Biscoff Ice Cream

I have a new obsession. I might be a little behind on the current food trends but I don't care! I am seriously in love with this stuff. I have heard and known about it for a while now, but just recently found what grocery stores in my area sell the stuff. In case you haven't figured out what I'm talking about my new love is Biscoff! I love the stuff so much that I made my husband take me to the grocery store for our date night just so I could buy some! If you haven't tried it yet I highly suggest that you do. My favorite is the Crunchy Biscoff Spread. The creamy is really good to, so if your grocery store only carries the creamy you will be ok. Just know that the crunchy is even better. For those of you that may have no idea at all what I'm talking about Biscoff spread is basically a delicious cinnamon type cookie that has been ground up into a peanut butter like spread. This way you can have little bits of cookie on everything imaginable! I will say that my favorite things to have it with are apples, crepes (I will most likely post a recipe soon for this), and of course this ice cream! Ever since I realized I could get Biscoff locally I have been wanting to make ice cream out of it. I fist tried a traditional ice cream base but decided with this one that I totally prefer a custard base. The custard totally makes the ice cream smoother and creamer. It also makes it so it doesn't get rock hard in your freezer. All in all I just hope that you are inspired to go out and get your own Biscoff spread and start your own obsession!

Biscoff Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 cups milk
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Biscoff Spread
12 Biscoff Cookies (optional)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan combine cream and milk. Warm over medium heat until milk mixture starts to be foamy on top and hot.

 In a separate bowl combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until well combined. Mix in Biscoff spread. This mixture may be a little thick. If it is too thick to properly stir mix in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture.

 Once Biscoff  is mixed into the egg mixture you want to temper the egg mixture. While stirring egg mixture pour 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Mix well.

Take the egg mixture and slowly pour it back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Make sure you stirring the milk while you pour. Continue stirring and cooking the mixture for several minutes until the mixture becomes thick and will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a heat proof bowl.

 Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes. Take some plastic wrap and place it right on top of the custard. This will ensure that you don't get a "crust" on top of your custard. Place bowl in the fridge and let cool for several hours or overnight.

When ready to make ice cream pour cooled custard into a blender and blend for 30 seconds. I honestly don't know why this helps but it seems to make the ice cream smoother and creamier. Now pour the custard into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. When your ice cream is almost done crumble the 12 Biscoff cookies into the ice cream and let it process for a few more minutes. When the ice cream is done you will have little bits of cookies throughout your ice cream. Try and not eat all the ice cream by yourself. This will be tough! Enjoy!

Homemade "Magic Shell" Ice Cream Topping

This lovely recipe is another great find on Pinterest. I am always looking for some great quick and easy ice cream toppers and this is definitely that. I have always loved magic shell topping. There is just something fun about it. When I saw how easy this was to make I just had to try it. We used unrefined virgin coconut oil which has a slightly stronger coconut flavor, but if you aren't a fan of coconut flavor you could try a refined coconut oil or butter. My husband said with the unrefined coconut oil it kinda reminded him of a Mounds or an Almond Joy.

 

Homemade "Magic Shell" Ice Cream Topping

All you need is:
1 1/4 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (measured when solid)

Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave about 1 minute (depending on your microwave). Allow to sit a few minutes to allow the heat of the oil to melt the chocolate chips and then stir until smooth. It will be runny.

Pour into a bottle. You could use a recycled pickle relish bottle. (We recommend a glass bottle if you’re gonna refrigerate and then heat.) 

Store in the refrigerator (though in the summer it’s likely to stay liquidy unrefrigerated). To serve, heat the glass bottle (open cap) in the microwave for 30 seconds until liquid. Stir and continue heating at 30 second intervals if not liquid after the first 30 seconds. Pour over your favorite ice cream and in a few seconds you will see magic!

