Wordless Wednessday - Brownie & Lavender Ice Cream for Breakfast

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Crème of the Berry Crop - Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Fresh Marionberries

This post is technically late.  But I was determined to participate in the July BakeSpace Challenge, since I haven't done one in over a year.  This month just happened to be "Local Produce From the Farmer's Market".  This turned out to be a little more challenging than I anticipated, partly due to the extremely wet weather this spring having delayed crops again, just like last year.  But as luck would have it, I found some Marion Berries.  I love berries.  Logan, Tay, Ollalie, Rasp, Salmon, Thimble, Black Cap, Boysen, or  Marion... All the bramble berries are all delicious in their own way.

The Marionberry is a hybrid black berry created by crossing the Chehalem blackberry and the Ollalieberry at Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon. Due to the extensive testing of the berry within the Willamette Valley, when the berry was released in 1956 it was named after Marion County, as opposed to being named after Mr. George F. Waldo who was responsible for creating the initial hybrid in 1946.

Marion berries are a wonderful example of traditional hybridization, bringing the best attributes of the parents into one single berry (the flavor of the Chehalem and the production of the Ollalie). Though as intoxicatingly delicious as the Marionberry is, it may carry some latent genes from the parents of the Ollalie, which is itself a hybrid (Loganberry and Youngberry) developed in 1937; again at Oregon State University, but due to Oregon weather patterns, is much better suited to Northern California.  But enough about the Marionberry's "family bramble".

I get fairly touchy about my Marionberries (having been bereft of them for 13 years in San Diego) for they truly are the fine wine of the berry world.  Deep, rich, tart and earthy, like a fine Pinot Noir.  I prefer them in as unspoiled a preparation as possible. (kind of like my Huckleberries)  I am sure that at some point in the future, now that I am back in Oregon, I will get use to having them around again and may begin experimenting.  But for now...  K.I.S.S. is my phiosophy. Thus, I kept it simple by turning to David Lebovitz's recipe for an unassuming Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, to be served with fresh Marionberries from the Farmer's Market.  Sort of a frozen Berries and Cream.

And lemme tell ya this, about that.  The ice cream is positively the most incredible scoop of deliciousness you will ever taste and fully capable of standing alone on it's own merits.  But even better is the fact that the inherent "nuttiness" of Crème Fraîche is the perfect counter point to the tart zip of the Marion's.  I swear I could hear angels weeping for joy as I consumed it with great abandon.

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Marionberries

1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
pinch of Kosher Salt
5 large Egg Yolks
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract (enough to enhance, not to actually flavor)
2 cups Crème Fraîche
Fresh Marionberries 

Begin heating the Milk, Sugar and pinch of Salt over medium heat in a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, separate the Egg Yolks into a medium bowl and break them up with a whisk.

When the Milk/Sugar reaches about 155 -160 degrees (cause you don't really need it too hot) remove the pan from the heat and begin pouring the hot milk slowly over the beaten yolks, while continuing to whisk.

Pour the resulting mixture back into the sauce pan and return to medium heat.

Whisk the soon to be custard until it begins to thicken slightly... about 170 degrees or until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear line. (you know the drill)

Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the tiny amount of vanilla. (that is the little bitty brown spot)

Strain through fine mesh into a bowl to arrest the cooking.

Cover on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and whisk in the Crème Fraîche.

Cover on the surface again and chill again for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instruction. (Usually about 20-30 minutes)

Spoon into a chilled container and freeze completely.... (about 4 hours)

Now for the topping.....

Some lovely Marionberries from the Farmers Market...

Do you hear the angels weeping?  I do. 

Oh wait! that's me.  Cause my bowl is empty.  hmmm

Mangia!!
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When Sorbet and Ice Cream Collide - Rhubarb Sherbet

Ah Sherbet.  Childhood memories of fun in the sun and sticky fingers as my Orange Sherbet dripped off my cone and rolled languidly down the back of my hand regardless of my I attempts to consume it with great haste.  I loved Sherbet when I was a youngin'.  Even those "Dixie cups" that came with the flat wooden spoons, though I always wondered why they bothered with the vanilla ice cream; as far as I was concerned the whole thing should be orange sherbet.

Then I became a pre-teen, and my sour-puss gene kicked in.... Oh, I still loved sherbet, but Lime became my preference.  mmmmmmm Lime (though I always found the green color to be a little unsettling as it reminded me of Mint Chip and I hate the waxiness of frozen chocolate) Yes, Sherbet and I had a long and passionate relationship throughout my youth. But something happened toward the end of my impressionable teen years.  Sorbet hit the market.  The flavor was so intense, and the texture was so refreshingly icy...  I began my torrid affair with Lemon sorbet and left the Sherbet of my youth behind, deciding that it was for children and I must move on to a more mature frozen treat.

