Category Archives: Ice Cream

Apr 17 7 comments
Chocolate, Dessert, Frozen Treats, Gluten Free, Ice Cream, Quick, Recipes, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian

Coconut Milk Frozen Yogurt with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Almonds

Let me tell you a story about me and ice cream. At one time, I was lucky enough to live a short bike ride away from a tiny ice cream shop with cylinders of creamy, old-fashioned ice cream. A few more miles away was a gelato shop with metal tubs of Italian gelato with great flavors to try. Last summer, nearby ice cream shop moved to the next city over and gelato shop closed its doors.

Taking pity on me, Marc purchased the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment for me and I started making Tart Frozen Yogurt and Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirls. At that point, I was never going back to the store-bought kind with long paragraphs of mystery ingredients. I was becoming more selective about ice cream.

Last Friday we tried an ice cream place that is pretty well known in our city, but was new to us. One perfect scoop was all I was craving. The adorable high school girl behind the counter was friendly and encouraged lots of tastes. This endeared me to her immediately. I tasted five or six  kinds, including her recommendation, raspberry chocolate, and just couldn’t find my perfect scoop. I settled on mocha chip because I started to feel bad for all of my tastes. I felt really bad that I didn’t care at all for her favorite with the artificial-tasting raspberry flavor. The ice cream I chose had a nice coffee and chocolate flavor, but the “chip” part consisted of disappointing waxy chocolate bits. Don’t worry, friends, I didn’t sulk. It didn’t ruin my night. I still was excited to share a scoop of ice cream on a Friday night with my husband. I just knew I could make something better. I could upgrade those mix-ins like nobody’s business.

I thought about all of the flavors that I love and what a super ice cream for me would be. The chocolate with peanut butter swirls will always be a favorite, but I also have a long-standing love for the combination of coconut, dark chocolate and toasted almonds.

I added this and that, hoping for a creamy coconut version of tart frozen yogurt with delicious bits.  I took a tiny taste right out of the bowl and I instantly fell for the light coconut and tart yogurt mix. Then I tried a taste with bits of chocolate and almond. Yep, it all tasted darn good together.

This may not be your fantasy combination, but I hope you will try it. If you’re a big coconut fan, feel free to add a 1/2 cup of toasted coconut in the mix. For the dark chocolate bar, I used a Chocolove Sea Salt Almond Dark Chocolate Bar, because it’s a favorite. An unadorned Ghirardelli or Valrhona bar of chocolate would be a nice choice here, too.

Recipe: Coconut Milk Frozen Yogurt with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Almonds

I planned on using full fat coconut milk for creamy results, but did not realize that Trader Joe’s only had light coconut milk. Not wanting to go to another grocery store, I used their light version and loved the resulting texture. Part frozen yogurt, part creamy ice cream.

1 – 14 oz. can light or full fat coconut milk (about 1 1/2 C.)

2 C. plain whole milk yogurt

3/4 C. sugar

pinch of sea salt

1 – 3.2 oz. high-quality dark chocolate bar, coarsely chopped

1/2 C. whole roasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1. Keep coconut milk in your refrigerator overnight prior to making. The mixture will then not need to be chilled prior to making the frozen yogurt.

2. Place the ice cream storage container and lid you will use in the freezer before getting started. In a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup or a small bowl (preferably with a spout) add the cold coconut milk, plain yogurt, sugar and pinch of sea salt together. Mix with a rubber spatula until fully combined.

3. Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. For the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment, pour mixture in while paddle is slowly churning and mix for 12-15 minutes or until it is thick. The frozen yogurt was too thick for the ice cream maker to mix in the chocolate and almonds, so remove the bowl from the mixer and add in the dark chocolate and almond pieces. Using a rubber spatula, give the mixture a quick stir to incorporate.

4. Get your chilled container from the freezer and pour the frozen yogurt mixture into the container, cover with the lid and place in the freezer. It will still be soft and easily scooped after a few hours. Once frozen overnight, leave the frozen yogurt out for 10 minutes before scooping.

