In one of his very few policies I ever agreed with, Ronald Reagan declared July to be National Ice Cream Month. Now there's a holiday I can get with! According to Wikipedia, the third Sunday of July is actually Ice Cream DAY and Reagan implored to nation to celebrate with "appropriate ceremonies and activities." Word.
I haven't busted out the ice cream maker since last year because, well, I was using it a bit too liberally if you know what I mean. I made two flavors this weekend and they were both hits! I actually did take pictures but ice cream is such a fussy model and besides, there are always pesky things happening with homemade ice cream around, like bowls getting gobbled up in no time at all. So no photos, just imagine though and then make them because they turned out better than I was hoping for.
The first one was a lemon-ginger ice cream that I made to serve alongside a blueberry cobbler for a Fourth of July Party. That cobbler was also very good but let's talk ice cream first. I love lemon desserts and I especially love how they complement blueberries but I had never had lemon ice cream. Should I make ice or perhaps sorbet? No, by golly, it would be un-American not to eat ice cream on July 4th. I made this recipe from Epicurious, I just added ginger and next time, I'll add more.
Lemon-Ginger Ice Cream
zest of one lemon
1/2 c. lemon juice (this took about 2.5 lemons)
1 T. chopped ginger, will up it to 2 T. next time!
2/3 to 3/4 c. sugar, depends on your sweet tooth, original recipe called for a cup!
2 cups heavy cream, half and half, milk or any combination of the three
3 egg yolks
splash of vanilla, maybe a teaspoon or so
Bring all ingredients just to simmer, whisking constantly. It will probably look curdled because of the lemon juice reacting with the cream but never mind it. Cool in the refrigerator, strain through a fine sieve and then process however you make ice cream, coffee cans, the old crank or new-fangled machine.
STELLAR. I wish I had made a double batch but it would overflow my wee ice cream maker, don't make the same mistake!
Next, since I brought all the ice cream to a party and my freezer was feeling forlorn and ice cream deprived, I made a batch of cardamom. It was good but I made it last year and remember it being ethereal. I wanted to amp up the cardamom flavor so I used 40 pods instead of 20 but it just wasn't quite right. I ate it a few times before it came to me that I used to work at this pan-Asian cafe in Portland long, long ago and they had only one dessert; a chocolate-cardamom cake. Well, let me tell you, I just stirred some Dutch-process cocoa powder in the little bit that was left and BA-BAY, it was GOOD! Yes, it was! This is actually a good theorem for any of life's problems. When in doubt, add chocolate.
Now, I've got to gear up for July 17th and see if I can top either one of these winners. It is my patriotic duty. Thanks Ronnie!
6 comments:
I have only made lemon sorbet, never ice cream. I guess the mix of citrus and dairy never seems to jive in my minds' belly. But now you have me interested. Am going to give the lemon-ginger ice cream a try.
There are other good citrus-dairy combinations, think creamsicles.
I thouhgt creamsicles were a peach or apricot combo. Where's the citrus?
I made the lemon ginger ice cream for a dinner party we hosted last evening. I think one of our guests had an out-of-the-body experience. Claims she saw the white light at the end of the tunnel, reached nirvana and was ready to meet her maker.
HAIL TO LEMON-GINGER ICE CREAM!
I made a double batch which was the maximum my Kitchen Aid ice cream bowl could take. Served the ice cream in small glass dishes with a thin ginger cookie and a sprig of fresh mint.
Now (at this very moment) I am making the cardamon ice cream. I used 27 pods of cardamon in the cream, which is presently cooling. If I want to add chocolate, how would you suggest I do so? I have Dutch process. Shouldn't I add more sugar?
I just stirred in Dutch process cocoa powder, no additional sugar. I did it after the ice cream was made but I think it would be fine to add prior to processing. Taste it and if you think it needs more sugar, then add a bit, although I doubt you will.
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