Tag Archives: frozen dessert

Gelato or custard. Frozen and fabulous.

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Outside, frigid temperatures send mercury on outdoor thermometers way below the zero mark. In northern Minnesota, only the bravest humans venture out. The rest stay cozy indoors with goose down comforters and wool socks, comforted by the heat of flames rising in the fireplace and a cup of hot cocoa or a hot toddy in hand.

Not me. In my house last night, the electric ice cream maker was churning up a batch of rich, dark, creamy chocolate custard. Yes, the fireplace was ablaze. I did have my wool socks on. But hot cocoa? No, no. I prefer my dark chocolate and whipping cream frozen, thank you.

You see, I am an ice cream maniac. I love it anytime. And, although I haven’t had much of the decadent, creamy stuff (my palate prefers only premium ice cream) since last March when I started working on lowering my cholesterol, my trip to Key West put a little snag in my coat of willpower.

One night, as friends and I were strolling down Duval Street, I spied an ice cream shop with the word homemade on the sign. I made mental note of the location.

Days went by, and finally, with just two days left in Key West, I got back to Flamingo Crossing at the corner of Duval and Virginia Streets.

The guy working behind the counter told me he had come to Key West 12 years ago for Fantasy Fest and never went back to the Quad Cities area where he had come from.  It was similar to the story I heard from many people I visited with in Key West. They felt that Key West magic and just couldn’t leave.

As I perused the many flavors of frozen, creamy custards, the friendly ice cream man continued to hand over tiny spoons with large tastes of  wonderful tropical flavors. He went on to tell me a couple from the Chicago area opened Flamingo Crossing in 1987. They apparently felt that Key West magic, too.

I finally decided on a scoop of coconut ice cream and a scoop of one of the tropical fruit flavors, Mamey.

Mamey is a tropical fruit that grows on tall, open trees with thick trunks in Florida, Mexico, Central America and the West Indies. I found the taste to be a combination of almond and apricot, absolutely wonderful with coconut. Don’t tell anyone, but I did make it back to Flamingo Crossing one more time, just a few hours before my plane departed. After all, how can one leave Key West without having some Key Lime ice cream?

My ice cream story does not end in Key West, though. When I got home, my son with a brand new Cuisinart ice cream maker told me he’d been making ice cream with soy milk replacing whole milk. Didn’t sound great to me. But, I did have almond milk in the refrigerator. And, a jar of organic cocoa powder given to me by a friend. When she came for dinner one evening, she brought a container of her homemade chocolate gelato, a jar of of the cocoa powder she had used in the gelato and a copy of the recipe.

You know where this is going. Last night, the coldest night of the year, I dug out my friend’s recipe and made chocolate gelato. I used almond milk rather than whole milk, and plenty of whipping cream. The recipe requires some planning ahead, since the liquid mixture that includes eggs, is cooked before going into the ice cream maker. That means the custard needs time to chill in the refrigerator before freezing.

I made the custard in the afternoon, allowed it to cool at room temperature, then put it into the refrigerator. Last night, my husband and I sat in front of the fire with our wool socks on (no mittens) and moaned with each creamy, dreamy, smooth and silky bite of the frozen custard/gelato made with almond milk.

Since gelato purists would sneer and snicker at the idea of using almond milk in the frozen Italian treat, I won’t call it gelato. But, it’s a little bit gelato. And, it is frozen custard. I’m calling this recipe Chocolate Cuslato. I think that sounds so sexy. Cuslato.

When you get to Key West, you must go to Flamingo Crossing for ice cream, gelato or frozen custard. You’ll find it at 1107 Duval Street.

When you are at home, you must make Chocolate Cuslato. Even if it is the coldest day of the year.

P.S. I just read over at Heavy Table that a great Twin Cities frozen treat shop is closing. Liberty Frozen Custard is calling it quits at the end of this month. I just discovered their creamy frozen custard last summer on a trip to Minneapolis. This makes me so sad. Another reason to make my own Chocolate Cuslato.

Chocolate Cuslato

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 cup original almond milk
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream

In a saucepan, use a whisk to combine cocoa powder and sugar. Gradually add almond milk, whisking after each addition to blend well. Whisk in eggs. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 170 to 175 degrees on an instant-read digital food thermometer. Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream. Allow to cool at room temperature. Cover and chill thoroughly. Freeze according to instructions for ice cream maker. Makes about 1 quart.