 

Mar 17 8 comments
Dessert, Frozen Treats, Gluten Free, Ice Cream, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian, Winter

Japanese Azuki Bean Ice Cream

Today, Dula Notes turns 3 and I just can’t believe it. Possibly like the way a mother cannot believe how quickly their sleepy bundle turns into an active toddler with a little personality. I started this blog on St. Patrick’s Day of all days and I was and still am, just a girl learning new things about her camera and the kitchen every day. Thank you for stopping by this little space and seeing what I’m up to. Your comments make me smile and blush and I appreciate every one of you. Your kindness  blows me away. I love you little lurkers, too.

I usually do not post on Saturdays, but I have to commemorate this occasion in some way and do it with a bang. Azuki bean ice cream, anyone?

Last Saturday, I tweeted that I was making ice cream and Jess of La Domestique asked which kind I was making. I responded with “Red bean!” to which I received a “Say what?” back. I defer to Jess’ vast knowledge of ingredients and techniques and didn’t imagine this would be new to her. However, I am more than happy to be a red bean ambassador and introduce it to those of you that don’t know about it.

Red bean paste originates from China, but is prominent in Japanese sweets. I first had red bean mochi at my favorite sushi place. If you’ve never had ice cream mochi, it is creamy ice cream surrounded by a chewy, sweet rice flour paste. It took a minute to get used to the texture of mochi, but now it is one of my favorite treats. You can get green tea mochi at Trader Joe’s and I absolutely love those bite-size wonders, but they don’t offer red bean! That’s when a girl has to make her own.

You can buy red bean paste at the store, but I’ve heard it’s very sweet and I liked the idea of controlling the sweetness. I smashed together a couple of recipes and decided to use Jeni’s sweet cream base for the ice cream and stirred in the red bean paste at the end. I am so pleased with the results. The mashed beans form a candy-like crunch when frozen in the ice cream that reminds me a bit of Boston baked beans. The ice cream takes on the prettiest natural pink hue. Food coloring schmood coloring. Give it a try and tell people you’re making bean ice cream! Share it and make new friends.

Recipe: Japanese Azuki Bean Ice Cream

Adapted from Jeni’s Ice Cream and Apple Pie Patis & Pate

Sweet Azuki Paste

1/2 C. azuki beans

1 1/2 C. water

1/3 C. granulated sugar

pinch of sea salt

1. Look over beans and pick out any debris. Rinse and then cover with an inch of cold water in a medium pot with a lid. Over high heat bring the beans to a boil and then drain, discarding the water.

2. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot with the parboiled beans. Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the azuki beans are soft, stirring every so often. Watch to make sure the water doesn’t completely evaporate and add a bit of water if it does. The water should be almost completely absorbed at the end of the cooking time.

3. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and stir. Use a potato masher or mash with a fork pressing against the sides of the pot,  until you come to your preferred consistency. I liked a mostly mashed consistency with a few whole beans remaining. Makes about one cup of azuki paste.

Ice Cream

2 C. whole natural milk

4 t. cornstarch

1 1/4 C. heavy cream

2/3 C. sugar

2 T. light corn syrup

1/4 t. sea salt

3 T. cream cheese, softened

1 C. prepared azuki paste (recipe above)

1. In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the whole milk and the cornstarch; set slurry aside. Put the container you are using to store your ice cream in the freezer to chill.

2. In a medium pot or  saucepan, whisk together remaining milk and the cream, sugar, syrup, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes and then stir in slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2-4 minutes.

3. Place softened cream cheese in a bowl and whisk a little until smooth. Pour in 1/4 cup hot milk mixture and whisk until combined. Then whisk in remaining milk mixture.

4. To a large bowl, fill with ice cubes and some cold water. Pour ice cream mixture into a plastic bag, seal, and submerge in the bowl of ice water until chilled; about 30 minutes.

5. When ice cream mixture is chilled, pour mixture into your ice cream maker and continue according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I have the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment and I processed for about 20 minutes and added one cup of the azuki bean paste to the ice cream and then processed for another 5 minutes.

6. Remove ice cream container from the freezer and fill with ice cream. Freeze until set. If chilled overnight, take ice cream out about 15 minutes before you plan to eat for easier scooping.

