Monday, September 13, 2010

Ice Cream's a Breeze

I love ice cream.


It's not too late to make it. Sure, I know summer is gone, but ice cream is delicious all year 'round. And there's something about ice cream that just makes it one of the perfect comfort foods. The texture, the taste, the way it slides down your throat.

Feeling hot? Ice cream. Feeling a cold coming on? Ice cream.

On a diet? Eat ice cream all day. I swear you'll lose weight. (Just make sure you don't eat anything else. I remember doing that back in myteens. Too funny. The way we can rationalize.)

Back to the topic at hand.

Ice cream. I posted on Facebook Friday that I was going to share a new recipe with you this week and asked what everyone's favorite flavor was. The responses were great. Responders didn't just share flavors but their reasons why.

The list included Dulce de Leche, Pralines and Cream, Chocolate, Mexican Vanilla and more. Yum, yum, yum!


What's your favorite ice cream? Have you ever made it?


To help myself make one of my favorite foods, I bought a countertop Cuisinart Ice Cream machine. Not too expensive and easy to use! Truly.

The hardest part of making ice cream is cooking the eggs and dairy at the beginning....low, low, low so nothing burns or curdles. The cooking only lasts a few minutes. Cool for quite a while. And then the fun begins. Put in whatever you like and make the flavor of your dreams.

One of my secrets is adding Mascarpone cheese to the mix. It's a luscious, creamy cheese that works like cream but gives a little more texture.


STRAWBERRY PASSION BREEZE ICE CREAM


INGREDIENTS:

3 egg yolks

1 c. sugar

1 c. half and half

1 c. whipping cream

1 c. (8 oz.) mascarpone

1 teaspoon vanilla

4-6 strawberries, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 additional teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup shredded coconut

red sprinkles (for decoration)

DIRECTIONS:

In a sauce pan, over low heat, mix strawberries, sugar, water and vanilla. Cook for 3 minutes, until tender. Set aside and let cool completely. Strain off juice (reserve for sauce, if desired).

In a separate sauce pan, stir together yolks and sugar and cook, 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 minutes.] Add whipping cream, mascarpone, and vanilla. Stir until mascarpone melts, and let cool to room temperature.

Chill egg mixture 1-3 hours in refrigerator

Then: Start counter top mixer. Add cream mixture. Whip 20-25 minutes

Add berries, chocolate, and coconut to ice cream mixture. Whip 5 more minutes until goodies are incorporated.

Pour into clean containers and freeze. About three hours later, it is a perfect consistency.

Serve and adorn with extra strawberries and red sprinkles for colorful fun!


SPECIAL GIVEAWAY THIS WEEK -

Know someone who hasn't read The Long Quiche Goodbye? A librarian? A teacher? A PTA pal? A mom? I'm giving away a copy to one of the commenters today. If you have a friend who wants to read it for free, have them check out the blog and leave a comment!


36 comments:

  1. I love quiche, so I'd love to read this book. Maybe it'll make me hungry enough to make it.
    Please enter me.
    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

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  2. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!!! This is one of those things I have always thought about making but never have...it seemed so labor intensive and I'm not a labor intensive kind of gal...but now I may just give it a try. Our local store has all of their "summer kitchen" items half off so this may tip the vote even further!!
    Thanks for the lovely cool idea!!

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  3. I would love to read this book-thanks I am a huge fan of quiche but always make it without the crust-I have one I make with three cheese, sundried tomatoes and a full bag of spinach-perfect for breakfast in the winter.

    thank you

    chocolateand croissants at yahoo . com

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  4. PS i have never put marscapone cheese in my ice cream before-last weekend I made almond tumeric and clove ice cream-the recipe is posted on my blog.

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  5. Oh Boy, Ice Cream!

    Where were you for my party last weekend???

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  6. I love ice cream! I would also love to read your book! I keep looking at it and want to get it, but money is extremely tight, so ...

    Denise

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  7. You've made it look easy...and yummy, too! I'll admit that I haven't made ice cream on the stove,although I've done it with an ice cream maker a few times. This looks so wonderful I'll have to give it a go. :)

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  8. I've made lots of icecream in my maker with my fresh eggs and all but lately I've found the EASIEST icecream to make in the world - Stun your friends with this. Take two or so cups of frozen berries (raspberries are my fave.) throw in cuisinart, whirl around while adding a cup or so of whipping cream and watch as ice cream forms - throw in a little honey and that is it! Mucho goodo.
    Jan Morrison

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  9. I love ice cream. I feel like a kid again when I eat it!
    I would love to read your book.

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  10. Well, I'm so thrilled with how many love ice cream, all the fun suggestions like strawberries and whipped cream and that's it? My! And tumeric, clove? Wow! Zippy and fun.

    And for those of you who want to read the book (and if you don't win today's book), remember to tell your local librarian to order it. That's a great way to read books if you can't afford otherwise. Our libraries need your support, too. ~Avery

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  11. I love the recipe, Avery. Ice cream and cheese - what could be better?