Being older now, and somewhat wiser, as well as a maker of Ice Cream, Gelato, & Sorbetto/Sorbet I have decided that the time has come to give Sherbet a second chance.

So what exactly is Sherbet in relation to all the frozen teats out there?  Well, in Turkey it's a chilled fruit drink known as serbet (which is where the terms Sorbet and Sorbetto come from).  This same fruity libation is also popular in other middle eastern countries and known by many names ie. in Persian it's known as Sharbat (on which the word Sherbet is based)  Incidentally, the correct pronunciation of the word is "shur-BET" not "shur-BERT"; where the extra "r" came from, I have no idea.  I grew up hearing and using that extra "r".  So, I checked in the freezer case of my nearest mega mart and sure enough, all the containers had "Sherbet" printed on them.

Even though Sherbet and Sorbet are rooted in the same drink, as a frozen treat they are slightly different.  At least they are different in the United States.  Unlike the term Sorbet, the use of the word Sherbet is regulated.  So even though "Sorbet" is usually a combination of Juice, Sugar and Water, it can technically be made of just about any thing as it falls into the "Italian Ice" category along with Sorbetto and Granita.  However, by definition, Sherbets MUST contain between 1 - 2% dairy.  This is the key that makes them different from the others.  Ice Cream, on the other hand, has a much higher percentage of dairy as it is based on cream and eggs.  Gelato is based on Milk, and sometimes eggs; thus it's fat content, while lower than ice cream is still higher than Sherbet. Sherbet's niche is in the middle ground, between the two extremes of Sorbet and Ice Cream.

This makes the texture of Sherbet different from Sorbet as well.  Sorbet is much more icy, and while sherbet is icy too, there is still a creamy quality too it, though not as creamy as Ice Cream or Gelato.  That little bit of extra fat in Sherbet changes the freezing temperature of the mixture and helps control the size of the ice crystals.  It has a more intense flavor than Ice Cream as well, because your palate is not overwhelmed with a coating of cold butterfat. Basically, it's the best of both worlds.

Thus, with a heavy heart and forever covered in shame, I regret turning my back on my childhood love.  I shall never take Sherbet for granted again.

In an attempt to make amends, I have decided to make a few alterations to Alton Brown's Orange Sherbet recipe and take it into realms beyond the simple flavors of Orange, Lime, Pineapple and Raspberry.....  Thus, I give you...

Cloved Rhubarb Sherbet

7 oz (1 cup) Granulated Sugar (6 oz if your a sour-puss like me)
24 oz of Rhubarb (Enough to yield 2 cups of juice)
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half
a VERY small pinch of clove

Cut the rhubarb into small cubes (you need as much surface area as possible) and place in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb and toss to coat.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours (this gives it time to juice up)

Once the rhubarb juices up, go ahead and strain it. If you don't have quite 2 cups, (and you probably won't) throw the drained rhubarb in the food processor and pulse a couple of times to break up the fibers in the rhubarb.

Spoon the pulp into a strainer and press out the remaining juice (you should have 2 cups of juice at this point)

Add Kosher Salt, Lemon Juice, and Vanilla extract, whisking to combine.

Add Milk and Half and Half, again, whisking to combine.

Stir in the tiny pinch of clove (careful not to overdo it)

Cover the mix with plastic wrap and chill until cold before pouring into your ice cream maker and churning according to your maker's directions.

Spoon sherbet into a container and move to freezer for 4 hours.

Serve simply, with zest of Orange and enjoy.

Mangia!!
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Confection Ressurection - Butter Brickle Ice Cream

The 4th of July is here again and it's time to celebrate the "signing" of the Declaration of Independence penned with great pains by Thomas Jefferson for the second continental congress.  Though the "Shot Heard Round the World" occurred in April of 1775 and the fighting would continue until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, today is the day we celebrate the signing of the document that justified the colonial rebellion and subsequent forming of our republic. 

Being a holiday that is near and dear to our hearts there are many "traditions" that have sprung up over the last 235 years.   Parades, Festivals, Fireworks and BBQ's being the most prevalent.  I was lucky enough to grow up in Corbett.  It may be a small "Hamlet" in eastern Multnomah county, but when it comes to the 4th, it's an all out block party on a grande scale with parade, festival and a massive firework display.  In between all this merriment, dad would BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers.  But the best part of our 4th of July celebration was the homemade Root Beer ice cream.  True, we had an old hand crank machine, and always had to call on the neighbors for reinforcements before our arms fell off, but the exertions were well worth it.

