My mom and dad risked shame and flogging by wrapping up a kitchen appliance for my birthday. My mom, knowing how I feel about presents that plug-in, questioned Rob twice: "Are you sure that's what she wants?" But I did want it very much, and I'm not ashamed to say it: I'm in love with an ice cream maker.
July is National Ice Cream month, and my family is doing our part to celebrate. We've sampled and modified a number of homemade ice cream experiments, and have narrowed it down to two recipes that everyone loves. Think of this post as a Wagner Family Ice Cream Cookbook.
The competition is by no means closed. July is a long, hot month and we are always willing to whip up another batch. Submit your favorite homemade ice cream recipe in the comments section below. (Particularly if you've got one that tastes like Haagen Dazs Coffee, hint hint.)
Happy freezing! And remember: there is almost nothing that ice cream can't fix.
COPYCAT PINKBERRY YOGURT
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (organic tastes best, and make sure it is extra cold)
2 cups plain nonfat or reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
Fresh fruit or other toppings
Whisk both yogurts, the sugar and corn syrup in a bowl until combined. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions (about 20 min).
For a soft consistency, serve right out of the ice cream maker. For a firmer texture, transfer the frozen yogurt to a covered container and freeze up to 2 hours.
Serve with assorted toppings. (I recommend strawberries and crushed Oreos. The kids like Fruity Pebbles.)
THE BEST HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
7 eggs, beaten well
2 cups superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart half & half (cold)
1/2 quart milk (cold)
7 eggs, beaten well
2 cups superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart half & half (cold)
1/2 quart milk (cold)
Beat eggs. Add rest of ingredients to eggs, except milk. Blend well. Pour
mixture into ice cream freezer, and fill with milk to “fill” line.
Eat with a spoon right out of the ice cream maker. Or share with the rest of your family, if you are of a generous nature. My kids like to add chocolate sauce or warm caramel on top, but they aren’t really needed. Although fresh sliced peaches taste like heaven with a scoop on top.
Comments
1 c. shelled, unsalted raw pistachio nuts
3 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 T minced orange zest
1/4 t. sea salt
4 lg egg yolks
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. almond extract
Preheat the oven to 350. Spread the pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring once or twice, until aromatic and just beginning to turn golden beneath their skins, about 8 minutes. Transfer immediately to a cutting board and let cool. Chop the nuts.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, sugar, orange zest, salt, and 1/2 cup of the pistachios. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour to allow the flavor of the pistachios to infuse the milk. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl, pressing lightly on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all of the milk. Discard the solids. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly to blend. Whisk 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the tempered egg-yolk mixture back into the pan. Raise the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer.
Immediately remove fromthe heat and pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, using the spatula to help press it through. Let cool and then cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Remove from the fridge and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream make, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup pistachios and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. The soft gelato can be served immediately, directly from the ice cream maker. Or, transfer the gelato to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days, before serving.
I actually do a full teaspoon of salt, but that's my personal preference. It is a super rich ice cream, but so incredibly smooth.
I also add a tiny bit of water when making the caramel, it helps the sugar melt with burning or crystalizing.