Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

The formula for cheesecake is pretty simple.  Depending on the texture you seek, there are basic ratios of cream cheese, sometimes sour cream, sugar, vanilla or lemon and some eggs to lighten the density and set the cake.  Sometimes just a little bit of flour is added to give it a cakey texture.  The cheese can also be in the form of ricotta, farmer’s cheese, goat cheese or mascarpone, which all lend their own flavor and texture.  If you beat in too much air, the cheesecake will soufflé and sink.  A gentle and even oven temperature is crucial to avoid a dry and cracked cheesecake.

This is a seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream, a chance to get all the flavor of cheesecake without any of the fuss of making sure it’s not over-whipped or properly baked or cracked.  It's super easy to produce cheesecake in this form.  You just throw everything in a food processor and blend.  There are no eggs to worry about or a crust to shape.  Like most cheesecakes, it isn't overly sweet; just a touch of lemon juice brightens the flavor.  I used restraint when it came to the spices because I didn’t want to overwhelm the flavor of either the pumpkin or the tanginess of the cheese and sour cream, which can become muted after freezing. You can certainly adjust all these flavors to your own liking.  Just taste as you go.

I also folded in some chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies that I chopped into small bite-sized pieces to add some texture and mimic the sensation of a crust.  Use ginger snaps, graham crackers or your favorite cookie.  Or leave them out if you wish.

Here’s to the full flavor enjoyment of the pumpkin season!

Bench notes:

- Plan ahead so you can let the ice cream base chill at least overnight to allow the ingredients to co-mingle and ripen.  I actually sort of forgot about mine and after 3 days, the flavors were much improved and superb.

- Do have the cream cheese at room temperature so you don’t wind up with lots of lumps.
- When your ice cream is finished, put it into an airtight container and pack it down to avoid air pockets where ice crystals can form.  Pressing a piece of plastic into the surface also helps keep ice from forming on the surface.  

- Homemade ice cream doesn’t have any commercial emulsifiers and because there are no eggs and not a lot of sugar in this recipe, the ice cream freezes up fairly hard.  Let it sit at room temperature for several minutes to soften before serving.

- More pumpkin goodness: Pumpkin Pecan Madeleines, Pumpkin Pear & Pecan Streusel Cake, Pumpkin Pie Pecan Squares, Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

- Also try the plain Cheesecake Ice Cream and garnish however you wish.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream

Makes about a pint

8 oz cream cheese @ room temperature

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream                                                                

1/2 cup (4 oz) heavy cream

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) solid-pack pumpkin                                                              

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar                                                                

pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

slight pinch cloves

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) lemon juice

ginger cookies

Place the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream and pumpkin in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.  Add the sugar, salt, spices, vanilla and lemon juice and process.  Taste and adjust for salt until you have a bright flavor.  Pour into an airtight container and chill overnight.

Chop or crumble a few ginger cookies into small bite-sized pieces. 

Freeze according to your ice cream machine’s instructions.  Fold in the cookie pieces.  Pour into an airtight container.  Press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface, cover and place in the freezer.

To serve, let the ice cream sit for several minutes to soften before scooping.

Almond Coffee Brittle Gelato

There’s been a heat wave in my part of the world, which calls for drinking lots of cool water and a good iced coffee or tea whenever possible.  And then there's ice cream, gelato and sorbet.

As far as ice cream goes, once we feel pleasantly satisfied with the simple glories of vanilla and chocolate, there is a certain restlessness to explore other flavor combinations and possibilites.  The beauty of buying an ice cream machine and making your own is not only the freshness but also the prospect of so many flavors and textures.  You can control the level of sweetness and fat, play with lots of intriguing additions and keep on going.  I’ve done a fair amount of experimenting here as well as in my cookbook, where I feature some of my favorite blends. 

Today’s journey is another iteration of some of my beloved flavors.  I love coffee and nuts and I also love creamy and I love crunchy.  So I set to work on putting these all together.  The result is a toasted almond and coffee gelato with an addition of some of Joanne Chang’s caramel coffee brittle, which adds a crunchy sensation of sweet and bitter.  I like the texture contrast but the gelato is also delicious without it.

I hope you’re cool wherever you are, enjoying a scoop of your favorite ice cream, gelato or sorbet.   

Bench notes:

- Make the coffee brittle first so it has time to cool and set up. I used 1/2 recipe from Joanne Chang. You’ll have some extra but it keeps well in an airtight container and you can garnish plain vanilla ice cream or enjoy with a cup of coffee.