 

 

Oct 11 10 comments
Chocolate, Dessert, Frozen Treats, Gluten Free, Ice Cream, Quick, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian

Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirls

chocolateicecream1

I thought our warm Michigan days were over, but last weekend was gorgeous and this week is starting off the same. We were out of town for a good friend’s wedding and we mostly packed the wrong things. The weather and the scenery just didn’t match up as I felt the heat of the sun while the bright orange and yellow leaves danced off of the trees. It was perfect, though, because we enjoyed several outdoor lunches among the unbeatable beauty of fall trees and downtown streets lined in colorful leaves. I feel this may be my last shot to convince you that you need this ice cream.

falldowntown

Yes, this here is the chocolate ice cream I always wanted to make at home. The texture is so very creamy and the chocolate flavor mimics that of a fine bar of chocolate. The dark chocolate and cocoa are beautifully balanced with three kinds of milk.

I added peanut butter because I happen to like salty peanut butter swirls in my chocolate ice cream. The peanut butter swirl is optional, but I must tell you that the addition really blew my hair back. I hope it does the same for you.

chocolateicecream2

Recipe: Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirls

Adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and In the Little Red House

Makes about 1 quart

1 C. (250 ml) whole milk

4 t. corn starch

1 C. (250 ml) heavy cream

1 C. (250 ml) evaporated milk

2/3 C (130 g) sugar (scant)

2 T. (60 g) light corn syrup

1/3 C. (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or dutch-process (I used Droste)

3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, chopped ( I used Valrhona 70% cacoa)

1/4 t. sea salt

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 C. natural peanut butter (stirred well with only peanuts and salt in the ingredients)

1. Get a large bowl and a gallon-sized plastic bag ready for the cooling process. Have ice ready for adding to the bowl to quickly cool the ice cream mixture when it is finished.

2. Make a slurry by mixing a few tablespoons of the milk in with the corn starch in a small bowl. Make sure the slurry has enough liquid to be loose.

3. In a saucepan on medium heat, heat the rest of the milk, cream, evaporated milk, sugar and corn syrup. Watch to make sure it does not boil over. When the mixture comes to a moderate boil, whisk in the cocoa powder, then let it cook for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, whisk in the corn starch slurry and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.

4. Remove from the heat and add in the chopped chocolate and salt, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and everything is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.

5. Take the large bowl you set aside and fill half-way with ice. Carefully transfer the ice cream mixture into the reserved plastic bag, close the bag and nestle it in the ice. Add more ice to the sides if necessary to surround the mixture inside of the bag. Let sit to cool for about 30 minutes.

6. After 30 minutes, remove the bag from the ice and wipe off any excess water. Carefully snip the corner of the plastic bag and squeeze the mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker. Proceed with the directions on your ice cream maker. Put the container you will be storing your ice cream in, in the freezer to keep cold. This will prevent your fresh ice cream from melting during the transfer. When the mixture has firmed up in your ice cream maker and only has about 5 minutes left, use a spoon to drizzle in the peanut butter. Continue to process the additional 5 minutes.

7. Remove your container from the freezer and transfer your ice cream into it. If the ice cream has frozen overnight or longer, keep out on the counter for about 15-20 minutes and scooping will be dreamy.

Jun 28 8 comments
Dessert, Frozen Treats, Gluten Free, Healthy, Ice Cream, Quick, Recipes, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian

Tart Frozen Yogurt

frozenyogurt3

With dessert recipes, I am conscious of how much sugar I use and I’ve never explained where that comes from. Several years ago, I saw a television program on being aware of your “sugar quotient,” which is your tolerance for sugar. Over time, most people are simply used to super sugary sweets. As someone that used to eat brown sugar Pop Tarts for breakfast and hit the vending machines for animal crackers and Mountain Dew (Mom forbade the consumption of Dew in our home) as a college snack, this helped me to slow down and think about the food I was eating.

Dialing down the sugar is not only a step in the right direction, but I’ve noticed it allows you to really taste the ingredients. Desserts involving fruit are my hands-down favorite, but if you add too much sugar, you cover up the wonderful flavors that occur naturally in the fruit. When you start making things from scratch, you realize there is no substitute for the taste and you have complete control over what you’re eating.

frozenyogurt1

I had heard of Pinkberry and the tart yogurt craze, but could not fully comprehend what tart yogurt meant. Growing up with a TCBY in town, that is what I thought frozen yogurt was. Two years ago, we went to Chicago where several tart yogurt shops have popped up and my brother-in-law’s girlfriend turned me into a tart yogurt lover. I couldn’t believe how much it actually tasted like yogurt. What a concept!

