Monday, August 17, 2009

Espresso-Chocolate-Mascarpone Ice Cream


Congrats to our latest winner Rebecca from Chow and Chatter! We have another contest winner, too, but I'm not the one who gets to share the news this week. So…keep tuning in to find out who has won the Williams Sonoma gift certificate. It might be you!!!

And now, for the Monday blog. Did anyone get to see the Julie & Julia movie? I loved it!!! Both actresses are so talented and captured just the right flavor. Anyway, remember how Julia, and subsequently Julie, believes butter makes everything better?


Well, cheese and cream make things taste better, too!

“Ice cream is exquisite.

What a pity it isn’t illegal.”

~ Voltaire

Over the weekend, I had a craving for ice cream. It’s summer. It’s hot. I adore ice cream! In The Cheese Shop Mysteries that I’m writing, Charlotte, the cheese shop owner, is always open to new experiments. She uses tried and true recipes and adds cheese into the mix to see what happens.

I, like Charlotte, decided to be as adventuresome! And this is what I came up with. I adapted my good old-fashioned vanilla recipe into (in my humble opinion) an epicurean delight.

ESPRESSO-CHOCOLATE-MASCARPONE ICE CREAM

Mascarpone cheese is an Italian version of cream cheese, which is actually a cow's cream and not actually a cheese because no rennet is used in its production. It has a cake icing-like texture and is sweet and rich and is comparable to crème fraîche and English Devonshire cream.

For the purposes of this recipe, I added "cheese." I substituted one cup of mascarpone for one cup of whipping cream and the addition created a velvety smooth texture. I added in espresso coffee beans and dark chocolate [this time it was Ghirardelli 60% dark] and, wow! Textures and flavors popped in my mouth.

The recipe, you ask? Here it is.

By the way, I use: Cuisinart Counter Top Mixer, pictured to the right and works like a dream.

ESPRESSO-CHOCOLATE-MASCARPONE



ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1 c. half and half
1 c. whipping cream
1 c. (8 oz.) mascarpone
1 tsp. G-F vanilla
2 Tbs. ground espresso beans
2 oz. of your favorite dark chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Stir together yolks and sugar and cook in saucepan, 30 seconds on low.
Add half and half, cook 1 minute on low.
Stir and cook 1 more minute.
Stir and cook 1 additional minute. [Total 3 ½ minutes.]
Add whipping cream, mascarpone, and vanilla.
Stir and let cool to room temperature.

Chill 1-3 hours in refrigerator

Then:

Start counter top mixer. Add cream mixture. Whip 20-25 minutes.
Add ground espresso beans and chocolate, chopped into bits.
Whip 5 more minutes until goodies are incorporated.

Pour into clean containers and freeze.

Yum!

HINT: The cooking of the creams, sugar and eggs makes the difference. Some countertop recipes simply tell you to put it all into the unit and begin. Cooking breaks down the sugar and makes it melt into the creams.


If you’d like to download this recipe in simple text, go to: http://averyaames.com/mascarpone_ice_cream.htm.

To see more of my recipes or to find out more about The Cheese Shop Mysteries, coming to Berkley Prime Crime 2010, visit me at my website, Avery Aames

Say Cheese!

Last but not least, remember to enter to win our Weekly Mystery Lovers' Kitchen contest. You must enter NEW every week. The prize is a $25 gift certificate to the Williams-Sonoma kitchenware and gourmet food store. Just sign in to this blog and leave a comment or send an "Enter me!" e-mail with your first name and state to MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com We announce the winners right here every Sunday.

7 comments:

  1. Ice cream definitely makes it all better! This recipe sounds scrumptious--it's going to be a hit around here with the summer heat. Thanks!

    Elizabeth/Riley

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  2. Kudos on the espresso flavoring--'cause you KNOW how I feel about coffee, LOL! Mascarpone is a wonderful Italian cheese, but not always easy to find in American grocery stores. Would another cheese be possible to substitute? (Am I a Philistine for asking?!) Once again, must send you compliments on your Web site. Can't remember if I signed on for your Cheese Shop Newsletter yet - apologies if you get two applications from me.

    ~Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    "Where coffee and crime are always brewing..."

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  3. Oh. Yum. Am too overwhelmed with craving for this ice cream to write more... :)

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  4. Sounds wonderful! I have the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, too. Does a great job. Just put in the ingredients and ice cream appears like magic!

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  5. This ice cream sounds delicious. We have an old hand crank White Mountain Ice Cream maker. Most of the old recipes call for cooking the ingredients first and it really does make a difference. We haven't used it much lately - too busy and our kids aren't around to do the hard work when I'm in the mood for homemade ice cream.

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  6. Cleo, you could use regular cream cheese. It's not quite as creamy but would probably break down the same when heated. I'll give it a try and let you know. Always up for making more ice cream!

    Avery

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