- Some simple tips for making caramel:

*I use medium high heat and watch it closely.
*To prevent crystallization, have a glass of water and a pastry brush handy to wash down the sides of the pan a couple of times as the sugar is heating up.
*Do not stir caramel while it's cooking.
*Never turn your back on caramel once it begins to show the slightest hint of color. For better control, I like to let it get to a medium amber or honey color and when it starts to smoke, I take it off the heat. At this point, the temperature of the caramel is so high it will continue to cook, darken and smoke. When it looks like it’s reached the right color after about another minute or so, I add the next ingredient to stop the cooking.

*Once caramel starts to get near the right color, there are 2 ways to stop the cooking process: from below and from above. To stop the cooking of caramel from below, you can set the bottom of the pan in ice water to cool off the pan. However, it will stop cooking much faster if you cool from above, which means adding another ingredient, such as room temperature cream or water. For caramel syrup, you would add water. For caramel sauce you would add various ratios of cream and butter or orange juice, liquor, cider or other flavored liquid.
*Once you add another ingredient, You can expect the mixture to expand and sputter quite a bit for about a minute, so caution is in order. Make sure the pan is big enough to contain the expansion and sputtering.  Wear an oven mitt or rubber glove if you’re worried about getting burned from the caramel or from the steam.
*Ingredients added to stop the cooking should be at room temperature to avoid seizing the caramel. 

- Cornstarch soaks up water and inhibits ice crystal formation.  Egg yolks also usually perform that function but I wanted to make this without eggs.

- Toast the sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for about 6 - 8 minutes. Watch them closely as they will burn very, very quickly.

- Homemade ice cream and gelato don’t have any commercial emulsifiers or additives.  So, depending on the level of sugar and fat, a fresh homemade batch usually needs to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up for the best enjoyment.
- The cookies featured in these photos are Saucepan Fudge Drops.

Almond Coffee Brittle Gelato

Makes about 1 pint

Coffee Brittle

adapted from Joanne Chang

Makes about 1/2 cup

1 tablespoon (5 grams) whole coffee beans               

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar

2 tablespoons (1 oz) water

1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter @ room temperature             

pinch salt

Almond Coffee Gelato

2 cups (16 oz) heavy cream                                 

1 cup (8 oz) milk, divided

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (2 3/4 oz) granulated sugar 

2 tablespoons (26 grams) dark brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder       

pinch salt

1 tablespoon (9 grams) cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon almond extract                               

For the coffee brittle, line a baking sheet with a silpat or lightly greased parchment.  Crush the coffee beans with a rolling pin or a grinder to medium-fine crumbs.

Combine the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat, washing down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water.  Cook until it turns light amber.  Add the crushed coffee beans (it will foam up a bit), swirl them around in the caramel and continue to cook until the caramel turns a medium amber.  Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter and a slight pinch of salt (it will sputter a bit).  Immediately pour the brittle onto the prepared baking sheet and quickly tilt the baking sheet to get the brittle to flow into a thin layer.  It’s very hot so be careful not to let it splash on you.  Working quickly, use a metal spatula to spread it into an even thin layer.  Cool completely.

Place 2/3 of the cooled brittle in a plastic bag and break it into small pieces by smashing it with a mallet or rolling pin.  Break the remaining brittle into shards and use them as a garnish.

For the gelato, place the heavy cream,  3/4 cup milk, toasted almonds, both sugars, instant espresso powder and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.  Whisk remaining 1/4 cup cold milk with cornstarch until smooth and set aside.

Simmer the cream and nut mixture on medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.  Take off the heat and add almond extract.  Taste and adjust for salt, if needed.  Pour into an airtight container and cool.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. 

Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.  Fold in the crushed coffee brittle.  Pour into an airtight container, packing it down to eliminate any air pockets.  Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface, cover and place in the freezer to firm up.

Let the gelato sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up before scooping and serving.

Ultra Chocolate Sherbet

If you’ve ever loved Fudgsicles, you’re going to really love this sherbet.  Although it’s served in a bowl rather than on a stick, you will no doubt quickly devour the creamy, chocolatey awesomeness of this scoop.

With no eggs and not a whole lot of cream, this doesn’t quite have the richness of chocolate ice cream but it does have more than a ton of flavor.  It has a good dose of both chocolate and cocoa, so it’s fudgey without being too heavy and it's smooth without coating your palate.  I think it's perfect.

