Like Fudgesicles, Only Better

You may have already picked up on this, but we’re big fans of ice cream. Even during the winter, when it’s cold enough to store the ice cream outside, you can find some living in our freezer. Especially since we purchased an ice cream maker last fall. (Yay for Craigslist!) Since then, we’ve been putting it to good use. (Let’s not talk about how our cream and egg consumption has skyrocketed in the last nine months.)

Andy’s favorite flavor is vanilla bean. Yes, it’s tasty. Yes, it goes with anything. Yes, it’s a classic. I get it. But I want chocolate, nine times out of ten. And if I pick a flavor OTHER than chocolate, it’s because it has chocolate chunks in it. (Moose Tracks or Mackinaw Island Fudge, anyone?!) If I can get chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks, so much better. (Brownie batter ice cream, yes please!) 

This is the frozen dessert for me. It’s technically not even ice cream; it’s sorbet. That’s right, there’s not a drop of dairy in this sucker. (This makes it “healthy,” right?) It’s chocolate, sugar, cocoa, water and vanilla. And the chocolate flavor is through the roof. It’s like a fudgesicle, only a million times better. There’s really not much else to say about this one. Frozen chocolate awesomeness = go make this now.

(And yes, I realize this is the third dessert recipe I’ve shared in a row. I just haven’t been taking pictures of our non-sweet food. And I’d say that ice cream is “in season” now. Our CSA starts up this week – FINALLY – so more veggie posts will be making an appearance soon!) 

Yes, this one’s a little drippy. It melts even faster than regular homemade ice cream. Don’t let that stop you though. Just eat it quickly.

Chocolate Sorbet

2 1/4 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I’m not ashamed to admit that I used Hershey’s Special Dark here with no problems at all.) 
pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used a mixture of bittersweet and semi-sweet.) 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium-to-large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of water, the sugar, salt and cocoa powder. Let the mixture come to a boil, and continue to whisk while it boils rapidly for about 45 seconds. (I think I let mine boil longer… whoops.)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate, whisking until it is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla and the remaining water.

Using a hand-held blender, blend the mixture for 15 seconds. (Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a blender, blend and then transfer it back into a container for chilling. I like using the stick blender and saving a step. Plus, then I’m less likely to spill chocolate all over my kitchen.) Chill the mixture thoroughly, either over an ice bath or in the fridge.

When the mixture is thoroughly chilled, freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

From Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from the Perfect Scoop (which I’m beginning to think I should purchase)

Click here for a printable version.

 

I Can Take a Hint

Last weekend, I had a $5 credit to use at Williams-Sonoma. I don’t shop there often, but it’s definitely a store I enjoy wandering through. After a great deal of indecision (Jars! Odd-size measuring spoons! Placemats! Spices! I seriously have ADD when I’m in that store.), I finally settled on some new cupcake liners. They seemed to be the best use of my $5, and they had stripes AND polka dots. The cuteness was too much.

I showed them to Andy and said, “Aren’t these the CUTEST cupcake liners you’ve EVER seen?!!”

Andy, being the supportive husband that he is, immediately responded with, “They’d be a lot cuter if you filled them with something.”

OK then. I can take a hint. Cupcakes it is. I even had some leftover frosting from a cake I’d made for a bridal shower a couple weeks earlier. Clearly, these babies were meant to be.

Since this was supposed to be a quick Sunday afternoon project, I wanted a super-basic recipe. I was out of things like buttermilk, and I knew I didn’t want to deal with separating eggs or anything like that. If I was a cake mix kind of girl, that would have been the day for it. You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m NOT a cake mix kind of girl though.

I pulled this recipe out of an old Woman’s Day magazine a few years ago, so I figured it was worth a try. I halved the recipe (which are the amounts I’m sharing below), as I didn’t want to waste too many ingredients if the recipe bombed. Plus, 12 cupcakes are plenty for two people. It turned out well, and I’m going to keep it in mind for those days when I need an easy cake fix.

Sprinkles + new liners = cuteness overload.

Easy Vanilla Cupcakes

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for two minutes, or until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to a low, and beat in the milk and vanilla. Mix in the flour until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake wells, filling them about two-thirds of the way full. Bake until cupcakes test done with a toothpick and are golden on top, about 18-20 minutes. Rotate the baking pan halfway through the cook time if your oven bakes unevenly.

