blue artichoke

I told you about all the delicious pork we ate over the weekend, and the chess pie, but I didn't tell you about our other dessert: homemade ice cream. We received a Kitchen Aid attachment ice cream maker as a wedding present; I think that was the one gift that GC was most excited about. I started collecting ice cream recipes, but the maker stayed in its box on the top shelf of our kitchen gadget nook. The problem has been a lack of freezer space. That freezer bowl is big and our freezer just never seemed to make room for it. However, after being out of town for the last several weekends in a row, I didn't do much cooking on those few days home between trips. We ate a lot of leftovers, and I didn't add anything to the freezer. So, finally, I made ice cream, for the first time ever.

I made vanilla, which isn't difficult for someone who has made countless batches of pastry cream and egg custard in culinary school. The ratio of ingredients vary, but the process is the same. The mixing part was a bit messy, ok, very messy, but I've learned what not to do and think the next time will go a bit smoother. The final product was really good, though more egg custardy than vanilla ice creamy. GC liked it OK, but said it isn't nearly as good as the homemade vanilla ice cream his granddaddy makes. It's difficult to compete with the nostalgia of summer days spent running through the sprinkler, playing in the grass and eating your grandfather's fresh, hand-cranked ice cream. I'll have to get his recipe.

Frozen Vanilla Custard

2 c. milk
8 egg yolks
1 c. sugar
2 T. vanilla
½ t. salt
2 c. whipping cream

Heat milk in a large saucepan over med-high heat just until bubbles appear; don’t boil. Remove from heat. Whisk together yolks and next 3 in a large bowl until thick and pale. Gradually whisk warm milk into yolk mixture; return to saucepan.

Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until milk mixture thickens and reaches 160, ~5 minutes (If you don't have a thermometer, or are, like me, too lazy to use one, it's ready when small bubbles begin to form at the edges and the milk starts steaming a bit). Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Cool, stirring occasionally. To cool it faster, place the bowl in another larger bowl with ice and water. Make sure the water doesn't splash into the ice cream mixture. When cool, stir in 2 c. whipping cream; cover and chill 1h.

Pour mixture into freezer container of an electric ice-cream maker; freeze as directed.

Makes 1 ½ quart.

Southern Living Cooking School, Summer 2006.

Though I used skim milk in this recipe, the ice cream is almost too rich and creamy for me. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I can't eat a whole lot at one time. I suppose that's for the best, considering how fattening this ice cream is. Next time, I'm going to try to lighten it up a bit somehow, perhaps using half-and-half in place of the whipping cream, and maybe try peach or strawberry. Or, my favorite, mint chocolate chip. If I can keep space in the freezer, that is...

Getting to Know All About You: What's your favorite kind of ice cream?