Ice Cream Recipes

Avocado-Jalapeno Ice Cream

2 ripe, soft avocadoes, about 1/2 pound each
1/2 cup sour cream
3 T. lime juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded, veined and roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup light cream

Peel and pit the avocadoes. Roughly chop the avocadoes and place in a food processor along with the sour cream, lime juice, sugar, salt and jalapenos. Process until smooth. Transfer the puree to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the cream. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Stir the chilled mixture, then freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours, or until firm. Serving suggestion: place 1 scoop of ice cream in a bowl of gazpacho. From The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein


Bacon Ice Cream

12 oz, bacon, diced
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (no fake stuff please)
8 egg yolks

1) Cook bacon over medium-low heat. Don't get too much color on it (no burning it or the fat; you want the ice cream white). After cooking, strain the fat from the bacon and reserve both.
2) Prepare a crème anglaise: In a large saucepan, bring milk, heavy cream, cooked bacon and maple syrup to a boil.
3) Remove from the heat, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for at least 1 hour. Then remove the plastic wrap and bring back to a boil.
4) In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks together. Pour boiling cream mixture onto the yolks, whisking constantly.
5) Pour everything back into the saucepan, and stir over low heat until it coats the back of the spoon. (This should happen almost right away; the fat from the heavy cream keeps the temperature from dropping very much.)
6) Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean, dry container. Put the container in a bigger container (or the sink) with ice water coming halfway up the sides. Cool completely.
7) When the mixture is cool, taste, and add a pinch of salt.
8) Churn the ice cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions. Scrape into a resealable container and freeze for half an hour before serving.


Raspberry Sorbet

1 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 heaping quart fresh raspberries, about 1 pound
juice of half a lime

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and syrup is clear. Cool to room temperature. Blend raspberries in food processor or blender along with syrup and lime juice until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a strainer to remove seeds. Put in ice cream maker for 25-30 minutes, freeze in container for at least 2 hours if you want it firmer.


Peach Sorbet

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1/4 c light corn syrup
1 1/2 lbs fresh sweet peaches, pitted and sliced
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 t salt

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat and stiur until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring 1 minute, cool to room temperature. Place peaches in blender or food processor with lemon juice, salt and cool syrup. Process for about 30 seconds. If puree is too thick, add water 1 T at a time until mixture blends easily. Put in ice cream maker according to mgfr's directions, freeze in container 2 or more hours if you want it firmer.

Cantaloupe Sorbet

1 small ripe cantaloupe
1/4 c orange juice
3/4 c superfine sugar
1/2 t salt

Remove rind and seeds from the melon. Cut the flesh into 1/2 inch cubes. You should have about 2 heaping cups of fruit. Place the cut up fruit in a blender with the other ingredients. Blend until melon is pureed and sugar has dissolved, about 30 seconds. Cover and refrigerator until cold. Stir chilled mixture and put in ice cream maker. Remove to another container and freeze at least 2 hours until firm.


Clove-Mascarpone Gelato

2 cups whipping cream
18 whole cloves
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mascarpone
1 tablespoon cognac -- or substitute 1
1 teaspoon vanilla -- (1 to 2)

1. Heat the cream with the cloves, set aside to infuse for 30 minutes, then strain.
2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. Beat in the cream, then cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil or the mixture will curdle. Transfer to a bowl, cool and chill.
3. Put the mascarpone in a separate bowl and stir well to soften. Add some of the custard to lighten the mixture, then stir this back into the remaining custard. Stir or whisk lightly until completely blended. Stir in the cognac or vanilla. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
4. Transfer to a bowl, cover and store in freezer. About 30 minutes before serving, put bowl in refrigerator to soften.

Nutritional Information:
281 Calories (kcal); 24g Total Fat; (76% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 161mg Cholesterol; 25mg Sodium


Cream Cheese Ice Cream

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Blend cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in cream. Freeze cream cheese mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours. Let ice cream soften 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 qt.


Chocolate Gelato

1 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3 1/2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
4 large egg yolks, beaten lightly

In a dry 3-quart heavy saucepan cook 1/4 cup sugar, undisturbed, over moderate heat until it begins to melt and cook, stirring with a fork, until melted completely and deep golden brown. Remove pan from heat and dip pan briefly into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. (Caramel will harden.) Cool pan about 5 minutes and return to heat. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until caramel is melted. Whisk in cocoa until combined well and keep mixture warm. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (or a double boiler), melt chocolate, stirring, and remove from heat. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick and pale. Whisk in caramel mixture and chocolate in streams, whisking until combined. Pour custard into another 3-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 140° F. Cook custard, stirring (do not let it boil) 4 minutes more and remove pan from heat. Cool custard completely. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until well chilled. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Make sure the ice cream maker is extremely cold and has been in the freezer for at least 48 hours. Gelato will keep in the freezer for one week. Makes about 3 cups.

Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream
Gelato di Parmigiano
(serves 6)

This unusual starter used to be served later in the meal, replacing the cheese course. As an appetizer, it goes very well with thin slices of prosciutto (Parma ham).

2 cups/16 fl oz/500 ml light/single cream
3 cups/12 oz/350 g. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Dash of cayenne or chile pepper

Mix the cream with the parmesan, salt and pepper in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl. Cook over simmering water until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Pour through a sieve to strain.

