Christmas Cream
Just lick it.
Yes, Christmas is over all around town these days, but that doesn’t mean it has to be over in your mouth!
I decided to make a Christmassy Cream, and thought of what Christmas meant to my nose, mouth and tongue (for once!) and this recipe just came over me. In England, mince pies have to be included (as what is more Christmassy!?!) and I was lucky enough to have some of my home-made ones (see previous post) which have been divine this festive season. Cinnamon was obvious too, as what do you eat in December that doesn’t have that zesty spice in it? Also Nutmeg (because of eggnog) and oranges (because these are delicious and come in your stocking if you’ve been good!)
Don’t let the festive season end, and make this:
Iced Christmas Cream
(so that Christmas will never end, in your mouth at least!)
3 cups custard
2 mince pies
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 orange’s zest
1 tbsp candied orange peel
a grating of nutmeg (approx 1 tsp)
- Add cinnamon, zest and peel to custard and stir.
- Crumble up mince pies and fold into the custard.
- Freeze in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir every hour thoroughly. And there’s your cream! Delicious with most everything!
Just think of the wonderful textures that await your mouth!
The Only thing for Apple Pie
autumn flavors on an autumn plate
It’s getting colder (shiver shiver) so you would have thought that I’d lighten up on the ice cream. But alas, who knew that it’d be the ultimate companion for all hot wintry puds.
a symphony of pies!
When Thanksgiving was upon us this year – and upon us it was, with twenty-four hungry mouths to feed – I knew that I had to step it up a notch, to tie all the various pies, tastes and textures together. Funnily enough, the surprise I prepared had almost identical ingredients to classic pumpkin pie, so I knew it’d be a flavor match there. Pecan pie goes with most anything (as it is such a easy-going, delicious friend,) so the only question was how would it hold hands with the showstopper- the luscious apple pie. Served warm, with the subtle essence of almond and topped with a heavenly sweet crumble, this pie has long been in my family, and I just couldn’t let it down. Last year I made cinnamon ice cream, but this year, I felt a few more layers and spices might be interesting, and OH YES they were… When the spiced cream warmed and pooled around the pie, it was as if the pie swam in a lake of joy, for once at peace on my plate, as well as in my mouth. Try it- and maybe one day I’ll share the pie recipe with you…
Gingerbread Ice Cream
(inspired by autumnal spices everywhere)
1 pint Vanilla Custard
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
- Warm half the custard with the spices, sugar and molasses until the sugars have melted and it’s well mixed.
- Allow to cool, then mix in the rest of the custard.
- Churn in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir thoroughly every few hours.
- Serve with hot apple pie and enjoy!
Those spiced melty juices were the best part...
Chocolate Creamy Lusciousness, with a Twist of Spice
Oh yes. Here's hot...soon it'll be oh-so-cold...
I’ve never understood vanilla ice cream. Every sane person’s favorite flavor is chocolate, which is mostly true for me (though cinnamon is right up their too…!) and this is why it is strange that I have not yet created my own icy chocolate treat! In this way, I took it upon myself to start from scratch. No recipe, just my brain, my mouth, and a few basic ingredients. It really is simple (3 steps: melting, mixing and freezing) and it really is obscenely scrummy. This is a dark dark chocolate cream, so I cut it with cinnamon to give the flavor more dimensions (and I have a huge soft spot for Mexican Chocolate).
You definitely want this in your freezer.
You could've licked this bowl clean, but ICY COLD is the best temperature for this spicy HOT treat!
Mexican Chocolate Cream (Iced)
(Inspired by Chocolate being better than Vanilla…)
11 oz dark chocolate
500g custard
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
- Melt the chocolate gently, with a spoonful of the custard and the milk. Stir until smooth and creamy. Allow to cool for 10 mins.
- Add melted chocolate to custard, cinnamon and cocoa powder and mix until smooth as silk. Add more cinnamon to taste.
- Freeze in an ice cream machine, or freeze and stir every couple of hours.
- Wow. Enjoy with hot pumpkin bread, or any light dish that needs a hint of exotic darkness…
Serving suggestion here is more than a suggestion- it's a demand. Get it on that pumpkin bread!
When Life gives you Ice Cream and Cookies…
a bushel of chocolatey joy, waiting for its perfect partner...
…make Ice Cream Sandwiches?!
ahh what summer dreams are made of....