Notes:

• You can substitute butter for the coconut oil, however the coconut oil gives the more ‘real’ Magic Shell flavor.
• You can use milk chocolate chips, but everyone we served preferred the semi-sweet chocolate chips

  Recipe Source: Alphamom

Browned Butter Ice Cream

It is no secret that I love ice cream. I just think it is one of the most wonderful things ever! I mean really you can't go wrong with something cool and refreshing, but somehow makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Ok maybe the warm and fuzzy inside is an exaggeration, but I really do love it that much! I am a huge fan of custards! Homemade ice creams can sometimes get icy or really hard once they have been in the freezer for a while. I have found that custards stay creamy and smooth even in the freezer. Yes they do harden more in the freezer but the texture is amazing. It is also no secret that I love browned butter. I found this recipe a while back and knew I had to try it. I actually did make it during my no sugar month. I made it with honey. It tasted pretty good, but I knew I had to try it as written. With honey it didn't quite have the carmely flavor that I was hoping for. This recipe as written is creamy and carmely and oh so delicious!

Brown Butter Ice Cream
8 Tbs butter
2 cups cream
1 cup milk
6 yolks
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
In a pan, melt the butter and continue cooking it over low heat until the butter browns. Meanwhile, bring the cream and milk and vanilla to a simmer.

In a mixer whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and salt until fluffy. Add the brown butter, a little bit at a time to the running mixer.  When they are combined, add the milk a little at a time until the whole mixture is frothy and smooth and well combined. Return it to a pan and put back on the stove over medium-low heat.  Cook on low until it thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool or up to overnight.

Run the custard through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions.
Put the ice cream in a container and let it freeze at least 4 hours until firm.


Recipe Source: Heather Christo Cooks 

And here is my Photoshop fun picture for the day!

Cookies N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

I have officially not eaten sugar for one month and it has been great. I met my goal! Yeah for goals! What better sugar filled recipe to make to celebrate my eating sugar again than this one? Ok so maybe this isn't the only thing to celebrate my eating sugar again, I plan on celebrating (much to my waistline's disapproval) all week! A friend of mine told me about these delicious brownies someone brought her that used cookies and cream ice cream, and it had Oreos in the middle. I figured that recipe was a no brainer...of course it is going to be phenomenal! Honestly the only 2 desserts/sugary treat that I have really been thinking about and craving were some yummy browned butter chocolate chip cookies, and these brownies. I have been just dying to make them! So finally, to celebrate eating sugar again I decided to make these. Well let me tell you they are just as amazing as I had hoped! They are rich, chocolatey, ooey, gooey, and most importantly delicious!

Cookies ‘N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

1 box Brownie Mix
eggs & oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)
about 16 oreos

Preheat oven & spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.

Recipe Source: Kevin & Amanda

Agave Sweetened Chocolate Ice Cream

For not eating sugar this month I think I am doing quite well at finding yummy dessert recipes! This one really has made my month! I think this might possibly be my new favorite ice cream! This ice cream is creamy and smooth and oh so chocolatey! You never would believe that there isn't any sugar in it! I don't care if I am eating sugar or not. This is not just an ice cream I am going to eat while I'm not eating sugar. This ice cream is going to be a regular in my ice cream making schedule (yes I do believe that ice cream should be made on a regular schedule).

Agave-Sweetened Chocolate Ice Cream
About 1 quart (1 liter)

Since the custard is made without sugar, keep an eye on things as it will cook rather quickly. You can use a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, to avoid overcooking if you’ve never made a custard before. And because I don’t like washing dishes, I use the same saucepan for cooking the custard that I used for dissolving and blooming the cocoa powder, I simply scrape it as clean as possible and use it again for making the custard.

If you’re concerned about the quantity of agave nectar here, you can reduce the amount to ½ cup (120 ml) if you wish, although it’s texture and taste is exactly right for me. I have also tried it with honey and it works just perfectly!

