Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Vanilla Ice cream Base

Okay, so this recipe is LONG and it takes FOREVER! but it is SO worth it.
We make our ice cream because we are learning to be self-sufficient. No! really, it is because ice cream here is so expensive but making your own is cheaper. It also comes all freezer burn and tastes gross.

Anyway, this recipe is amazing and so good. We only make half of this recipe because it makes a gallon and we don't have two ice cream making machines.
From the variations we have made the chocolate one and it is DIVINE!!
And by We I mean Me! well... David has done the ice and salt part :-)

Put the ice cream in a tupperware container, rectangle is best. fill it up and then cover with plastic wrap, then put the lid on it. It will prevent freezer burn.

Vanilla ice cream recipe, Base

Ingredients

Variations:

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream:

Strawberry Cheese Cake Ice Cream:

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream:

  • 1 tube ready to bake peanut butter cookie dough, cut in large pieces

Directions

To make the vanilla ice cream: Combine the cream, milk, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large pot. Split the vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife; add them to the pot and toss in the pods for added flavor. Place the cream mixture over medium heat, and bring up to a simmer; stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Ideally, the temperature should reach 175 degrees F (just below scalding) for a smooth-textured ice cream; this should take about 15 minutes. Shut off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the cream mixture to steep for 15 minutes to further infuse the vanilla flavor.
In the meantime, combine the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and blend them lightly with a wire whisk. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and continue to whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the eggs are thick and pale yellow; about 6 minutes.
Using a large ladle or measuring cup, temper the eggs by gradually whisking in about 4 cups of the hot cream mixture. Return this back to the rest of the cream in the saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the custard thickens and leaves a path on the back of a spoon when you run your finger across it, about 10 to 12 minutes (do not let boil.)
Pour the vanilla custard through a fine strainer into another pot* and chill completely in a sink full of ice, stirring here and there; this should take about 1 hour. Ideally, let the ice cream base "age" overnight in the refrigerator before churning in an ice cream maker to improve the flavor and texture of the final product – but it is still good if you decide to process it right away. Divide the ice cream into quarts** and churn each in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. When done, the ice cream will be the consistency of "soft serve." ***To harden the ice cream fully, freeze in plastic covered containers.
Flavor Variations:
*To make the Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream: Heat 3/4 up of milk in a pot over medium-low heat. Add 12 ounces of the chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted. Pour 1 quart of the strained hot vanilla ice cream base into the melted chocolate and stir until very well incorporated. Chill and process as directed in the master recipe. Fold in the remaining 4 ounces of chopped chocolate after churning while the ice cream is in the "soft-serve" stage. Churn another 1 to 2 minutes just until combined.
**To make the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: Mix the strawberry preserves into the vanilla custard just before you start churning in the ice cream maker. Add the pieces of strawberry cheesecake and fresh strawberries after churning while the ice cream is in the "soft-serve" stage. Continue to churn for an additional 5 minutes or until combined but still chunky.
***To make the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream: Add the pieces of cookie dough after churning while the ice cream is in the "soft-serve" stage. Continue to churn for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until combined but still chunky.

Fudge Brownies. in my humble opinion THE BEST! recipe out there.

I found this recipe on Pinterest. David and I have been looking for the best Fudgy Brownie recipe and as of today this one is the winner!

We made it all with dark chocolate when Mom came to visit and it was SO good! So now that is the only way we eat them.
 Make sure you use real butter and fresh eggs. In Oxford we were able to get Free Range eggs (although I felt bad for taking the eggs of the happiest chickens) and the recipe tasted tons better than when we make it with out A.C. square foot, eat fake food chicken eggs.

I also only cook them for about 20 minutes, if you cook them any longer they will be too hard. We are going for fudge.
Here it goes!


 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
How to Make
  1. Preheat oven to 325°
  2. Line a 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray generously with cooking spray.
  3. Melt chocolate and butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Whisk both sugars into the chocolate mix. Add in eggs, one at a time and then add vanilla. Whisk until combined.
  6. Stir in flour and salt until evenly incorporated and pour batter into prepared pan.
  7. Bake 35-40 minutes until center is set and a toothpick placed 2 inches away from edge comes out clean.
  8. Let brownies cool completely before cutting into squares.