Anyway, nothing can beat the munch of a chocolatey-minty sandwich, layers of minty-fresh-icy-creamy betwixt rich cakey cookies, softened by the cold cream. Simply divine, for all times of day. I was introduced to these “Grasshopper” cold cookies when my loving sister took me to a snazzy bar in Park Slope, (Brooklyn) whose name I’ve never known… Little do you know upon entering this quite regular dive-bar establishment that not only are there cocktails and tipples galore behind the counter, but a freezer full of deliciousness: chocolate-covered oatmeal cookies with mint choc chip ice cream sandwiched between… I could barely finish this treat, though it did inspire me.
A week later, while feeling the heat on Cape Cod (and the abundance of lonely peppermint stick ice cream…) I baked a batch of easy-peasy Chocolate Chip Cookies, let them cool, and sandwiched a lovely pink dollop of Four Seas finest flavor between them. They were rather messy in the freezer (which my silly father had reduced the temperature of…) so I recommend bagging them up separately. So SO good.
A truly classic flavor combination of chocolate and mint, updated with a homey cookie bite.
Snappity Gingersnap
key ingredients for a key freezer friend
Ginger is one of those wonder-flavors: refreshing in the summer, and warming on a cool winter’s night. In this way, it is one of my favorites (as you could probably tell by my fascination with Crabbies…) and so I wanted to created something that was so ultimately gingery, that nothing could capture the same zestiness in per-bite-power (a new unit I just invented…). Therefore, not only did it need the crunch of Gingersnaps, but also the spicy kick of raw ginger, fresh from the vegetable aisle. Perfect for right now, when the London air is quickly cooling, and turtlenecks and scarves are looking more and more cozy and sensible.
Gingersnap Spice Cream
(for when you just have to cut the cold snap of cream, with spicy cream…from NYT)
2 cups heavy cream
2 oz fresh ginger, peeled and grated (watch your fingers!)
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 oz (about 9) gingersnap cookies, coarsely crushed
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the cream, ginger and salt.
- When it begins to steam (6 mins in) turn off the flame, and allow to stand 3 mins.
- Strain cream mix through a fine strainer into a pitcher, pressing the ginger to get all the yummy juices out!
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until milky yellow color (1.5 mins). While continuing whisking, add the gingery-cream constantly.
- In a double boiler (or very very gently heated pan) pour in custard mix and stir until thickened (6-8 mins).
- Let cool for 10 mins, then stir in the milk.
- Pour into an ice cream machine or large container, stir in the cookie crumbles, and freeze.
- Remove from freezer 10 mins before serving for delicious smoothness!
snappity gingery spice cream
Banana Montana! (Much tastier than the Popstar…)
Wanna lick?
The story goes that we had some old bananas; I hate wasting fruit (being the fruit bat that I am) so I made ice cream! Little did I know that in order to make ice cream, I also had to go and buy every other ingredient…
Anyway, it was well worth it for this splendid creamy creation! Depending on how much you moosh your bananas, it is reminiscent of deliciously moist banana bread (YUM!)
Mooshing is a great stress relief... I got my moosh on.
To make it that little bit more homey/British/scrumptious, I crumbled digestive biscuits on top: the combination of bananas, custard and digestives was “invented” by my dear older sister as a decadent dessert treat of our youths. It really is a yummy combo, similar to a good (frozen) banana cream pie, but with chocolate bits, giving it the bite of a better-than-mall frozen banana.
Dear Zara- I hope this reminds you of the good old days where custard was a course in itself. Love Kate.
Banana Ice Cream
(Inspired by Ice Cream and Zara’s Taste)
450g/1 lb peeled ripe bananas (about 4)
120g/4 0z icing/confectioner’s sugar
juice of 1 orange
300ml / 1/2 pint double cream (chilled)
1/2 cup chocolate bits (optional)
4 digestive biscuits/Graham Crackers (if you are American!), crumbled
- Mash the bananas with the sugar, orange juice (and rum if you’d like it!)
- Whip the double cream until it holds soft peaks.
- Fold the banana mixture into the cream.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks.
- Freeze in an ice cream maker, or place in a container and freeze, stirring it vigorously occasionally.
- When it is a little bit set in it its freezing container, sprinkled the crumbled biscuit/crackers on top, forming a nice crunchy crust. Place back in freezer until you wish to serve.
Crunchy-crusted and ready to be feasted upon!
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