Whisk It Wednesday: Never too many cooks

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Good Food, Good Fun

 

  • 5 brothers
  • 5 wives of the brothers
  • 5 hours at a lake cabin
  • Great food and good fun (too much to quantify)

 

My husband’s four brothers are scattered here and there across the country, but once each summer they make it a point to get together.

One brother volunteers to be the host, and along with his wife, they make a plan.

This year we all met at a lake cabin owned by one brother and his wife. This brother would make the grilled steaks that he is famous for. The wife would make a salad and twice-baked potatoes. The rest of us each recieved a food assignment.

I brought Rosy Radish Dip and fresh vegetables to snack on before the meal.

L made a wonderful fresh green salad with strawberries, oranges, green onions and caramelized almond slices. She offered two dressings that she had made — one was poppyseed dressing, the other, lemon grass vinaigrette. See that bottle with the white cap on the table? That’s the lemon grass dressing. It’s the one I chose. So light and fresh tasting, with just a hint of lemon. L got the recipe from a friend who got the recipe from a restaurant in Arizona. The restaurant recipe was enough to feed hundreds with a gallon of oil and 10 pounds of lemon grass. L has learned to blend the ingredients together (in much smaller amounts), tasting as she goes, until it tastes just right.

 

 Lemon Grass Vinaigrette

(inspired by a vinaigrette served at Tonto Verde in Arizona)

  • 2 1/2 pounds chopped lemon grass (My sister-in-law buys frozen chopped lemon grass at an Asian market)
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 2 cups lemon juice
  • 4 cups canola oil

Blend extremely well. Let stand for 24 hours, then strain twice. Shake well before using.

Host brother, J, grilled steaks that had been marinating overnight in the refrigerator. He seared the meat, sealing in the juices and giving the meat some great grill marks. And then he did his magic, making sure each steak was cooked just the way each person had ordered.

Marinade for Steak

  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Garlic powder or fresh garlic
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Blend ingredients together. Pour over tenderloins. Marinate in refrigerator overnight.

My steak was so tender, it melted in my mouth. The flavor was incredible. Twice-baked potatoes were the perfect accompaniment for the steaks. My sister-in-law, J, made a wonderful salad with peas, green beans and white corn kernels. I’m waiting for the recipe.

And, of course, no family meal is complete without dessert. My sister-in-law, S, was assigned to bring a dessert. She said she went to her recipe box and found a recipe that came from our mother-in-law, Mary. I’ve shared some of her delicious creations with you at other times. Mary was a great cook and was always willing to share her recipes.

With full tummies and tired from an afternoon of sunshine and lake air, we said our good-byes and all headed home. Until next summer. Then, we’ll do it again.

 Mary’s Raspberry Dessert

  • 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen raspberries in syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 50 large marshmallows
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts

 

Heat raspberries with water, sugar and lemon juice. Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ C cold water. Stir into raspberries and cook until thickened, then cool. Melt marshmallows in milk over boiling water, cool thoroughly – stir occasionally as it cools. Whip heavy cream and fold into marshmallows. Mix graham cracker crumbs, nuts and melted butter. Pat into 9 X 13 pan. Spread marshmallow cream mixture over crumbs. Spread raspberry mixture over top. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with whipped cream. Can be frozen.

 

We’ll All Scream for Crunchy Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Start with oatmeal cookies (the homemade variety, of course), add ice cream, make sandwiches, then sit back and watch the enjoyment as happy people eat them.

Kids love ice cream sandwiches, and adults feel like kids as they eat them.

Raisins are always a great addition to oatmeal cookies, but when they are frozen, they can get hard and difficult to chew. It seems the perfect way to get their sweet flavor in an ice cream sandwich is to puree them before incorporating them into the dough.

I discovered, too, that giving raisins the puree treatment fools those who dont’ care for those little dried grapes. My husband is a good example. He won’t eat anything that involves raisins. I offered him one of these cookies, still warm from the oven. After he ate about three of them, he asked, "What is that flavor that I can’t quite pinpoint? Dates?" (He likes dates — hates raisins). I thought it safe to share the secret with him. How could he say he didn’t like them after already wolfing down three with great gusto? He gave me a sheepish little grin and grabbed another cookie.