10 tablespoons (155 ml) agave nectar (also works great with honey)
2 ounces (55 g) unsweetened chocolate, very finely chopped
1/3 cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups (750 ml) half-and-half, divided
5 large egg yolks*
pinch of salt

1. In a small saucepan, warm the agave syrup with the unsweetened chocolate over the lowest heat possible, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted. I have also done this step in the microwave and it worked great. Remove from heat and transfer mixtures to a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, add 1½ cups (375 ml) of the half-and-half and whisk in the cocoa powder. Cook over moderate heat until the mixture begins to bubble, then simmer for 30 seconds, whisking frequently, making sure to break up any clumps of cocoa powder.

3. Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into the bowl with the chocolate-agave mixture. Stir them together, then set a mesh strainer over the top.

4. Add the remaining half-and-half to the saucepan with a pinch of salt, turn on the heat, and when warm, slowly pour the warm half-and-half into the yolks whisking constantly, then pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

5. Cook, stirring constantly over moderate heat, until the mixture becomes steamy and thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read about 170F degrees. (76C).

6. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the chocolate mixture.

7. Stir, then let cool a few minutes until tepid. Once it’s not super hot, whiz the mixture in a blender for ten seconds until it’s smooth and velvety. (Never blend very hot liquids in a blender, since it creates a hot vortex and can cause the liquid to blast out of the top.)

8. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

*To save on eggs I have also tried this with using 3 whole eggs instead of 5 egg yolks. I felt like the taste wasn't too different and I didn't have left over egg whites.

Recipe Source: David Lebovitz

Pizzookie

A few years back before my husband and I were married we both went to different dessert places (in 2 different states) and happened to both try these things called pizzookies (pizza cookie). He came back home and was raving about this ingenious idea and I concurred completely. Of course anytime I try something that is absolutely fantastic I have to try and create it myself. For my birthday that year he bought me 4 individual sized skillets. We have had pizzookies several times since then and I absolutely love them. The "individual" sized skillets really are big enough that 2 or 3 people could share one (unless you really like sweets, which I do). They really are so simple to make, and always a crowd pleaser! I usually have some left over cookie dough in the freezer that I have already shaped into cookie sized balls and am able to though a couple of those in my skillets and bake them up. They make a fun quick dessert.

 Pizzookie

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Servings: Varies

Ingredients:
1 batch of your favorite cookie dough (I used the Perfect chocolate chip cookie dough)
Your favorite ice cream (This Cinnamon ice cream goes surprisingly well)
Hot fudge
Caramel

Directions:
Lightly grease 4- 6 inch skillets is not already well oiled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press enough cookie dough into skillets to mostly cover the bottom.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cookies should be slightly brown on the edges, but still look slightly gooey in the center. This is the way I like them, but you are welcome to bake them longer if you want them more done. Remove from oven and top with ice cream and hot fudge and caramel if desired. The idea of these are to be an ooey delicious mess. Be careful with the skillets as they will remain hot for a while. One skillet was more than plenty for 2 people to share. For smaller portions this could also be made using ramekins. Happy eating!

Note: I often keep cookie dough in my freezer and just pull a few cookie dough balls and make these whenever my heart so desires.


This is about how much cookie dough I used. I figure its about 3-4 cookies worth :)

This is how it looked fresh out of the oven. Pre ice cream!

The delicious finished project! The more the ice cream melts the more I love it!

Heavenly Hot Fudge

Years ago my sister lived in Chicago. My mom and I went out to visit her. We had a great time. We went through the city, saw Wicked for the fist time, and just had a blast being together. It was a short trips, but we had a great time. Do you know what made that trip even better? This chocolate sauce. I honestly don't remember if we put this sauce on our ice cream, or if we just ate the sauce with a spoon. It is that good! You don't get hot fudge that tastes like this in the grocery store. There are so many reasons to make things from scratch, but taste alone is enough for me!