For those who really cherished Fudgsicles as a kid, this is a super delicious trip down memory lane, only much, much better.  I promise, a bowl of this sherbet will fire up all your best chocolate neurons.  And as today marks the 8th anniversary of my blog, I can't think of a better way to celebrate!

Bench notes:

- I used natural undutched cocoa powder.

- 6 oz of chocolate is 1 cup chopped.  For the best flavor and texture, please do use a block of chocolate, not chocolate chips.

- The cornstarch helps to inhibit ice crystal formation.

- A pinch of cinnamon is added to give just a bit of depth. 

- For another adventure in extreme chocolate bliss, try super deluxe Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream.

 

Ultra Chocolate Sherbet

Makes about 1 quart

6 oz semisweet (62%) chocolate

3/4 cup (2 1/4 oz) cocoa

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (112 grams) granulated sugar

3 tablespoons (39 grams) dark brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon (9 grams) cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

3 cups (24 oz) milk

3/4 cup (6 oz) heavy cream                                               

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Finely chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl set over a pan with about 1" barely simmering water.  Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth.  Take off the heat and set aside.

Place the cocoa, both sugars, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Add about 3/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the remaining milk.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook for about 2 more minutes. 

Take off the heat and whisk in melted chocolate, heavy cream, vanilla and cinnamon.  Taste and adjust for salt, adding a few grains at a time.  Cool.  Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.  

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Pour into an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up. 

Cardamom Ice Cream with Almond Crumble

Summer desserts are often served à la mode and for stone fruit pies, cobblers and crisps, this Cardamom Ice Cream with Almond Crumble is one that will definitely complement our season's best apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries, figs and plums quite well, not to mention pears and chocolate. 

Cardamom is a spice of pure mystery.  Among all the spices used in pastry, its aroma is probably the most haunting and its flavor most unique.  It’s a spice I find completely impossible to resist.  Native to India and Indonesia, Guatemala has become the biggest producer for world-wide consumption.  Cardamom is also a spice often used in Scandinavian pastries and as a flavoring in Turkish coffee and Masala Chai, an Indian spiced tea.

The almond crumble adorns each serving for a bit of a crunch and flavor but with or without, this is an ice cream that celebrates the distinct beauty of cardamom, pure and simple.

Bench notes:

- Rather then milk and cream in equal parts, you can also use 3 cups of half-and-half.

- I like it as is, but after you’ve steeped the base with cardamom, taste for sugar.  Add more if you’d like and heat the mixture again just to dissolve it.

- Salt is necessary to make the flavor pop.  Add just a few grains at a time and taste.  You'll know when to stop.

- When cooking a custard base for ice cream, it’s best to use a heatproof rubber spatula or a flat bottomed wooden spoon to stir rather than a whisk, for two reasons: a whisk will create air bubbles and make it harder to see how quickly the mixture is thickening and 2) you need a utensil that will scrape a broad surface area of the bottom of the pan to keep the mixture from heating too quickly and scrambling. The main goal is to stir constantly and thicken the mixture without letting it come to a boil.  I like to cook it on medium low heat for more control and lift the pan up if it’s heating too quickly.

- Since homemade ice cream doesn't contain any commercial emulsifiers, let it sit out for a few minutes to soften before serving.

- The crumble crisps up as it cools.  If you have any leftovers, store it in an airtight container.

- Pistachios would make a good substitution for the almonds in the crumble.

- More cardamom deliciousness: Orange Cardamom Cake, Chocolate Prune Cardamom Cake, Chocolate Orange Cardamom Pull-Apart and Pear Cardamom Crumb Bars

Cardamom Ice Cream with Almond Crumble

Makes about 1 1/2  pints

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) milk                                          

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) heavy cream

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar                            

10 whole green cardamom pods, crushed                  

4 egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt, to taste

Almond Crumble

1/3 cup (1 5/8 oz) flour

2 tablespoons (26 grams) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (26 grams) dark brown sugar

slight pinch cardamom

slight pinch salt

1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (1 oz) sliced almonds

Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar and crushed cardamom pods in a saucepan.  Stir and simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat, cover and infuse for 30 minutes or until it’s reached the right strength for you.  Strain out the crushed cardamom pods.

