Charoset Ice Cream

Several years ago I created this recipe for charoset ice cream for an article in the Jewish Week Food & Wine (which, I am sad to say, no longer has a regular food/recipe column).

Back then (2015), Ben & Jerry’s had created a charoset flavored ice cream that was all the rage — but it was only available in Israel.

The mere mention of charoset ice cream piqued my interest. So I got to work and created my own version.

I have never tasted theirs. Don’t need to. This version is quite wonderfully delicious.

Charoset Ice Cream 

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 6 dates, preferably medjool, pitted and chopped

• 2 small Golden Delicious or other sweet apples, peeled and chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 cup sweet Passover wine

• 3 cups half and half, light cream or whipping cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup chopped nuts, optional

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the brown sugar and mix it in. Add the dates and apples and stir the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Sprinkle in the cinnamon. Pour in the wine. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Mash the fruit to make the mixture pasty and set it aside.  

While the fruit is cooking, heat 2 cups of the cream over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, the egg yolks and salt at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients completely. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Stir in the fruit mixture. Refrigerate until cold (at least 45 minutes). Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’

Makes about 6 cups

Lemon Ice Cream

I realize this is not the usual time of year for ice cream recipes. But I just had to complete my story about what I did with the two lemons that ripened on my indoor lemon tree.

I already told you that I used the peel to make candied lemon peel using Tori Avey’s recipe.

There was just enough juice to make lemon ice cream. I love lemon anything. My grandkids joke about the lemon drops I always have on hand. I once had frozen lemon yogurt and loved it. But I’d never tried lemon ice cream. So, that’s what I decided to make.

If you’re a lemon fan like I am — the is a big WINNER!

Lemon Ice Cream

• 2-1/2 cups half and half cream

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat 1-1/2 cups of the cream with the lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the lemon juice and remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions.

Makes about 5 cups

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream

Many years ago Ed and I were on a cruise with our cousins and there we were, lounging on a public deck, when we overheard a woman consoling another woman whose husband had died on board the night before.

It was so shocking that we still talk about it. I felt sorry for the widow of course and something she told the other woman has haunted me ever since.

She said “I told him not to eat the ice cream!” — as if that one dessert was responsible for the heart attack that killed him.

My first thought was “at least he had the ice cream.”

Next week I celebrate a big birthday. I mean big as in round numbers. I mean I have passed my grandparents round numbers. I’m about the age of that widow and her poor husband. And I now say:

“Eat the ice cream!”

Because you never know.

For most of my married life, the food we usually eat at home — with indulgences here and there — is healthy. I make fresh food, have cut down on meat, fat and salt over the years, don’t serve processed foods or junk.

We’ve reached the age that an occasional ice cream — especially on vacation — won’t be the thing that kills us. And if it is, well, at least we had the ice cream.

So, for my big round birthday I am going to eat some ice cream.

I love strawberry ice cream so I already made some for the occasion. I would normally have preferred fresh strawberries but I haven’t found a good source yet for real strawberries, the kind I remember from the old days that were small, sweet and smelled like caramelizing sugar. So I roasted the best looking ones I could find with a bit of orange zest and brown sugar and this combo turned out to be absolutely scrumptious for ice cream.

Roasted Strawberry birthday Ice Cream

• 1 pint strawberries

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

• 3 cups half and half, light cream or whipping cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Rinse the berries, remove the hulls and chop the berries into smaller pieces. Place the berries on the parchment. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, brown sugar and orange zest. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the liquid has thickened slightly. Pour the liquid over the berries and toss the fruit to coat all sides. Roast the berries for about 10 minutes or until softened and glazed. Remove from the heat and let cool. Heat 2 cups of the cream over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Set aside. While the cream is heating, beat the sugar, egg yolks and salt at medium speed in an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients until the mixture is uniform. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions, until almost firm. Add the strawberries plus any juices that have accumulated. Continue to freeze until firm.

Makes about 6 cups

Peach Bourbon Ice Cream

Back in the day, come August, you could find peach ice cream in the stores. Breyer’s I think. It was a one-month thing, like so many foods back then that you ate in-season only and knew they were special and you’d better have them while you could.

These days we’ve become used to and maybe even complacent about the availability of ingredients. Strawberries for example, once so special during the summer, are year round now (and IMHO they don’t taste anything like the seasonal stuff from the old days).

Still, there are a few items that, even today, are only around for a short, get-it-while-you-can time. Shad. Persimmons. Fresh figs.

Also peach ice cream. Somehow, although we can now find peaches throughout the year, peach ice cream still seems to be a summertime-only treat. I’ve bought (and enjoyed) several tubsful recently.