Heavenly Hot Fudge

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 pint whipping cream
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbs corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and chocolate together over low heat. stir in whipping cream, salt, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally. For a thick hot fudge bring mixture to 235 degrees. If you like your chocolate a little thinner boil until mixture reaches 220 degrees. Serve warm over ice cream (or just eat it with a spoon).

Divine Caramel Sauce

I have been in an ice cream mood recently. I have mostly been thinking about ice cream toppings recently. Maybe its because we went to my favorite ice cream place this last weekend. Or maybe it is because I can't help but dream about sweet ooey gooey things. Either way I have been thinking about caramel sauce and all its wonderfulness. I absolutely adore a good caramel. None of this low fat or no fat stuff. I actually really don't like store bought caramels (most of them). I love the kind of caramel that is made with lots of good butter and cream. I mean if you are going to eat it on ice cream what is the point of going low fat? That's right, there is none, so go ahead, give in to your inner caramel snob self, and make this delightful caramel. You won't be disappointing!

Divine Caramel Sauce

*Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce

1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream (room temperature or slightly warmed preferably)
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Set the pan over low heat and stir the mixture gently until the sugar is dissolved. I don’t ever get a completely clear syrup but I let it warm over medium-low heat (a 3 on my stovetop) for at least 6-10 minutes before moving to the next step. To be sure the sugar is dissolved, I’ll dip a spoon in the sugar mixture and then gently slide my finger over the mixture on the spoon and take a taste. If the sugar is dissolved, the syrup will be smooth and not at all grainy. If you still feel grains of sugar, keep stirring over low heat until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before letting the mixture come to a boil. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the heat to medium or medium-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let the syrup boil for 2 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil the syrup until the edges start to turn golden brown. Carefully and gently stir the syrup until it turns a deep amber, caramel color. On my stove, this takes about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the butter. Gently but quickly stir until the butter is incorporated. Stir in the cream. If the sauce becomes lumpy and isn’t whisking together, set the pan over low heat and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt.

Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature. Store the sauce in a jar or airtight container, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Reheat on low power in the microwave or in a saucepan, adding a tablespoon of two or water, if needed, if the sauce is too thick.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

If you are having trouble you can also check out This site for helpful hints and tips

Cinnamon Ice Cream

My husband and I have been fortunate enough to go on a couple of cruises. We absolutely love cruises. Our 2 favorite cruises have one thing in common...ice cream! Now the ice cream itself didn't necessarily make the cruises our favorites, but they sure didn't hurt. The first cruise we went on together was a Disney cruise in the Caribbean. It was amazing. We had a great time, but here is where the ice cream comes in. On Disney's private island they had soft serve cookie dough ice cream! Soft Serve! This ice cream wasn't just flavored like cookie dough, no it actually had chunks of cookie dough in it. I didn't even know that was possible with soft serve. It was probably the best cookie dough ice cream I have ever had. We pretty much camped out by the ice cream lady for a while, but sadly we had to leave the island and now it is just a very very fond memory in my head. Now our other favorite cruise was our recent cruise to Alaska on Holland America. Everything was wonderful on this cruise (don't even get me started on their amazing ceramic loungers), but one day we went to the ice cream counter (a daily/multiple times a day activity for us) and they didn't have cookies n cream ice cream that day. Cookies n cream ice cream is typically my favorite. I was slightly saddened, but decided to branch out. The fun flavor of the day was cinnamon. We decided to try it, and it has forever changed our life. Cinnamon ice cream in a waffle cone might be one of the most awesome things in life. For the next few days of the cruise we got at least one (notice the at least part) of those ice cream cones a day. On the second to last day of the cruise they decided to switch out their flavors again. We were devastated. By this time we were on a fist name basis with the ice cream guy. His name was Zaldy (very cool name). At the end of the day we gave him such a hard time about not having the cinnamon ice cream he said he would try and find some for the next day. Zaldy came through for us! We got the eat one last amazing cinnamon waffle cone before we had to go back to reality. When I got home I just knew I had to search out and find a recipe for cinnamon ice cream. I tried a couple different recipes, but this one was by far my favorite and most similar to the wonderful ice cream on the cruise!