Remove pan from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

From Woman’s Day, May 2009

Click here for a printable version.

 

Berry Good Ice Cream

So, I was going to share a cauliflower curry recipe that I tried for dinner last week, but since it was only a hit with 50% of the household, it’s going on the back burner for now. (I may just have to resort to eating curry when Andy is out of town. Kind of like Kirsten’s deployment pizza… except that Andy’s not gone nearly as often or as long.) 

Anyway.

Instead of a healthy, tasty dinner, I bring you… ice cream. With white chocolate. And cream. And eggs. It’s not a TOTAL waste though… there ARE raspberries here. (Ha. Like that helps at this point.) I made this for dessert on a night that we had some friends over, knowing that Bethany loves raspberries. We all loved it. Especially Judah, who’s almost two. (He just about face-planted in the bowl, and we just about died laughing at him.)

This recipe used a technique that I hadn’t tried before – pouring the warm custard over the finely chopped chocolate and then whisking until it was melted into the custard base. Maybe it’s operator error, but we noticed that, in spite of my best whisking efforts, a few stray chunks of white chocolate remained in the final product. Not that they really bothered anyone, but still. I also opted to use frozen raspberries, rather than fresh, since it’s still not raspberry season here. And as good as this was, I think it’d be better with dark chocolate ice cream, rather than the white chocolate. Maybe that will be my next flavor.

White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup half and half or whole milk
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (as usual, I didn’t measure this)
6 ounces frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon vodka

To make the ice cream base, place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer over the top. (It’s ideal if your bowl has a lid and a pour spout, which makes chilling the mixture and transferring it to the ice cream maker that much easier. I like to use my 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) 

In a medium saucepan, stir together the milk, salt and 2/3 cup sugar. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. When the mixture is combined, pour it back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula to prevent it from sticking. When the custard has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, remove it from heat. (It should be between 170 and 175 degrees, if you want to take its temperature.) 

Pour the custard through the strainer and over the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Cover and chill until the mixture is completely cold, ideally overnight.

Meanwhile, make the raspberry swirl. Combine the raspberries and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the berries and sugar until they reach your desired consistency. Stir in the vodka and let sit until you’re ready to churn the ice cream. 

Freeze the ice cream in an ice cream maker according the manufacturer’s directions. Place about 1/4 of the raspberry swirl on the bottom of a large, freezer-safe bowl. Spread about 1/3 of the ice cream over the swirl, then top with more raspberry swirl. Continue to layer the ice cream and the raspberry swirl until you’ve used it all, and then freeze until firm. Enjoy! 

From Brown Eyed Baker, who adapted it from The Perfect Scoop

Click here for a printable version. 

 

Saving My Cilantro

I have a love-hate relationship with cilantro. (And no, not the “love to hate it” type of relationship.) I love its bright, fresh flavor in my salsa, soup and sauces. I hate how it seems go bad faster than any other green item in my fridge. It never seems to last more than a few days, even in my produce-saver bags. Which means I throw out more cilantro than I’d like to admit. (Food blogger fail, I know.) 

Enter this recipe. It’s a great way to use up cilantro before it “turns.” (Side note: I think of Mater every time I hear someone say something has “turned.” Anyone else?) As I was prepping this, I realized that this sauce is essentially a nut-free, cilantro pesto. It was simple to make and worked well on both the grilled shrimp and rice and beans.

The sauce is a much brighter green when you make it. After a day or two in the fridge, the color darkens (but the flavor is just as good).

Cilantro Sauce

1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoon oil (I used canola because I didn’t want to deviate too far from the original recipe, but next time I’ll use olive oil instead.)

Combine the cilantro and garlic in the bowl of a small food processor. Pulse until the cilantro is finely chopped and the garlic is minced into tiny pieces. Add the ginger and lemon juice and pulse to combine. Add the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.

Brush over shrimp or fish while grilling, or use as a dipping sauce or dressing for shrimp, chicken, rice, etc. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Adapted from Cooking For Two, Spring 2007

Click here for a printable version.

 

What We’re Eating: 5/27/13 – 5/31/13

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! And a big thank you to everyone who has served and sacrificed for our freedoms.

