nuts, or raisins, but together in vanilla ice cream…wow (seriously).

* A quick word about ice cream machines – they are so easy to use and affordable these days.  In addition to ice cream, you can make sorbets, sherbets, frozen yogurts and slush drinks.  I happen to like Cuisinart’s 2 quart model – it is on sale for 50.00 bucks.  The 1.5 quart model is also good.  And if you have a kitchen aid mixer – there is an ice cream attachment that you can purchase and your done!

vanilla ice cream (adapted slightly from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz):
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean split and seeded
6 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Prepare an ice bath.  In a large bowl, place ice and water.  Place a medium sized bowl (or container) on top with a strainer ready as well.  (This is where the cooked custard will land.  Strain it into this bowl, on top of the ice bath.  This is to stop the custard from cooking.)

In a medium saucepan mix together the milk, heavy cream and about half of the sugar.  Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the beans out with the back of your knife and add it to the  the mixture (including the cut bean – better yet, cut the bean up too).  Heat over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Watch it carefully – you don’t want it to boil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar.

Now you will “temper” the eggs which means warming them slowly so that they do not turn into scrambled eggs!  With a ladle, scoop a small amount of hot cream/milk into the eggs and whisk well.  Continue slowly ladle by ladle and constantly whisking the eggs while you do this.  Keep going (slowly) until you’ve added all the milk/cream/vanilla to the eggs.

Pour the warm egg and milk/cream mixture from the bowl back into the (same) saucepan.  Over low heat, mix the custard constantly with a wooden spoon and keep the mixture moving at all times.  Make sure you scrape the bottom as you stir.  The custard should thicken so that it coats the back of the wooden spoon.  It should take about 4-8 minutes depending on the heat.  Do not boil.  Cook slowly and carefully.

Once thickened, immediately pour and strain the custard into the bowl atop the ice bath.  Be sure to mush and smush the vanilla beans into and through the strainer.  You want all of that goodness.   Let cool then cover and chill in refrigerator preferably overnight but for at least 4-6 hours.

Freeze in your ice cream maker.  Add any mix-ins.

With all ice creams, place in container and cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the ice cream and then cover and freeze.  Eat that night for best taste and texture but if frozen hard, remember to pull it out and let soften in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  Yum.  Enjoy.

milk chocolate malted ice cream sandwiches with chocolate brownie cookies

These ice cream sandwiches are delicious.  My son Greg asks for them often – and since it is a little work (not crazy work) to make the ice cream, I often blow his request off.  But he was very happy last night.  He turned to me… gave a quiet groan of delight, looked me in the eyes and simply thanked me.  My dad who really only likes Haagen Daaz choc choc chip also loves these little sandwiches.  He seemed surprised that he liked them so much – especially given the milk chocolate title.  But  the addition of bittersweet chocolate and malt really make the ice cream special and not too sweet.  The cookies are extra delicious too.  A little espresso deepens the flavor and I happen to love the texture of the mini chips.  And they are very easy to make.  My husband Rob can’t eat/drink milk (sadly) but is very content with these brownie-like cookies alone.  I am too!  I’ve also made the sandwiches with chocolate sorbet which he truly appreciates.  This recipe originated from Claudia Fleming – the former pastry chef of Gramercy Tavern.  The cookbook is lovely.  She suggests adding dried cherries to the cookies which I did (only to a quarter of the batter because my family would not be happy).  And they too were yummy.  Oh and by the way, you can also crumble the cookies and mix them into the ice cream which is also verrry good!

chocolate brownie cookies (barely adapted from The Last Course by Claudia Fleming):

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temp
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon brewed espresso
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 oz extra bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup mini chips
toasted nuts or dried cherries (optional…to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

With whisk attachment, beat the eggs for a few seconds then add the sugar, espresso and vanilla.  Beat until this turns thick.  It should take about 15 minutes on high speed.

In the meantime, over a pot of barely simmering water (or double boiler) – melt chocolates and butter.  You only need about an inch of water in the saucepan, bring it to a boil, and reduce to simmer.  Place a metal bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the water does not touch the bowl of chocolate.  Once melted, remove from heat.  Do not cook the mixture, just melt it.

Remove the thick egg batter from the mixer and gently fold in the melted chocolates and butter.  Fold about half way – you should still see streaks – and then fold in the flour mixture and mini chips.  Fold all until just incorporated.  (Add dried cherries or chopped nuts if desired.)

If batter seems runny at this point, let it sit for about 5 minutes.  If thick, you are good to go.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake until puffed and cracked about 8-9 minutes – you can rotate the pans mid-way.  Try not to over cook these cookies…otherwise they will dry out.

Cool and enjoy!  If you plan to make ice cream sandwiches with these (either with the malted ice cream or store bought ice cream), I find it is easier to handle the cookies if you freeze them first.  This prevents them from breakage when trying to squish the cookies and ice cream together when making the sandwiches.

milk chocolate malted ice cream (adapted from The Last Course by Claudia Fleming):
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
12 large egg yolks
3 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1 oz extra-bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups chocolate Ovaltine mix
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste

In a medium saucepan mix together the milk, heavy cream and 1/4 cup sugar.  Heat the mixture over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Watch it carefully – you don’t want it to boil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons).  Chop the milk and bitter chocolates and set aside in a large bowl.

Now you will “temper” the eggs which means warming them slowly so that they do not turn into scrambled eggs!  With a ladle, spoon a small amount of hot cream/milk into the eggs.  Continue slowly ladle by ladle and constantly whisking the eggs while you do this.  Keep going until you’ve incorporated about 3/4’s of the hot milk into the eggs.

Pour the warm egg and milk/cream mixture into the remaining cream and milk on the stove.  Over low heat, mix the custard constantly with a wooden spoon keep the mixture moving at all times.  The custard should thicken so that it coats the back of the wooden spoon.  It should take about 7 minutes.  Do not boil.  Cook slowly and carefully.

Immediately pour custard over the chopped chocolates.  Mix and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Add the Ovaltine and stir until combined.  Strain through a fine sieve and into a container or bowl.  Cover and chill in refrigerator preferably overnight but for at least 4 hours.

Freeze in your ice cream maker and enjoy!!