Whisk the yolks together.  Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking continuously.  Pour the mixture back into the pan and return to medium low heat.  Cook very gently just until the mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula to prevent the mixture from coming to a boil.  To test for doneness, it should coat the spatula and when you run your finger through it, it leaves a trace. Take off the heat immediately and pour through a strainer into a clean container.  Add 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, lemon juice and salt, to taste.  When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled or overnight.

For the almond crumble, whisk together the flour, sugars, spice and salt until thoroughly combined.  Cut the butter into small pieces and place on top of the dry ingredients.  Toss the mixture, thoroughly coating the butter with flour.  Rub the mixture together with your fingers until all the butter is worked into the dry ingredients, pinching it here and there until it collects and resembles coarse crumbles.  Add the sliced almonds and combine.  Chill until the oven is ready.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.

Spread the almond mixture on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer so the crumbles are close together.  Bake the crumble until browned, about 10 - 12 minutes.  The mixture will merge together and look like a sheet cookie.  Place on a wire rack and let it cool completely to set up.  Break into small pieces and set aside in an airtight container. 

Freeze the ice cream base in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Pour into a clean airtight container.  Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface and cover.  Place in your freezer to firm up. 

To serve, let the ice cream sit for a few minutes at room temperature for easier scooping.  Serve with a topping of almond crumble.

Honey Frozen Yogurt

There is nothing in the world like honey.  This sweet nectar is a cherished commodity.  And with ongoing reports of bee colony collapse disorder and its threat to the survival of bees, I’ve come to really appreciate it all the more.  Bees are such such an essential and integral element of a healthy natural food system, we have to hope that scientists are finding productive ways to preserve our bee colonies.  We do not have a future without them.

If you do one thing in your ice cream maker this spring, you’ve got to make this super delicious Honey Frozen Yogurt.  It’s light, really refreshing and showcases the astonishing earthy flavor of honey.  

It all starts with a simple plain yogurt, which has become a key ingredient in pastry over the last few years.  It’s often utilized as a healthier substitute for other dairy products in recipes for cakes and muffins, biscuits and scones.  But here, it’s the star ingredient.  The yogurt gets coaxed into perfection with a perfect measure of honey, some lemon juice to brighten the acidity, a slight touch of vanilla and a pinch of salt to heighten the best of all the ingredients.

This may be one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make.  Try it with sweetened berries and fresh apricots or peaches.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

Bench notes:

- Since homemade frozen yogurt doesn't contain any commercial emulsifiers, let it sit out for a few minutes to soften before serving if you’ve left it in your freezer for more than a couple hours.

- Use your favorite plain yogurt.  I’ve even made it with lower fat yogurt and it’s still great.

- I use enough honey for good flavor and then some sugar to sweeten.  Too much honey inhibits the yogurt from freezing properly.

Honey Frozen Yogurt

Makes about 1 3/4 pints

3 cups (24 oz) plain yogurt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 oz) honey

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

pinch salt

Whisk together the plain yogurt, honey, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice.  Add a pinch of salt, to taste.  Pour in an airtight container, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  Pour into an airtight container and press a piece of plastic into the surface.  Cover and place in your freezer to firm up. 

Whiskey Ice Cream with Hazelnut Crumble

While I know there are vast parts of the world covered in hideous amounts of snow right now, I have been working on ice cream.  But it’s a whiskey ice cream so maybe that helps just a tiny bit to ease the chill. 

This is a pretty simple ice cream so use your best and favored whiskey.  I add a little nut crunch for some contrast and texture, choosing hazelnuts for their earthy complement to the whiskey. Both the ice cream and crumble have a bit of dark brown sugar to soften the flavors.

I say bundle up, get cozy and have a little nip in a bowl.   Cool comfort awaits you.

Bench notes:

-  Cook the ice cream base over medium low to medium heat and stir constantly.  You do not want the custard to boil, so the stirring is necessary to keep the custard moving, preventing it from heating too fast and turning into scrambled eggs. I use a heatproof rubber spatula when I’m cooking ice cream bases. It’s perfect for making sure you're scraping the bottom of the pan continuously in wide strokes. If it looks like the custard is heating up too fast, lower the heat and lift the pan off the burner until it cools down.

- Salt is really important in this mix. It makes the flavor pop. Keep adding a few sprinkles until you get it right. You’ll know as soon as it happens.

- I like this best without the addition of vanilla but it can be added along with the whiskey at the end of cooking if you prefer.

- To toast hazelnuts, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes.  Rub them in a towel to remove most of the skins.

