ice cream recipes, edition 3

To wrap up the ice cream recipes…here’s the final batch.

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

pinch salt

2/3 cup whole milk

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup marshmallow cream (e.g. Fluff)

2 full graham cracker sheets, crushed

2 ounces milk chocolate (1/3 cup chips), melted and reserved at room temperature

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars and salt.  Add the milk and, using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat to combine until the cocoa and sugars are dissolved.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.

Freeze in the mixer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.  Five minutes before mixing is completed, gradually add the marshmallow cream, one spoonful at a time.  Once mixed, add the crushed graham crackers and melted chocolate, one at a time, through the top and let mix in completely.  Store in a freezer safe container until firm, at least 2 hours.

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree (if you’re into that sort of thing, wink, wink) or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

5 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of nutmeg

1 Tbs bourbon

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine 1-1/2 cups of the cream and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar.  Cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat.  Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.  Pour the egg mixture back into the pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers 175 degrees.  Do not allow the custard to boil.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Place the bowl in a large bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool.  Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the custard.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Add the bourbon during the last minute of churning.  Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm, at least two hours.

3 cups half-and-half

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped peppermint bark

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the half-and-half until steam begins to rise from the surface.  Remove from the heat.

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until blended.  Gradually add the hot half-and-half, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and a finger drawn across the back of the spoon leave a path, about 5 minutes.  Do not allow the custard to boil.  Custard should register 175 degrees.

Pour the custard through a medium-mesh sieve set over a clean bowl and stir in the vanilla.  Set in a large bowl partially filled with ice water, and stir occasionally until cool.  Refrigerate until cold.

Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze.  At the end of the freezing process, add the chopped peppermint bark and continue processing just until it is blended into the ice cream.  Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan.  Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.  Bring cream to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture.  Return mixture to saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and thermometer registers 180 degrees – do not boil.  Strain custard into large bowl set over another bowl of ice and water.  Cool completely, stirring often, for about 15 minutes.  Cover and chill overnight.

Boil balsamic vinegar in heavy saucepan until reduce to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes.  Cool syrup in pan.

Process custard in ice cream maker.  When done, spoon in balsamic syrup and churn 3-4 seconds longer to swirl.  Transfer ice cream to container and freeze until firm at least 2 hours.