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  12. Great recipe, Avery! Thanks for sharing it -- it looks simply decadent!

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  13. Love your recipe, Avery, especially the idea of using mascarpone. The white chocolate and coconut are brilliant additions, too. You asked about our favorite flavor. I know, I know, you expect me to say coffee -- but as a kid it was always butter pecan. These days I'm a sucker for a good old fashined vanilla soft serve and I especially love it dipped in chocolate for a cold, hard crunchy shell. Great giveaway today. Everyone: The Long Quiche Goodbye is a delicious read. Don't miss it!

    Cheers,
    ~ Cleo
    Free Coffee Drawing LIVE today at 7 PM (Eastern)
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  14. Cleo, I love the hard chocolate shell on soft serve ice cream, too!
    ~Avery

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  15. I do love vanilla -- it's my favorite! I have been living at the library. I have cards from FOUR different libraries in my area and visit each of them regularly.

    Denise

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  16. Butter Pecan ice cream is my favorite. I have never made ice cream myself but my MIL always did. We never got that recipe from her. And now she has taken it to her grave.
    I would love to win the book.

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  17. Love mysteries, love quiche, would LOVE this book I am sure!!

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  18. MMMmmm love ice cream! Your recipe sounds amazing!

    Would love to the book!

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  19. What a great recipe. I admit to loving just about any ice cream, especially if I can add some kind of chocolate syrup to it.

    And if course "The Long Quiche Goodbye" is on my TBR list but unfortunately I have not yet had to buy it, so it would be great to win it!

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  20. I still haven't read The Long Quiche Goodbye and I to do so bad.


    Thank for the chance!

    CarolNWOng(at)aol(dot).com

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  21. Well, what a lot of great responses! So glad everyone is sharing a flavor.
    Best to all~
    Avery

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  22. I love ice cream, everything from "plain" flavors like vanilla to a whole lot of mix and match.

    I would love to win this book. Thanks so much for the chance to win.

    ~ Lori
    mrshedgy@yahoo.com

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  23. I haven't read it yet but it is on my list to read. Please enter me.

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  24. This is an elegant dish that will be great to serve at a party.

    lenikaye@yahoo.com

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  25. First of all thanks for sharing another great recipe. Second, I would love to get your book as I haven't read it. I love quiche too. Third, my favorite ice cream is rocky road. I look foward to all three, LOL.

    Texasjayne@aol.com

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  26. Thanks for the great recipe. I love a French Chocolate ice cream that's so yummmmmy when it's homemade. I haven't yet read The Long Quiche Goodbye, but I'd love to. Thanks for the contest.

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  27. Glad to see so many new names. Hope you'll all become fans of our blog!
    ~Avery

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  28. Well, I thought I already posted a comment but don't see it. Anyway, first of all, thanks for the recipe, second of all I would love to get your book, since I haven't read it. Thirdly my favorite flavor of ice cream is rocky road. I look forward to all three. Have a great day.

    texasjayne@aol.com

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  29. Well there it is, sorry for having posted twice. I have been having AOL issues.

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  30. What a yummy recipe. I may be able to pull it off.

    I would love to have a copy of The Long Quiche Goodbye. It has been on my tbr list for awhile now :-)

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  31. My favorite ice cream flavor is BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE! I would love to have a copy of Avery's new mystery book The Long Ouiche Goodbye. Reading Cozy Mysteries is a passion of mine for the ultimate means of relaxation. One of my PartTime jobs is at a small family owned doughnut shop call BLUE COLLAR JOE'S - Nationally recognized a month ago by FOX NEWS - EXTREME DOUGHNUTS! We not only sell doughnuts, but coffee and espresso drinks (thank you Cleo for Clare's espresso advice - it has come in handy) smoothies and ICE CREAM by Hershey's. When I go to work there I don't even consider it to be work.

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  32. bentleyboy22@comcast.netSeptember 13, 2010 at 8:36 PM

    OOOO...The title alone makes me want to read this book. I love mysteries with recipes. As for my favorite flavor of ice cream, a local ice cream shop sells a flavor call "Charlie Brown". It is chocolate ice cream with real peanut butter (and lots of it!) Can't wait to read the new book!

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  33. What a lovely decadent sounding ice cream. My absolute favorite flavors are Rocky Road, Black Cherry, Vanilla Almonds...regular vanilla with vanilla bean specks.....ice cream in general I reckon....

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  34. This recipe looks delicious! We have a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker as well and love it. Our favorite ice cream to make is rum raisin. Boy howdy, is it good! ;-)

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  35. Hi-
    I'd love to read this book.
    I am in a book club that reads books that have recipes and then once a month we get together as couples and bring an item from the book. We discuss the book and share a meal.
    Fun!
    Then we would need multiple copies!

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