Pour the resulting liquid into an ice cream maker and process as directed.

If you don't have an ice cream maker; pour the liquid into a freezerproof container and freeze, stirring at intervals as the mixture thickens and freezes.

After 3 hours in the freezer, take the mixture out and transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth, then replace it in the freezer. Repeat this process after another 3 hours' freezing.

Serve with an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon.

Suggested wine: a dry or medium, lightly sparkling red (Lambrusco di Sorbara).


Blue Cheese Ice Cream with Fig Compote

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs corn syrup
4 oz. blue cheese

Blend together cheese and corn syrup util smooth (immersion blender is great for this) - set aside. Bring milk and cream to a boil. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar and slowly whisk in some of the hot cream to temper. Pour eggs into cream mixture and continue to cook over medium heat until thickened slightly and it coats the back of a spoon (like creme anglais). Off heat whisk cheese and syrup into hot custard until smooth, then strain through fine sieve into a bowl. chill until very cold and process in ice cream maker.

The fig compote:
Roughly chop a couple handfulls of dried mission figs. Put them in a sauce pan with ruby port and red wine to almost cover. Add a couple Tbs of sugar (or less, depending on how much port you use), half a stick of cinnamon, half a star anise, a couple strips of orange zest with a clove stuck in one, and maybe 10 black pepper corns. Simmer until the figs are soft, but not falling apart and the liquid reduces and gets syrupy.


Pumpkin Ice Cream

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. canned solid-pack unsweetened pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 egg yolks
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 c. heavy cream
2 c. milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine cream, milk, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is hot but not boiling, about six minutes.

2. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk 1 c. of the warm cream mixture into the bowl with the eggs.

3. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not boil.

4. Strain the custard into another bowl and cover it partially with plastic wrap. Cool at least one hour at room temperature.

5. Combine pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl and blend well. Add to the cooled custard and mix so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Refrigerate, covered completely, in the coldest part of your refrigerator until the mixture is very cold, about six hours.

6. Stir the cold pumpkin mixture, then pour into the mixing bowl of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to ice cream maker manufacturer's directions.

7. Put pumpkin ice cream in a container with a tight cover. Freeze at least three hours before serving.

Tips:
When thickening the custard so that it coats the back of a spoon (step 3), the temperature of the mixture should register at least 160 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

The refrigerated custard that has yet to be frozen in the ice cream maker (step 5) can stay covered in the refrigerator as long as three days.

The finished pumpkin ice cream tastes best if eaten within four days of making it.

Make sure your ice cream maker can accommodate 1 1/2 quarts. If not, throw away the excess.


Stem Ginger Ice Cream Recipe

1/2 pint (250 ml) double (heavy) cream
1/4 pint (125 ml) water
3 oz (75mg) caster sugar
3 egg yolks
3 oz (75mg) finely chopped stem ginger
1 tablespoon of syrup from the ginger jar.

Place the sugar and water into a saucepan and slowly heat until the sugar has dissolved (using a low heat is essential in this process). When dissolved, increase the heat and bring to boiling point, then actually boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, allow the mixture to cool a little and then pour onto the egg yolks whilst whisking as pouring. Whisk until the mixture is like a mousse in texture. Separately whip the double (heavy) cream until thick (not stiff) and then fold the chopped stem ginger into it. Take this ginger/cream and slowly fold it into the ginger syrup mixture. Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.


Chestnut Ice Cream Recipe

1 tin (size approx 9oz or 225g) of chestnut purée (already sweetened)
2 tablespoons single cream
1/2 pint (250ml) whipping cream
2 oz (50g) icing sugar

Place the purée in a mixing bowl and pour in the single/light cream or milk, mixing until you have a smooth paste. Separately, take the whipping cream and add the sugar. Whip together. When thick (not stiff) add this to the purée paste mixture. Stir gently until fully blended in. Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.


Prune Ice Cream

1 and 1/2 pints (750ml) milk
1 can of condensed milk (440g /14oz)
3 egg yolks
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon of cornflour
1 cup of chopped, stoned prunes
1 teaspoon vanilla essence.

Measure 1 and 1/4 pints milk (1250 ml), leaving 1/4 pint (250ml) for use later, and pour into a saucepan with the condensed milk and vanilla essence. Heat over a low heat, stirring occasionally until reaching boiling point. Having already mixed the cornflour, egg yolks and remaining milk together, stir this into the pan mixture then add the prunes. Stir until it starts to thicken, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to completely cool. Take the egg whites, beat until stiff and then fold into the cooled prune mixture. Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.


Tequilla Ice Cream

The recipe makes almost a half gallon-plenty to scoop over eight servings of empanadas, or to just serve on its own.

2 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup white tequila
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons honey
8 egg yolks

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine milk, cream, and tequila. Simmer about 12 minutes and remove from heat. In medium bowl, whisk sugar and honey into egg yolks until well blended. Pour a third of simmered mixture into yolks while stirring briskly with a whisk. Pour milk and egg yolk mixture back into saucepan, stirring to combine with the rest of the milk, cream and tequila mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat until it is thickens enough to coat the back of spoon. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat, pass through fine strainer and place in refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes. When cooled, process in ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions. Store, covered in freezer.


Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/07/21/FDGBL7LJEE1.DTL&hw=&sn=017&sc=701