Homemade Fudgesicles

Taking a bite of these icy chocolate fudgesicles took me right back through the time machine to Lulu D. Haddon Elementary School cafeteria on ice cream day.  The flavor and texture of these are very reminiscent of those ice cream treats but the good thing about this recipe is that they are non-fat.  I used skim milk, though you could probably use a higher fat content milk if you so desired.  Mix the ingredients together, give them a quick simmer over the stove, pour into popsicle molds and then be patient.  It's as easy as that.  Enjoy!

Homemade Fudgesicles

2 cups low fat or skim milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn syrup or agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar, corn syrup (or agave syrup) and vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook just until all of the sugar and cocoa powder is dissolved. Pour hot mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight, or until solid.

Makes 6-8 large popsicles (depending on the size of your molds)

Creamsicle Ice Cream

You all remember those little cups of ice cream from the school cafeteria with half vanilla, half orange sherbet, don't you?  Well here is an ice cream that tastes just like those cups of yummy and it's so easy to make.  No cooking or fussing with a custard base.  This is made by just mixing 5 ingredients together, throwing them into the ice cream maker and 25 minutes later, voila creamsicle ice cream.  Enjoy!

Creamsicle Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups cream

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all of the ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.  Chill in refrigerator for a couple hours until very cold.  Mix in ice cream maker as directed by manufacturer. 

A Whopper of an Ice Cream

Sometimes I read a recipe and it grabs me from the get go.  This malted milk ice cream is one such recipe.  What's not to go ga-ga over when an ice cream contains malted milk powder AND chopped up malted milk balls?  Mind you, this isn't for the faint of heart in the calorie counting department.  It contains two cups of heavy cream, not to mention lots of cholesterol rich egg yolks and sugar and candy.   But, we only live once so let's live it up once in awhile.

Malted Milk Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup malt powder (found in your grocery section by the chocolate milk powders/coffee)
6 large egg yolks
2 cups malted milk balls, coarsely chopped in the food processor (or with a sharp knife if you don't mind malted milk balls flying all over your kitchen!)

Warm the milk with the sugar in a medium saucepan.  In a large bowl, stir together the cream, vanilla and malt powder until well combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.

When the milk is warm, slowly pour it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then pour the entire mixture back in the saucepan.  Stir this mixture constantly over medium heat with a spatula, scraping as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. 

Pour this thickened mixture through a fine meshed sieve into the cream mixture.  Stir until cool over an ice bath.  Chill the mixture in the refrigerator thoroughly 3-4 hours then  put the mix in your ice cream maker and make ice cream per manufacturers instructions.  When ice cream is done, mix in the chopped up malted milk balls and freeze mixture until solid.  Top with a few more chopped up malted milk balls when serving for an extra decadent touch.

Holy Cow

I mean Holy Cow in the literal sense. The cow is a holy beast for producing such wonderful things such as milk and cream. I am sharing with you today the most creamy, chocolatey, divine ice cream I have ever tasted. And to think it all started with some milk and cream. Oh yeah, and some chocolate, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

I'm not going to say this was the simplest ice cream I've ever made, because it wasn't. The vanilla ice milk I make for The Husband would fit into that category as it involves no cooking whatsoever. But this...... it was worth every one of the bowls, pans, and measuring cups I had to use to make it. I'm not trying to dissuade you from trying it dear readers. Just know that if you do, you must start it the day before you want to serve it as the custard base must chill overnight to be most effective. So go dust your ice cream freezer off from the top shelf, stick it in the freezer overnight and make the custard and put it in the fridge until tomorrow. Then throw it in the ice cream maker and in 20-30 minutes you will be licking the dasher like a five year old as I was and enjoying every minute of it!

Chocolate Ice Cream
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, divided
3 Tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add 1 cup of the cream and the cocoa powder into the pan. Whisk mixture briskly to combine, and bring to a boil. Once liquid is boiling immediately reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and whisk constantly for about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and remove pan from the burner. Add the chopped chocolate into the liquid and stir until it is melted and smooth. Next, add in the remaining 1 cup of cream and stir to combine. Transfer all of the liquid into a medium bowl, and place a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Set bowl aside and make the custard.

Return the medium saucepan to the stove over low heat. Add the milk, sugar, and salt into the saucepan. Heat gently until the mixture begins to steam but not bubble. While the liquid is warming, in a separate medium bowl whisk the egg yolks together. Once the liquid is warmed, slowly pour it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once the liquid and eggs are well combined, scrape the mixture back into the pan. Place the pan over a medium heat, and stir constantly. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan while you stir. Once the custard has thickened to the point that it coats the back of your spoon, remove it from the heat.Pour the custard through the strainer into the medium bowl of chocolate liquid. When fully combined, stir well and add in the vanilla. Place the medium bowl of liquid in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water to cool quickly. Stir occasionally until the mixture has cooled enough to be transferred into the fridge. Press a layer of plastic wrap on top of the liquid to cover and prevent a skin from forming on the top of the custard. Place the bowl in the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Once the mixture is chilled, transfer to your ice cream maker. If you find that the custard is too thick to pour, give it a stiff whisk or two to thin it out and then place it in the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

Dulce Delicious

The Husband likes my homemade ice cream. He devours it by the Gladware tubful. I make the most simple ice milk recipe which I made up after much trial and error (he doesn't like it too creamy) and named it Ice Ice Baby. It is just 1 quart of whole milk, 1/2 cup of half and half, 1/2 cup of superfine sugar and 1 Tablespoon of vanilla. No cooking of custard is involved and it turns out hard as a rock and did I mention, HE LOVES IT.

Well today I decided to make ice cream that sounds good to me. It's called Dulce de Leche ice cream and it is delicious and ever so simple as it too requires no cooking. If you have an ice cream maker, give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 2/3 cups canned dulce de leche (found with the evaporated milk or in the Hispanic section of the grocery store).

1/2 tsp vanilla.

Bring milk and cream to a boil in a saucepan, lower heat and whisk in the dulce de leche until melted. Add the vanilla then place the mixture in a bowl over an ice bath until chilled.

Mix in ice cream maker following manufacturer's instruction. My ice cream was fairly soft when done so it required a good 4 hours to harden in the freezer.