Thanks to Marc, though, I don’t have to go to Chicago to enjoy tart frozen yogurt anymore. He purchased the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker as an anniversary gift along with David Lebovitz’s book, The Perfect Scoop (plus a pizza stone, immersion blender and mandolin-tweet and you shall receive!).

I quickly chose the easiest recipe in the book, vanilla frozen yogurt, wanting to get started right away. Being new to making ice cream or frozen yogurt, I decided not to mess with the recipe the first go-around. It was delicious! I did decide, though, that I wanted something less sweet and more like tart yogurt, so I added more yogurt and less sugar to batch #2. The results could not have been more perfect. You definitely taste the tang of yogurt with a little hint of vanilla and sugar. It is divine with fresh berries. Use the best-quality ingredients you can get your hands on and you will not be disappointed. I can’t wait to have Meg, my tart frozen yogurt buddy, over for a few scoops.

Recipe: Tart Frozen Yogurt

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop

4 C. whole milk plain yogurt (I love Trader Joe’s European-style organic plain whole yogurt)

3/4 C. (scant) granulated sugar

1 t. vanilla

1. Place your storage container for the frozen yogurt in the freezer. This will allow you more time to transfer the mixture into the container and prevent melting.

2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or 4 cup pyrex measuring cup (something with a spout will be helpful when pouring into the ice cream maker) and then follow the directions for your ice cream maker.

3. If using the kitchen aid ice cream maker attachment, make sure the bowl is completely frozen and do not take out of the freezer until the ingredients are ready to go. Pour yogurt mixture into the frozen bowl while the ice cream paddle is running and mix on lowest speed for 20-25 minutes.

4. The frozen yogurt is soft right out of the machine, but you can freeze it in an air-tight container for a couple of hours for firmer frozen yogurt. It will keep in the freezer for a week. Let it sit out about 10 minutes before scooping because it becomes quite firm if left in freezer overnight or longer.

Nov 14 3 comments
Dessert, Drink, Frozen Treats, Ice Cream, Quick, Recipes

Detroit Medicine

VernorsCan

Last week my stomach was not happy with me. For 2 days, I just did not feel right and I’m pretty sure I know why. We have been installing baseboard molding and it is the molding of my dreams. Contemporary, no frills and 5 1/2″ tall. We have been painting, cutting and sanding and I haven’t had much time to go to the grocery store or cook and we’ve had absolutely no desire to wash dishes (like we ever do). A few times we went the fast food route and on Tuesday and Wednesday my stomach and I were not on speaking terms.

Insert great husband. Marc went out and came back with a bag from the pharmacy and I was wondering what he had in his bag of tricks. Pepto Bismal? Ugh. Rolaids? Bearable. Inside the bag was a case of Vernor’s and vanilla ice cream. You see, friends, Marc’s family believe that a Vernor’s float and Nyquil can cure any ailment you have. Marc’s Dad has been known to whisper from the couch that he could use some Vernor’s and ice cream when he doesn’t feel well. Not that my family doesn’t have its own weird “cures” (mostly old-school German superstitions) but the pop and ice cream thing boggled my mind.

FloatPour

Ever have Vernor’s before? I have to admit that I was an adult before hearing about the stuff, even though I grew up only 3 hours west of Detroit. The story of Vernor’s is that James Vernor, a Detroit pharmacist, had brewed up a secret mixture of 19 ingredients including ginger and vanilla and put it in an oak cask. In 1862, James was called up to fight in the Civil War and returned 4 years later to find that the aging process had turned his mixture into delicious Vernor’s. It also says on every can that they continue to age their soda in oak barrels to give Vernor’s its distinct flavor.

FoamyGoodness

We don’t usually keep pop (yep, I’m from the Midwest!) around, but Vernor’s is unique. I think the best way to describe it is a mix of cream soda with a bit of gingery flavor. It’s sweet and super bubbly. If you take a breath too close to your Vernor’s, you’ll soon be hacking like a heavy smoker. The extreme carbonation, however, turns the creamy vanilla ice cream into vanilla foam and that’s when the magic happens. I told Marc’s adorable Grandma that he made me a Vernor’s float when I didn’t feel well and her response was, “Well, I don’t know about the ice cream, but the Vernor’s sure helps.” Ha. Well, we’ve proven no facts here, but darn it, this skeptic felt better.