I hadn’t planned on doing a menu post for this week, but I realized that all of the pictures I’ve taken recently have been desserts, and in the interest of presenting a well-balanced diet, I figured I’d throw a menu post in between the cakes, cookies and ice cream that I’ve been sharing. You know, so you can see that we aren’t just eating sweets.

Monday 5/27 – Grilled shrimp with cilantro sauce, cumin rice and beans and broccoli (New recipes!) 
Tuesday 5/28 – Strawberry bacon pizza (I had this on the menu a couple of weeks ago, and I never got around to it. Making it happen this week for sure!)
Wednesday 5/29 – Pot roast in the crockpot (I always add potatoes.) 
Thursday 5/30 – Apricot chicken pasta and roasted broccoli
Friday 5/31 – Sloppy Joes and salad (If I get around to it this week, I’m making my own buns!) 

I also have a garden update to share! I finally put plants in the dirt over this past weekend. Thankfully we finished planting things by Sunday, as Memorial Day is turning out to be cool and rainy. Andy did point out that the rain is ideal for our little baby plants though.

We planted green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, swiss chard, broccoli and tomatoes. I filled the flower bed by the house with herbs basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Now, as long as we can keep the rabbits out, we should be OK. I hope. I’ll take garden pictures when there’s a little more to  look at – right now it’s just dirt with some flags marking the ends of the rows.

Our rhubarb is loving the weather this spring. I’ve made a batch of rhubarb squares and a batch of muffins, and I’ve put 3 lbs. in the freezer so far. I’m hoping the plant keeps producing – my goal is to get more in the freezer AND have a batch of those rhubarb squares last long enough for me to take a picture. You know, so I can share them with everyone.

 

Making Tracks

Let’s get something out of the way right off the bat: I’m a big ice cream fan. I come by it naturally. My grandfather is an ice cream fanatic, and I grew up enjoying homemade vanilla ice cream every 4th of July. (To me, that’s more American than apple pie.)

And while I won’t turn down much ice cream (I’ve even sampled red bean and green tea ice creams!), my favorites include lots of chocolate. Bonus points if peanut butter is involved.

It’s no surprise then, that moose tracks is one of my all-time favorite flavors. I mean, you’ve taken creamy vanilla ice cream and swirled it with fudge. And then peanut butter cups join the party. The only way to improve upon this combination is to serve it in a waffle cone.

That being said, this is the story of the ice cream that almost wasn’t. The vanilla bean custard smelled SO irresistible that I almost churned it as is, without adding the fudge swirl or the peanut butter cups. And that’s saying something.

Moose Tracks Ice Cream

For the ice cream:
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
6 egg yolks (freeze the whites for angel food cake!)
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (totally didn’t measure this…) 
1 cup chopped peanut butter cups

For the fudge ripple:
1/4 cup sugar
8 teaspoons or 1/6 cup light corn syrup (I realize this is an odd measurement, but I halved the original recipe and had plenty of ripple left over. And since I don’t know anyone with a 1/6 cup measuring cup, I’m giving you the teaspoons. Or, you could make life easy on yourself and just fill your 1/3 cup measuring cup halfway full.)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder.) 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

To make the fudge ripple:
In a small saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients except for the vanilla. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble. Let it boil for one minute, then remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool until needed, being sure that the fudge has cooled at least to room temperature before using.

To make the ice cream: 
Stir the sugar, salt, milk and one cup of cream together in a medium saucepan. Scrape the vanilla bean into the mixture and then drop in the pod. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warm and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, cover and set aside to steep for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl or glass measuring cup, beat the egg yolks until they are smooth. Place the rest of the cream in another large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer over the top of the bowl.

Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until they are combined. Return the custard base to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir. When the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, remove the pan from the stove. Pour the custard base through the mesh strainer and into the cream, being sure to add the vanilla bean back into the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly chilled.

Churn the vanilla ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions, being sure to remove the vanilla bean beforehand. When the ice cream is finished churning, stir in the chopped peanut butter cups.

