Today is supposed to a beautifully hot day here in Calgary. At least 28C (which is around 85F) by midday – way above for the end of summer. It’s funny how I now think of the end of August as the end of summer. Back east the end of summer is more like the middle of October, but since my little one is starting kindergarten next week (Aghh!) it seems that the time is right for summer weather to start coming to an end. Just not today. So… it’s perfect weather for ice cream. We make a lot of ice cream in this house. I should write more and post way more recipes, but then, there are a lot of things I should be doing. I am a clumsy writer, and find it painstaking to take the time and write as often as I should. I am always amazed when I look at other blogs and people post everyday. Where do they find the time?! I can’t imagine myself ever getting that focused. One can always dream though… Okay, back to ice cream. I made this a few weeks ago for a BBQ along with some other flavors and this one was the clear winner. After receiving a phone call the other day from my friend for step by step instructions, I promised that I would post the recipe. Andrea (my friend) just bought herself an ice cream maker after our discussion about the benefits of owning one and making your own vs. buying at the store. So I made the base the other evening and whirled this up last night.
When I say this is good, that really is an understatement. It’s rich and creamy, with an almost vanilla pudding like flavor, offset by the bright tanginess of the raspberries. The bits of dark chocolate round the whole thing out. This is one recipe with great “mouthfeel”. What I really love about this is that it does not contain eggs. I am not a big fan of custard style ice cream (sorry David Lebovitz), since what I really want to taste is cream, not eggs. I find this style much more refreshing than egg based ice creams. So get out your ice cream maker and, Bake on!
Ice Cream Base
1 Cup (8 oz) heavy whipping cream (32-36%)
1 3/4 Cup (14 oz) whole milk, divided
1/2 c (4 oz) granulated sugar
1/4 Cup (2 oz) light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
2 Vanilla beans or 1 vanilla bean + 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract or 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 C (3 oz/90 g) chocolate chips (I like to use bittersweet chocolate not so finely chopped)
Raspberry Swirl
1 1/2 c (12 oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 C (2oz) light corn syrup
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
In a small dish, mix together 3/4 whole milk, milk powder, cornstarch and vanilla extract (if using) together, stirring until everything is dissolved and smooth. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, remaining whole milk, corn syrup, and salt. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture (save the pods for your sugar bowl or add to your bottle of vanilla extract.
Cook over medium heat, stirring every few minutes, until the mixtures gets hot and starts to steam (but do not let it come to a boil). Whisk
in the cornstarch mixture (also called a slurry), and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer over low heat for about 2 minutes until it thickens up. Oh, don’t forget to keep stirring; this prevents any lumps from forming. Take it off the heat and pour into a storage container to cool. Getting back to the lumpy thing I just mentioned, if you see any lumps just strain the mixture should a sieve. This should not happen if you stir the whole time, but no big deal if it does..
Once in a storage container, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mixture to prevent a “pudding skin” to form. Refrigerate until completely chilled before moving on.
A note on chilling: I pop mine in the fridge overnight to get cold. Not only is it chilling the base but it also lets the flavors bloom. Now, that being said, if you just can’t wait you can always give a cold water bath. To do this, place a metal bowl in the freezer to get cold while you cook the base. Get a larger metal bowl and fill it with ice and salt (just like the they used to make it). The salt makes the ice colder; don’t ask me how. Place the smaller bowl on top and fill with your hot mixture and stir until the mixture has cooled to below 40 F. Just be careful not to get any salty ice water into your ice cream…
Make the Raspberry Mixture
Combine the raspberries ,corn syrup, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes. Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and mix well. Add to the raspberries and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until lighlty thickened. Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds. You should have about 1/2 cup left. Chill until cold.
Make your Ice Cream!
Freeze the base according to the instructions on your ice cream maker. It seems like these days they are all pretty much the same; pour it in and press the start button… I usually check mine after about 15-20 minutes to see if it’s firm and creamy. Add the chocolate and whirl for another minute to combine.
Spoon about 1/6 the ice cream into an airtight container. Top with a few spoonfuls of the raspberry sauce and repeat until everything is finished and nicely layered.
Serve right away for soft serve of place in the freezer for a few hours to set up. when ready to serve let it sit out for 10 minutes to let it soften a bit for easy scooping. dig in vertically so you get the swirl effect.
One for me….
and one for you….
Recipe adapted from: Scoop by Ellen Brown. A great book to own.