Bourbon Mint Ice Cream

Freeze Your Own Ice Cream

We officially live in a world where "artisanal" ice cream costs $17 a pint. Luckily, it's less hassle to make your own at home than it is to get that plastic seal off the pint container

Food hipsters will buy anything "handmade" and "small-batch," which is why we're in the midst of a full-blown artisanal-ice-cream movement. In Malibu you can buy a single scoop at Italy-transplant Grom for $5.25, while New Yorkers can sign up for a three-month subscription to MilkMade—only $50 for three pints! I'm sure it's all delicious, but there's no way in hell I'm spending that much just to feel smugly superior to Edy's eaters.

The homemade stuff is as indulgently rich and creamy as anything sold in an organic heritage-farmed waffle cone. Plus, you're free to concoct whatever flavors you damn well please; my girlfriend likes to make ginger (not my thing) and rosemary-honey (weirdly delicious). I wanted to pump mine full of booze, so I settled on re-creating a favorite summer cocktail: the mint julep.

The recipe requires maybe thirty minutes of work.  One lesson learned: More than a quarter cup of bourbon prevents the mixture from fully freezing. (Turns out there is no way to make ice cream boozy enough to get you ripped on one bowl.) On the bright side, eating homemade ice cream does get you drunk on the smug superiority of not paying a half Benjamin for artisanal rocky road.

Bourbon-Mint Ice Cream
Makes about two pints
1 1/2 cups packed fresh spearmint leaves
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon

Directions:
1. Bruise the mint with a spoon to release its flavor.

2. In a saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, half the heavy cream, salt, and mint until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let that steep for 30 minutes.

3. Fill a large bowl partway with water and ice. Fill a medium bowl with the rest of the cream, then set it in the large one.

4. Pour the steeping mix through a sieve into a bowl. Toss the mint. Reheat the mix on medium for 3 minutes.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then slowly pour the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape it all back into the saucepan.

6. Cook the mix on medium, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it's thick enough to coat the spatula, about 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Pour the mixture through the sieve into the cream. Stir in the vanilla and bourbon. Set in the refrigerator to cool for 3 hours.

8. Pour the chilled mix into the ice cream machine and let it run until it's ice-creamy, usually 30 to 40 minutes. Scoop into a container; let it set in the freezer for 2 hours. Then dessert!

THE ORIGINAL "CUP" CAKE

Sometimes it is just simply too hot to bake anything in the kitchen. You don't want the heat from your oven heating up the kitchen yet you are craving a piece of your favorite cake. So what do you do? Well, here's a simple solution to that problem. Use your microwave, a few spare minutes and your favorite cake recipe or right out of the box cake mix. Put it into a cup and "bake" it in the microwave. Works every time and tastes great. Here's a sample you'll enjoy.

Chocolate is my favorite. Here's what I do.



INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) a small splash of vanilla
extract
1 large coffee mug

PREPARATION:

Add the dry ingredients to your favorite mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. A 1000 watts microwave works best.

Of course your cake will rise over the top of the mug, but that's okay. It is just more to enjoy.

Allow the cake to cool and then enjoy. If you'd prefer you can tip it out of the cup for easier access (that would be spelled putting ice cream right next to or on top of your cake.)

Now simply enjoy your special treat. Better hurry though, here come the kids!
**Use Caution** When cooking in your microwave start out first with 1 to 1 1/2 minute time setting.  If you go too long you'll burn the cake from the inside out and it makes your microwave smell funky for a long time.  Adjust the time as needed.  Trust me!  I know these things...

Banana and White Chocolate Ice Cream

Make your own ice cream by following these easy step-by-step instructions. You're going to love it!


Banana and White Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes 5 cups
3 cups whipping cream, divided1 cup half−and−half
3/4 cup granulated sugar4 large eggs
8 ounces white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 pound (about 4) very ripe bananas3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Bring 1 cup cream, half−and−half and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Whisk yolks in medium bowl. Whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mix to saucepan and stir over medium low heat until custard thickens and coats spoon (about 5 minutes); do not boil.
Strain into large bowl. Add white chocolate; whisk until well blended. Mix in remaining 2 cups cream.Refrigerate until cold.
Peel and slice bananas. Puree bananas with lemon juice. Mix puree into custard. Transfer custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions.

OLD FRUIT NEVER DIES, IT JUST GOES DOWN A DIFFERENT ROAD

Thought we would share a few nifty kitchen tips this week. Here's the first of many.

A GREAT TIP FOR OLD FRUIT:

Instead of throwing away fruit when it gets a little too ripe (and your family turns it's collective nose up at it) try this. Cut off all the bad spots and peel the fruit. Use it to top ice-cream, or to bake breads, or best of all, to make an old-fashioned cobbler with.

HOWEVER... If none of these ideas thrill you, here's a really inventive one: again you cut and clean the fruit. Drop chunks into a large covered jar with a half bottle of brandy in it. (I don't drink but you get the picture). Let the mixture set, adding fruit whenever you have it. Soon, in a couple of months, you have a great dessert topping and a crowd pleaser for your next "adult" party. At least that's what I've been told. Most can't remember eating it. :)

HAPPY SAVING!
Steve and Kim