Archive for the ‘Frozen Desserts’ Category
Icy, blended margaritas are definitely a good way to cool down on a hot summer evening. They’re flavorful and have a little (grown up!) kick to them. They’re never better than when they’re made with fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice, and this is true of other fruity frozen treats, too. For instance, popsicles definitely taste better when they’re made with real fruit and not just fruit juice concentrates. These Strawberry Margarita Popsicles are made with real fruit – lots of it. They also have that same little kick that you get from a regular margarita in an even cooler package.
The popsicles start withe fresh strawberries, which are pureed until very smooth in a food processor or blender. I added honey to the berry puree for some extra sweetness, as well as a little bit of fresh lime juice. Of course, there is also a generous splash of tequila and triple sec in the mix (which could easily be replaced with more lime juice for a non-alcoholic version) to keep things interesting! The mixture is poured into popsicle molds – I used these Rocket Pop molds – and frozen overnight, then they can be enjoyed as an after dinner treat or even served at a party.
You do get a tequila flavor in these, but they are nowhere near as strong as a “real” cocktail. The honey and the tequila both serve to not only flavor these pops, but to ensure that they are smooth and not overly icy. The tequila slightly lowers the freezing point of the pops so that even though they are frozen solid, they melt easily once you start to eat them. For variety, you could turn these pops into other drinks, using rum for more of a daiquiri flavor or changing the lime juice for orange juice for a strawberry orange base.
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I am a huge lover of coffee, so it should be no surprise that I am also a huge fan of coffee ice creams. Coffee ice creams can deliver the flavor of a good cup of coffee in a cold, refreshing package that is perfect for hot summer afternoons, and the are the perfect base for delicious affogatos. I’ve had both dark espresso flavored ice creams and very mildly flavored coffee ice creams. This Cafe Latte Ice Cream falls right in the middle and will satisfy a craving both for coffee and for a frozen treat.
The ice cream has a good coffee flavor and a very creamy base that balances it, and you taste both elements clearly in every bite. It gives you the same flavor effect that you get from a cafe latte – hence the name of the ice cream. Of course, a plain latte isn’t going to be sweetened and this ice cream has some sugar added to ensure that it keeps a creamy texture and still tastes like dessert. Whole milk and heavy cream give this ice cream a rich, but easy to make, base. You can use a lower fat milk in place of the whole milk and still get good results, but just keep in mind that the ice cream may be a touch less creamy if you do.
I used Starbucks Via when preparing this recipe, as it is easy to use and really concentrates a good coffee flavor. Instant espresso powder will also work well and is easy to incorporate. If you don’t have either of these ingredients, you can infuse the cream with 1/4 cup of ground coffee or espresso beans by combining the cream and coffee, bringing it to a boil and letting it sit with the beans for 4-5 minutes. Strain out the coffee beans and continue with the recipe. It adds an extra step to the recipe, but definitely gives it a good flavor.
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A slice of crispy buttered toast topped with a sweet layer of cinnamon sugar is a simple, but delicious treat. It’s an easy breakfast favorite, although I’ve been known to have a slice after dinner with a cup of tea if I have some good toasting bread on hand and can’t wait for the morning. To capture these flavors in a more distinctly dessert form, I turned my toast into Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream. This ice cream perfectly captures the flavor of buttered cinnamon toast (sans bread) in a creamy frozen form.
The secret to this ice cream is using browned butter to give it a buttery toast flavor (otherwise it would just be ice cream with cinnamon and vanilla). A small amount of butter is cooked and browned first, then sugar and the other ice cream ingredients are added to it to create the ice cream base. I keep things simply by using ground cinnamon – just like I do on my toast – and vanilla extract in this recipe. The base should be completely chilled before churning.
This ice cream is very creamy and rich tasting thanks to the brown butter in the recipe. You will get the best results with this recipe if you churn it in an ice cream maker, no matter which kind you have. The dry ice method works well and is a fun option if you don’t have an ice cream maker. If you’re a fan of cinnamon toast in the mornings, this ice cream will definitely be a hit with you and you’ll find that it’s just as addicting as that classic, simple toast.
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It is great to have an ice cream maker at home if you’re a big ice cream lover. Homemade ice cream, straight out of the machine, is something that is hard to beat with storebought products. It’s also fun because it is so easy to customize the ice cream with your favorite mix-ins, whether you like to add crushed up Oreo cookies or a swirl of caramel sauce. There are some ice cream recipes out there that you can make without an ice cream maker and still get outstanding results. One recipe that comes to mind uses sweetened condensed milk as a base and has whipped heavy cream folded into it, which adds the air that is normally incorporated into ice cream by an ice cream mixer. It’s easy to make, works out extremely well and, of course, uses no special equipment of any kind.
No-Churn Chocolate Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is this type of recipe. It starts out with a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate sauce, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Heavy cream is beaten to soft peaks and folded into the base. The resulting ice cream has an almost mousse-like consistency that just melts when it hits your tongue. It has a light chocolate flavor with just enough mint added to it. It is light and creamy, and it is never too hard to scoop straight out of the freezer. I have used homemade chocolate sauce when making this ice cream, but it is honestly just as good with a good quality chocolate or chocolate fudge sauce to use as flavoring (because you know you have some for homemade sundaes).
I typically fold small chocolate chips or coarsely chopped dark chocolate into this ice cream before freezing it. If you have mint chocolate baking pieces, which are sometimes available in grocery stores, or chopped mint chocolate bars, they will work even better and get a little more mint into your finished product.
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Candy corn is a fall and Halloween staple, even though many people have a love-hate relationship with the candy. They’re quite pretty to look at, they make a great addition to a candy dish and my favorite brand (Brach’s) as nice notes of honey and vanilla to it. Brach’s actually sells enough candy corn (and the related Mallowcremes) each year that, if they were all laid end to end, they would circle the globe four times. On the other hand, candy corn’s over-the-top sweetness and slightly gritty, yet marshmallowy, texture means that these are not on the top of everyone’s Halloween candy list. I happen to be a candy corn fan when they come in small doses, and find them to be a good source of inspiration for some colorful desserts, including this Candy Corn Terrine.
This frozen dessert has no candy corn in it. It consists of white, orange and yellow layers of ice cream and sorbet that mimic the colors of a classic candy corn. I used a good quality vanilla bean ice cream for the white portion, a blend of orange sherbert and vanilla ice cream for the orange, and a mixture of mango gelato and lemon sorbet for the yellow layer. The different colors are layered in a loaf pan and then frozen. You can serve it in slices, or carve it into candy corn-shaped triangles to serve.
The vanilla bean ice cream was an obvious choice when I needed a white layer. The mango was a very dark yellow color (I used Ciao Bella gelato) and the lemon sorbet (Haagen Dazs) was almost white, so combining the two resulted in the perfect bright yellow. I mixed the softened ice creams in the food processor to blend them. The orange was a bit more problematic because my orange sherbert was a very pale color. I ended up blending it with some ice cream and adding a small amount of orange food coloring (I recommend a gel coloring) to get the bright orange I was looking for. You can use the same trick or look out for a dark orange sorbet when making yours.
Candy corn – Brach’s brand, anyway – is made with real honey, and in the past when I’ve made a candy corn-inspired recipe, such as Candy Corn Cookies, I’ve used honey to help capture that flavor. I did the same thing in this terrine, adding layers of honey in between the layers of ice cream. The honey isn’t a dominant flavor, but it oozes out between the layers when slicing and when you’re eating the terrine you get just enough honey to know it’s there.
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