- If you'd like to warm your serving up a bit, I think this ice cream would also make a great affogato (Italian for "drowned"), which is a couple of scoops of ice cream with a shot of espresso or strong coffee poured over it. 

Whiskey Ice Cream with Hazelnut Crumble

Makes about 1 quart

1 1/4 cups (10 oz) milk

1 3/4 cups (14 oz) heavy cream                                      

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed

pinch salt

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 oz) whiskey or bourbon

Hazelnut Crumble                                      

1/3 cup (47 grams) flour                                                                                       

2 tablespoons (26 grams) granulated sugar                                                               

2 tablespoons (26 grams) dark brown sugar, packed                       

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon                                        

pinch salt                                                                                                                 

1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) unsalted cold butter  

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (2 oz) hazelnuts, toasted

Combine the milk, cream, both sugars and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer over low heat just until the sugar is dissolved.  Do not boil.       

           

Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Slowly add the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and medium low to medium heat. Cook, stirring and constantly scraping the bottom of the pan, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spatula. A clean track should hold its shape when you draw a line with your finger across the spatula.  Take off heat and immediately pour the custard through a strainer into a clean airtight container.  Stir in the whiskey.  Taste and adjust for salt.  Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to instructions.  Pour into a clean airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

For the hazelnut crumble, whisk together the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt until thoroughly combined.  Cut the butter into small pieces and place on top of the dry ingredients.  Toss the mixture, thoroughly coating the butter with flour.  Rub the mixture together between thumb and fingers of both hands until all the butter is worked into the dry ingredients, pinching it here and there until it collects and resembles coarse crumbles.  Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and mix them in.  Chill for about an hour or so.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.  Spread the crumble in an even layer and lightly pat into a rectangle about 10” by 7”. 

Bake the crumble until browned, about 10 - 12 minutes.  The mixture will look like a sheet of cookie crumbles.  Let it cool completely to set up.  Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container. 

German Chocolate Ice Cream

We all know the composition of German Chocolate Cake: rounds of soft chocolate cake layered with a filling of toasted pecans and shredded coconut in a rich caramel.  It’s called “German” not because it originates in Germany but because of Sam German, an American chocolatier who created the cake in the mid-1800s.

German Chocolate Cake translates easily into an ice cream flavor.  I’ve dialed down the intensity for those who enjoy the idea of German Chocolate Cake but find it delicious only in small doses.  The ice cream is a deep chocolate blend.  Toasted pecans and coconut are combined with a bit of very simple brown sugar caramel. Chunks of chocolate cookies are added for more texture and more chocolate depth.  And although it’s not quite as rich as the cake version, all the essential flavors are there for a very delicious ice cream experience. 

Bench notes:

- When melting the chocolate, make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the barely simmering water in the bain marie.   

- Place the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

- Choose chocolate cookies that are soft so they’ll be a bit chewy.  I used Saucepan Fudge Drops and I thought they were perfect. 

- Change up the pecan, coconut and cookie proportions to your liking.

- Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften before scooping.

German Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Chocolate Ice Cream

8 oz bittersweet (63% - 72%) or semisweet (52% - 62%) chocolate                                             

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) heavy cream                                                   

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) milk                                                                  

4 egg yolks @ room temperature

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) sugar                                        

salt, to taste

Pecan Coconut Caramel

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt, to taste

1/4 cup (1 oz) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup (25 grams) shredded coconut

6 soft chocolate cookies (about 4 1/2 oz)

For the ice cream base, chop the chocolate into small pieces. Combine with the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl and warm over a bain marie of slow simmering water until chocolate is melted.  Remove from heat and stir until smooth and thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Bring the 1 1/2 cups of milk to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thickened and light yellow.  Add some of the warm milk to temper the mixture, whisking constantly.  Pour in the remaining warm milk and whisk together thoroughly.  Return the mixture to the pan and place on medium low heat.  Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard coats the spatula or back of the spoon and a finger traced through it leaves a clean track.  Do not boil.  Strain immediately into the chocolate/cream mixture and stir to combine.  Add salt to taste.  Cool and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

For the pecan and coconut caramel swirl, place the cream and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium low heat.  Bring to a slow boil for about two minutes or so until the sugar is dissolved, whisking constantly.  Take off the heat and add vanilla and salt, to taste.  Stir in the chopped pecans and coconut.  Chill just until the mixture thickens.

Chop the chocolate cookies into bite-sized pieces.  