But I couldn’t find a store or stand (near me) that sold peach ice cream flavored with bourbon.

So I made my own.

It was quite wonderful.

I experimented a few times to get the proportions right and the fruit texture correct. Also, I used nectarines, which are easier to peel.

Peach Bourbon Ice Cream

• 3 ripe peaches or nectarines

• 1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter

• 2-1/2 cups cream (I use half and half)

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1/2 cup sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 3 tablespoons bourbon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel and slice the peaches. Place the slices on a baking sheet. Pour the melted butter over the fruit and toss the ingredients to coat the fruit with the melted butter. Roast for about 12 minutes or until lightly crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool, process in a food processor until nearly pureed.

While the peaches are roasting, heat 2 cups of the cream in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is hot and bubbles have formed around the sides of the pan. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and salt together with an electric mixer set at medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale (4-5 minutes). Gradually add the warm cream to the egg mixture, stirring to blend ingredients to a uniform color. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 12 minutes or until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining cold cream, the bourbon and vanilla extract. Refrigerate the mixture until it is cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is thick and nearly done, add the peaches, stir the ingredients and freeze until firm.

Makes 1-quart+

Cranberry Orange Ice Cream

Summer, fall, winter, spring — as far as I’m concerned, ice cream is always in season.

But, because it is cranberry time of year and I love all things cranberry-and-orange, I offer: cranberry and orange ice cream. I have made it with both fresh and dried cranberries (prefer the dried because of the texture but both are really delicious).

Cranberry Orange Ice Cream

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup orange marmalade

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 4 large egg yolks

• 2-1/2 cups cream (any kind)

• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange peel

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the cranberries, orange juice and orange marmalade in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook at a simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the brown sugar and egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a bowl and hand mixer) and beat for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, or until light, fluffy and well blended. Heat 2 cups of the cream until the liquid is warm and bubbles appear on the side of the pan. Gradually pour the warmed cream into the brown sugar-egg mixture, add the orange peel and salt and stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the liquid come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining cream and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled. Place in an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream has thickened but is still soft, add the cranberry mixture and continue churning until the ice cream is thick. Spoon the soft ice cream into a container. Place in the freezer until very cold and firm.

Makes about 6 cups

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

I’ve been in a pumpkin spice mood. I made some pumpkin spice muffins. And some coffee cake.

But this week it’s ice cream, because, in addition to the yen for pumpkin spice, I’ve been in an ice cream kind of mood lately.

So - pumpkin spice ice cream, a flavor that suits the season and pleases my palate. I served it with dates, which was a delicious combo.

Treat yourself to some. It’s easy to make and because we all might be stuck in for a while maybe you have some time on your hands. It will give you something to do and something delicious to end a meal. Or have as a snack.

If you don’t have an ice cream machine, follow the directions here:

PUMPKIN SPICE ICE CREAM

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2-1/2 cups cream

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a bowl and stir the ingredients until thoroughly blended. Set aside. Heat 2 cups of the cream until the liquid is warm and bubbles appear on the side of the pan. While the cream is cooking, place the brown sugar and egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a bowl and hand mixer) and beat for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, or until light, fluffy and well blended. Gradually add the warmed cream and stir for 1-2 minutes to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining cream, the vanilla extract and the pumpkin mixture. Mix until well blended; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled. Place in an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream has thickened but is still soft, add the cranberry mixture and continue churning until the ice cream is thick. Spoon the soft ice cream into a container. Place in the freezer until very cold and firm.

Makes about 6 cups

Ruth Bader Ginger Ice Cream

Ok Ben & Jerry’s. You didn’t do it, so I did.

I created Ruth Bader Ginger ice cream.

It’s a brown-sugar based vanilla-ey ice cream loaded with vibrant morsels of crystallized ginger and chewy, sugar coated gingersnap cookies. I used fresh, homemade gingersnap cookies (my recipe includes dark molasses plus cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger and the cookies are crusted with sugar). But I supposed packaged cookies would be fine.

The notorious RBG will be missed. But you don’t have to miss out on the wonderful ice cream.

Here’s the recipe:

Ruth Bader Ginger Ice Cream

• 4 cups half and half cream

• 3/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup crumbled gingersnap cookies

Heat 2 cups of the cream with the ginger in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, salt and egg yolks at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. When the mixture is almost completely frozen, add the cookie pieces, stir them in and freeze completely.

Makes about 5 cups

Coffee Ice Cream with Hawaij Spices

Shavuot is the “dairy holiday” right?