The sandwiches keep well in the freezer, of course. I don’t know for sure how many days, though. The sandwiches I made disappeared from the freezer in no time.

Your family and friends will scream out loud for these frozen treats.

Crunchy Ice Cream Sandwiches

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup wheat germ, plain
  • 1/2 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Vanilla ice cream

Place raisins and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a blender or food processor. Whirl, stop and go fashion, until pureed.

Beat 1/2 cup butter with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla and raisins. Add wheat germ, oats, flour, salt and cinnamon. Blend well. Chill dough about 1/2 hour.

From dough into 24 balls. Place 4 inches apart on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten to 3-inch rounds with bottom of moistened glass dipped in some sugar. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Place generous scoop of ice cream on bottom side of 12 cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Press together, sandwich fashion. Place on tray. Freeze until firm. Wrap each separately and store in freezer. Makes 12 sandwiches.

If you’d like, make some chocolate glaze and dip each frozen sandwich halfway into the glaze. Return to freezer to set chocolate.

Chocolate Glaze

  • 1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 6 tablespoons butter

Combine chocolate pieces and butter in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until melted and blended.

Whisk It Wednesday: Katie’s Frozen Lime Pie

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My son and daughter-in-law, Andy and Katie, and their sweet baby Claire were here for a few days. Andy and Katie enjoy being in the kitchen and appreciate good food. It seems nine-month-old Claire will soon be joining in on kitchen fun. There’s no doubt she is turning into a little foodie. She sits in the Tripp Trapp chair (we’ve had it since our boys were little) at the table with us, gumming small chunks of cooked potatoes, avocadoes, sweet potatoes and peaches. Before long, she’ll be wanting garlic mashed potatoes, fresh guacamole, sweet potato pie and peach salsa. And probably some of her mom’s Frozen Lime Pie.

I’ve never been a big fan of frozen desserts that do not include ice cream or gelato. I call Katie the queen of homemade ice cream. She makes the best and often stirs it up and treats us to her homemade frozen cream when she is here. So, when Katie said she would make the Frozen Key Lime Pie from Ina Garten’s "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" cookbook, I was only mildly excited. I love lime and I know anything that comes from one of Ina’s cookbooks has got to be delicious. I figured there was a chance I might like the frozen pie.

Katie made the graham cracker crust, packing it into a glass pie plate with the side of a metal measuring cup. She learned that tip from Barefoot Contessa on one of her Food Network segments. The crust baked for about 10 minutes. Once it had cooled, Katie made the filling with lots of lime juice and freshly grated lime zest. Ina Garten, always being concerned about keeping good food easy to prepare, calls her pie a Key Lime Pie, but she doesn’t call for key limes in the recipe. Those tiny little limes take forever to juice. The pie doesn’t take long to make, either, since the filling requires no cooking. Just mix and freeze.

I notice, too, that Ina Garten often uses extra-large eggs in her recipes. Her Frozen Key Lime Pie calls for the yolks of 6 extra-large eggs. Katie saved the egg whites and Andy made an omelet with them the next morning for breakfast.

Sweet whipped cream covers the lime filling before the pie goes into the freezer.

The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa, but I give the credit for this particular pie to Katie. She made it. Perfectly. Complete with cute corkscrews of lime zest decorating the top of the pie.

The four of us ate half of the pie one evening and the other half the next afternoon. I wanted more. Crunchy crust, light, tangy frozen filling and sweet, rich whipped cream topping. So good. And now Katie is not only the queen of homemade ice cream. She’s the queen of frozen lime pie. Lucky Andy. Lucky Claire. Lucky me!

The recipe for Ina Garten’s Frozen Key Lime Pie is on the Food Network’s web site. Click here to go right to the recipe.

Some other blogs that have featured Frozen (or not) Key Lime Pie:

Say Yes to Hoboken uses Ina Garten’s recipe and includes a nice photo of the pie.

At chow.com, there’s a Key Lime Pie recipe. But no whipped cream slathered over the top?

My Baking Addiction has Key Lime Pies baked in little 4-inch springform pans. They’re cute.