Spread about 1/3 of the ice cream in the bottom of your freezer container. Drizzle about 1/3 of the fudge ripple on top of the ice cream, then top with another 1/3 of the ice cream, and then another layer of ripple, repeating until all of your ice cream is layered with fudge. (Don’t worry about stirring the ice cream to mix the fudge in; it swirls nicely when you scoop it out.) Freeze until firm.

Method and fudge ripple from Annie’s Eats Tin Roof Ice Cream; ice cream base from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop, as soon as Annie’s Eats

Click here for a printable version.

 

S’mores + Cake. Oh yes.

So, apparently, I’ve developed a reputation. I’m the destroyer of good intentions. The diet-breaker. The one who shows up to Bible study with a dessert that features 3 sticks of butter and 3 cups of sugar. (Cut me SOME slack here… it was a 9″ x 13″ pan; there was fruit in it; AND I used some whole wheat pastry flour. And they were every bit as good as they sound. Moving on.)

In spite of the evidence against me (all circumstantial, of course), I do make some things that aren’t complete calorie-bombs. Mango pineapple salsa. Maple walnut granola. Chickpea pasta. Quinoa with mango and black beans. I do my best to make sure we’re eating our veggies, and I’m trying to get outside for a walk at lunchtime each day.

But… let’s be honest. Making fancy desserts is FUN. At least for me. Give me a Saturday in my kitchen, just me and some butter, sugar and the KitchenAid mixer, and I’m as happy as a clam. (Side note: Can anyone explain what exactly makes clams happy? They sit in the mud/sand all day, hoping they don’t end up in somebody’s chowder.) 

And that brings us to the cake I made for the first cookout of the year, hosted by my partner-in-cake-decorating-crime. What’s better at a cookout than s’mores? Especially at a cookout with a bonfire! I went back and forth, trying to decide between s’mores cupcakes and an actual s’mores cake. Finally, I went with the s’mores cake… simply because I’ve made the cupcakes before, and I love to try something new. Especially when I have a willing bunch of test subjects.

Oh, and I got to play with my kitchen torch too. Best. Day. Ever.

S’mores Cake

For the cake:
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the pans
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely processed into a powder (this takes about 14 graham crackers)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar (I did the ‘add molasses to light brown sugar” trick here.) 
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well shaken

For the filling:
1/2 milk chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 pinches of salt

For the frosting:
4 large egg whites (save the yolks and make some ice cream!)
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9″ round cake pans, and then line the cake pans with parchment paper. Then, butter your parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Once the eggs are beaten into the butter, add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix briefly. Add about half of the buttermilk and mix briefly again. Add another third of the dry ingredients, and then the rest of the buttermilk, giving the batter a quick mix in between. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, scrape the sides of the bowl, and mix until combined.

Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans. (I channeled my inner nerd and got out my kitchen scale, weighing each pan to be sure they were even.) Smooth the batter in the pans, and then bake until the cakes test “done” with a toothpick, about 30-35 minutes. (I checked at 28 minutes, and then at 33.) Remove pans from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Flip the cakes out of the pans, and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely before proceeding.

To make the filling, place the chocolate in a small, heat-proof bowl. Pour the cream and the salt into a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Whisk until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Fill a large bowl with ice water, and then place the bowl with the chocolate in the water bath to thicken and cool, stirring occasionally.

When you’re ready to assemble the cake, place one round on a cake stand. Spread the chocolate filling on the top of the layer and top with the second cake layer.

Next, make the frosting. (Since this is a marshmallow frosting, you’ll want to use it as soon as it’s done.) Place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture constantly, cooking until the sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm to the touch. Place the bowl on the stand mixer, and, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form. (You’ll want to start at a low speed and gradually work your way up to a high speed.) Add the vanilla and mixture until combined.

Frost the cake with a thin coating of the marshmallow frosting, sealing in all of the crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes or so, to firm up the crumb coat. Using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the frosting all over the cake in thick dollops. Take a spoon, and create swirls in the frosting with the back of the spoon (similar to this technique). When the cake is swirled to your liking, brown the frosting with a kitchen torch set on the low setting.

Serve within a few hours. (I baked the cake on a Saturday morning, then frosted about an hour or so before the cookout. We cut into the cake about four hours after it was finished, and it was still in good shape. And while the leftovers tasted great the next day, the frosting had started to melt/dissolve.)

From the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Click here for a printable version.