Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. I'd like to think the batch of Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream I had sitting in the freezer helped me get through it. Luckily, all is well here in the Cats and Casseroles household today. The winds were less than forecasted, and we live on top of a hill, which means we've avoided most of the flooding. My thoughts go out to everyone who has been, or will be, effected by this storm.

I'm definitely a chocoholic. If I'm going to indulge in dessert, most of the time I want it to be chocolate. This Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream is rich, dark and decadent. There's no chocolate craving it can't satisfy. And it really does taste just like a chocolate truffle. It's the more intensely chocolatey ice cream I've ever had. I didn't even want to share any of it with my husband. I did, but I didn't want to. And I can't wait for an opportunity to make it again! (without the hurricane, this time)


CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE ICE CREAM

1/2 c. sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 c. whole milk
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.

2. In a 2-quart sauce pan, over medium heat bring milk to a simmer. Whisk in the cocoa powder, and let it come to a simmer again. Continue to allow to simmer for about 3 minutes, whisking constantly.

3. Remove sauce pan from heat. Whisk contents of the saucepan into the bowl with the yolk and sugar mixture. Pour back into the saucepan and return to heat. Heat on medium-low, whisking, until the custard begins to thicken. It should become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow milk to return to a simmer, lest the eggs scramble. Once thickened, pour custard into a large bowl.

4. Place chopped bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. In a small sauce pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl with the bittersweet chocolate. Stir until chocolate has fully melted and combined with cream.

5. Combine the two chocolate mixtures. Stir in the vanilla. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.

6. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Source: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book

Blueberry Ice Cream

July is National Ice Cream Month, and it's time to celebrate. To start the party, I'm serving up this gorgeous Blueberry Ice Cream. Blueberries have come into season around here, making them plentiful, and, more importantly, affordable. And who could resist that beautiful purple-blue? This ice cream makes an impressive statement, for both the eyes and the mouth.

There are three ways (that I know of) to make ice cream at home. The first is to make a custard base with egg yolks and cream, heating it over the stove top, and then allowing it to cool for hours in the refrigerator before it's ready for churning. Call me crazy, but the very last thing I want to do on a nearly 100 degree day is to cook ice cream.

The second kind of ice cream contains raw egg. Basically, it's an uncooked custard. This is how I make all my ice cream at home. It's the favored technique out in Pennsylvania Dutch country (probably because lack of refrigeration would make cooling a custard base problematic, and farm fresh eggs tend not to have the same risks as their commercial counterparts). So it's something I've been exposed to for decades, and it does not seem strange to me to use raw egg. However, I'm very reluctant to ever recommend this type on my blog. Raw eggs can pose a health risk to some people, including children and pregnant women (and who would want deny ice cream to a child or pregnant woman?-- not me!).

Finally, there's what's often called "Philadelphia style" ice cream. There are no eggs in this style of ice cream. It gets its richness entirely from a high butterfat content. It requires no cooking. It's simple and quick to make.

This recipe for Blueberry Ice Cream is Philadelphia style. It was my first time making this type of ice cream, and I was blown away by how creamy it was. The no-egg base compliments the fresh blueberries perfectly, allowing them to shine without drowning them in heaviness. I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as I did.


BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM

1 c. (half-pint) blueberries, rinsed and any stems removed
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. half-and-half
scant 1/2 c. sugar

1. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1/4 c. sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Keep refrigerated 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

2. Mash sugared blueberries in the bowl, using a fork. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and scant 1/2 c. sugar. Whisk in half-and-half. Add blueberries (and the syrup they've created) into cream mixture. Whisk for about two minutes.

3. Churn according to ice cream manufacturer's instructions. Enjoy right away, or store in freezer in an air-tight container. This recipe yields about a pint of ice cream.

Source: adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book