So that means ….. ice cream!

Here’s a new flavor for you: Hawaij-infused coffee ice cream. It’s like an ultra-rich, coffee-lover’s version of plain old coffee ice cream except that it has a splash of spice. Hawaij spice blend to be specific. A few months ago Pereg sent me some samples of their new Hawaij spice combos.

I used the savory blend for an absolutely fabulous chicken curry (plus several other recipes that I’ll post about some other day).

But the coffee blend (which includes inger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom) I figured would be useful beyond simply spicing up my afternoon cuppa.

So I used it to make ice cream.

Oh my is all I can say.

If you love coffee ice cream, this one’s for you.

Coffee Ice Cream with Hawaij Spices

• 1 cup coffee beans

• 2 cups half and half

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 4 egg yolks

• 1-1/2 teaspoons Pereg Hawaij coffee spice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup heavy cream

Place the coffee beans in a paper or plastic bag and gently tap with a rolling pin or meat mallet to break the beans coarsely. Not all of the beans need to be broken. Place the beans in a saucepan and pour in the half and half. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for at least one hour. Strain the liquid, discard the beans and set the liquid aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, salt, egg yolks and Hawaij together at medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until thick and pale. Pour in the strained, steeped cream. Beat the ingredients, starting at low speed and gradually to medium speed, for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is well blended and a uniform color. Pour the mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the heavy cream. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool completely. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream maker until thick and cold. Spoon into a container and freeze until firm.

Makes about 5 cups

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

It’s not too late to make ice cream is it?

Just kidding. Ice cream is always in season.

I made this one the other day after reading an article about Balsamic vinegar. Mostly it says what I have always believed: don’t use Balsamic vinegar for everything.

When Balsamic vinegar was a hot, new trendy product, a whole lot of people were experimenting with it for almost every conceivable recipe. Mostly salads. But, like so many other ingredients, it has been overused.

Commercial Balsamic vinegars are fine for some — not all — salads and for marinades.

Aged, premium Balsamic vinegars are best as a condiment. Add a few drops to complement a sharp cheese (blue types, Parmesan, feta, etc.), bold greens (such as arugula), certain fresh fruit (like peaches and strawberries) or onto sizzling grilled steak (rather than, say, ketchup. Are you reading this Ed?)

And it is absolutely wonderful switched with traditional vanilla extract, for strawberry ice cream.

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

• 3 cups half and half, light cream or whipping cream

• 2 cups finely diced strawberries

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons premium Balsamic vinegar

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat 2 cups of the cream over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Place the strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the Balsamic vinegar. Mix and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the remaining sugar, the egg yolks and salt at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Add the strawberries plus any juices that have accumulated. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions.

Makes about one quart

Vanilla Ice Cream

Anyone who thinks vanilla is boring, should read this column that appeared in the Guardian (U.K.) last week (I heard about this article from Sprinklefingers). 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/mar/01/consider-vanilla

The author, Oliver Thring rightly concludes that if you say that vanilla is boring, you probably haven’t tasted the real thing.

The real thing is a long, slender, pliable brown pod filled with teeny seeds. It has a bright, distinctive taste, but it never tramples your taste buds. Split the pod and plop it, or part of it, into custard and taste how it transforms the flavor into something sweet and floral but subtle. Use it for ice cream or to flavor a canister full of sugar. Use real vanilla in cake batter. Or to infuse vinegar, rum or vodka. 

I could go on and on. I’ve always loved vanilla, even back in the old days when my cousin Leslie told me that the little specks in the ice cream I was eating were dirt.

She always chose chocolate.

But as any vanilla aficionado knows, anything made with chocolate is nowhere unless it contains some vanilla to give it a boost. Hot chocolate, for example — make it without a bit of vanilla and you’ll notice it’s missing. Ditto brownies and chocolate cake.

For those who know the truth — and those who want to understand what the vanilla thing is all about — try this recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream.

Vanilla Ice Cream

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 cups heavy or whipping cream

• one vanilla bean, split open

• 2 1-inch strips lemon peel

• 3 large eggs

• 3 large egg yolks

• 2/3 cup sugar

Place the milk, cream, vanilla bean and lemon peel in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is hot and bubbles have formed around the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool. Beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together with an electric mixer set at medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale (4-5 minutes). Gradually add the milk mixture to the egg mixture, stirring to blend ingredients to a uniform color. Remove the vanilla bean (you can wipe it off and use it to flavor sugar, vinegar, rum or vodka). Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until it has thickened, but do not let the mixture come to a boil. Let the mixture cool, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 1-quart+