This tradition is so ingrained now, that it just doesn't seem like the 4th of July without ice cream.  Granted, I don't necessarily make Root Beer ice cream anymore, and I definitely don't use a hand crank machine, but Ice Cream is an absolute must for this occasion.

This year, I have decided to resurrect a flavor that seems to have disappeared from the common market.  Butter Brickle.  That inspired combination of butterscotch ice cream and toffee bits.  Honestly, it doesn't get much better than that. Which, consequently, makes my wonder why you can't find this evocative flavor of frozen deliciousness anymore.  I think it's high time that it was brought back for everyone to enjoy.

Butter Brickle Ice Cream

2 cups Whole Milk
2 cups Light Whipping Cream
2 oz Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 cup of Butterscotch syrup
6 large Egg Yolks
1 cup Heath Toffee Chips (bits o' brickle)

Heat Milk, Cream, Butter and salt in a large sauce pan over medium heat, just until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan.

Grab a 1 cup of the Butterscotch Syrup..... (You'll still have an additional cup for other applications)

and grab a bag of Health English Toffee bits (bits o' brickle)

Add the Butterscotch syrup and whisk until dissolved.

While the Milk mixture is heating, beat egg yolks lightly in a medium bowl.
Condition the yolks by adding about half of the hot Milk mixture while whisking constantly.

Add this back into the sauce pan (again, whisking while adding it) and return the mixture to medium flame.

Continue cooking the "custard", whisking occasionally, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and strain through cheese cloth to remove any potential lumps.

Cover on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, and chill in the refrigerator until VERY cold.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker instructions.

Once frozen, move the resulting Butterscotch ice cream to a freezer container.

Add the Brickle chips and stir them in.

Freeze until solid.

Enjoy the sweet/salty goodness of old fashioned Butter Brickle Ice Cream!

Mangia!!
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Blimey! It's Limey - Key Lime Gelato

Well, it has happened.  Puppy is now 12 weeks old, or about 3 months. I was reading the "New" aging article.  You know how they use to say that every year your dog aged it was the equivalent of 7 human years.  Well they have decided that those ratios are incorrect.  The new figures state that when I brought him home at 2 months, he was about 14 months old in human years.  By the time he is 6 months old he will be the equivalent of a 5 year old.  Thus I have computed that since he is 3 months old he is somewhere around the terrible 2's.  Oye. 

Needless to say I have even less time in the kitchen.  Oh, he is very good and sits by the back door, for about 5 minutes.  Once he becomes bored with that he wants to go "outside" every 5 minutes or starts tormenting the cats. (Don't get me started on the "barking" as soon as I get on the phone.)  LOL

So when I was in the mood for ice cream, I had to think fast.  I had seen a quick ice cream on TV, but I could not remember who actually did it.  All I could remember was that their was about 1/2 cup of juice, 1 cup of Confecctioners' Sugar and 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.  That was good enough for me.

The interesting part of this method is that you whip the whole thing together, to incorporate air, then toss it in the freezer.  The idea is the same as making traditional ice cream with a dasher, which incorporates the air, and ice, just a little less hands on.  Perfect when you are in a hurry.

So, if you are ready to embark upon a no fuss no muss path to Iced "whipped" Cream deliciousness, this one is a winner.  Granted, the texture is a little more like an Ice Milk, but I like a slightly "icy" texture to my ice cream.   I find it more refreshing., especially since I am making Key Lime.  YUM. 

My only regret is that I did not save out a slice of lime for a garnish... oops.  It simply takes too many key limes to get 1/2 cup of juice.  Alas, there were none left.

Key Lime Iced Whipped Cream

1/2 cup (4 oz) Key Lime Juice (about 12 limes)
Zest of 3 Key Limes
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 cups Heavy Cream

Simply combine the Key Lime juice and zest in a bowl.

Add Confectioners' Sugar....

Whisk until the Sugar dissolves completely.

Add the Heavy Cream.

Begin whisking until the Heavy Cream becomes sort of thick and flowing, not completely stiff.  I like to call it "Zshuzshy", though I have no idea how to spell that.  ;)

Pour into a container, cover and freeze for at least 8 hours.

Place a few ginger snaps in a zip lock bag and get all medieval on them with a rolling pin. (turn them into powder)

Place the resulting pulverized cookie powder in a shallow dish and grab a champagne coup.

Rub the rim of the coup with some lime or lemon juice and dip it into the cookie dust.

Scoop some of the delicious iced Whipped Cream into the glass, and sprinkle with the ginger snap powder.  Delish!

Mangia!!
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