Freeze the ice cream according to your machine’s directions.  Fold in the chopped chocolate cookies.  Pour half the ice cream into an airtight container and dollop half the pecan coconut caramel mixture.  Take a knife and swirl it through.  Repeat with a second layer of each, pressing and swirling the nut mixture into the ice cream. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the ice cream, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

Brown Butter Ice Cream

I guess it goes without saying I’m a huge fan of browned butter in pastries and desserts.  I love the nutty flavor and the way it enhances the effect of other ingredients in combination.  And it delivers a fabulous pop to a whole range of things.  I’ve used it in cookies, such as Baci di Dama and Walnut Shortbread, 

and cakes, such as Banana Sauce Cake, Almond Cake and Peach Sauce Cake, with delicious success.

So I suppose it makes perfect sense that I needed to try Brown Butter Ice Cream, only a matter of time.  If you’re thinking "butter ice cream" sounds a little too over the top, you’re not alone.  I wasn’t sure if it would work for me since I prefer desserts that are not overly rich in fat or sugar.  But browned butter carries such a magnificent flavor, I had to experiment.  And OMG, am I glad I did.  This is truly sensational ice cream. 

It’s important to get the butter to a nice deep amber brown stage for the best possible flavor.  And since butter is the star, I keep the fat from the egg yolks and heavy cream to a minimum.  I use unsalted butter so a nice pinch of salt is warranted to boost the flavor; I wound up using about 1/4 teaspoon.  I also add a measure of brown sugar and I think it really adds to the lusciousness, producing a hint of butterscotch, only much better.  In my testing trials, I included some vanilla in one batch but I found that it overwhelmed the basic delicious flavor too much so I leave it out altogether. 

Well, move over vanilla.  There’s some very serious competition in town.

Bench notes:

- Use your favorite brand of butter.  You should be able to smell its delicious freshness when you open the package.

- For a good illustration of how to brown butter, see the guidance at Simply Recipes.  Use a stainless steel pan so you can keep a close eye on the browning because it can burn pretty fast.  Once you begin to detect a nutty aroma, it’s just about ready. I lift the pan off the heat and swirl for more control if I think it’s browning too fast or nearly done. It will continue to brown once you take it off the heat so pour immediately into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.

- To prevent scrambled eggs, the browned butter should be cooled (not hot!) but still liquified when you’re ready to add it to the egg mixture.  It’s important to add it to the egg and sugar mixture rather than at the end of the cooking process because it needs to emulsify with the fat of the egg yolks.  This prevents the butter from separating and forming grainy globs of fat when the ice cream is frozen.

- Once you’ve combined all the ingredients and returned the ice cream base to the stove, you don’t want it to boil, so constant stirring is necessary to keep it moving, preventing it from heating too fast and turning into scrambled eggs. I use a wooden spoon in the shape of a large rubber spatula when I’m cooking ice cream bases. It’s perfect for making sure you're scraping the whole bottom of the pan continuously and to gauge when you have a clear track.

- Because homemade ice cream doesn’t contain any commercial emulsifiers or softeners, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften before scooping.

- The cookies featured in the photos are Saucepan Fudge Drops and Hazelnut & Olive Oil Sticks.

- This ice cream would go hideously well with apple pie, crisp or galette, Apple Brown Betty, all kinds of cake, banana nut bread, on and on.  It would also make a great ice cream sandwich with chocolate chip, oatmeal or nut cookies.

- I’m also very tempted to serve this with cinnamon toast crumbles, a la Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream.

Brown Butter Ice Cream

Makes about 1 1/2 pints

6 oz (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter                                            

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) heavy cream                                                                          

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) milk
pinch salt, to taste                                                                                           

4 large egg yolks @ room temperature                                 

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (2 3/4 oz) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) brown sugar, packed                                    

Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a stainless steel pan.  Brown the butter to a fairly dark amber and then pour immediately into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking and to cool.                                                                        

Place the cream, milk and a good pinch of salt in a saucpan and bring to a slow simmer.

In a bowl big enough to hold all the ingredients, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar and brown sugar until lightened and thoroughly blended.  Slowly whisk in the liquid browned butter until the mixture is fully combined and emulsified.  Slowly add the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring and constantly scraping the bottom of the pan, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon or spatula and a finger traced through it leaves a clean track.  Pour into an airtight container.  Taste and adjust for salt.  Cool completely, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to instructions. Pour into an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface, cover and place in your freezer to firm up.

Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften before scooping.