Cinnamon Ice Cream

1 cup (240ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150g) sugar *
pinch of salt
four 3-inch (8cm) cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup (240ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. When it comes to a boil, cover, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour – mine steeped for almost 2 hours.
Rewarm the cinnamon-infused milk mixture; pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low hear with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula – do not let it boil.
Pour the custard through the strainer into the cream and discard the cinnamon sticks. Set aside to cool then refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.


*If you prefer to use honey as your sweetener of choice reduce to 1/2 cup honey. The honey does give it a slightly different taste but is still amazing.

Here is another great way to eat this ice cream! I used my perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and voila! Heaven!

Recipe Source: Technicolor Kitchen

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice cream

This ice cream is so delicious and yet soooo easy! My darling friend at work told me the best/simplest way to make cheesecake ice cream and I just had to try it out. Adding the graham crackers on top and mixing a few in really made this ice cream taste like it is from an expensive ice cream shop. This basic ice cream is so versatile you could add just about any flavor that would go well with cheesecake! I love any recipe that I can change just slightly to fit my mood for that day. This is the perfect summer treat especially with some fresh raspberries in it!

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk

2 cups whipping cream

3/4 cups sugar

1-2 tsp vanilla

1 small package cheesecake flavored pudding mix

1-2 cups fresh raspberries

Graham Cracker crumbs

In a blender or food processor puree raspberries. If you don't like seeds strain puree mixture through a fine mesh strainer. In a large mixing bowl whisk together milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, pudding mix, and raspberry puree. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. After frozen you can serve immediately or freeze for a few hours for a more solid ice cream. When serving crumble some graham crackers over mixture and mix in slightly. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Adapted from Cuisinart Recipe book

Mixed Berry Ice Cream

My mom makes the most delicious ice cream every summer. Growing up we would always look forward to eating it. Since it is finally getting to be warm here I decided it was about time to make some ice cream. This isn't quite the recipe that my mom uses (don't worry I will post it sometime) but it is similar. To be quite honest the real reason I decided to make this ice cream over my mom's recipe is the fact that I had lots of raspberries and blackberries on hand.

We have the good fortune of living next to a house full of single guys. The reason this is great for us is because they have raspberry and blackberry bushes. The main guy in charge of the house actually hates berries. I almost died when he told us this. How can anyone hate berries I thought? He then proceeded to tell us we could pick all the berries we want. This guy instantly became my favorite neighbor and I have been in heaven ever since. Every couple of days I take my bowl and go pick a bunch of berries. The only thing that gets in my way is occasionally a few wasps (yes I have an irrational fear of wasps), otherwise I am happy as a lark. We have eaten them plain, in yogurt, cereal (my husband's new favorite is captain crunch with raspberries) and I am saving a bunch so I can make jam! Obviously with all these berries I needed to make some ice cream. This is so very delicious and fits perfectly in one of those smaller ice cream makers.

Mixed Berry Ice Cream

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 banana
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 lb berries (I used a mixture of raspberries and blackberries)

Place juice in a blender. Add the banana and berries. Blend until mostly smooth. Pour into ice cream maker and add whipping cream and sugar.  Freeze according to your ice cream maker's recommendations.

Oreo Custard

I happened to have a lot of extra egg yolks from making some angel food cake and I decided what better thing to do with egg yolks than make custard! My absolute favorite ice cream is cookies and cream followed closely by peanut butter panic. I reasoned that since cookies and cream is my favorite ice cream, then why not try it in a custard? I can truly say that I'm glad I did! Custard has such an amazing creaminess to it, add the fantastic flavor of Oreos and instantly I'm in a sugar coma/heaven!

Oreo Custard

1 cup heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half cream
8 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
15-20 Oreo cookies 

Pour the heavy cream and half-and-half cream into a heavy saucepan, place over medium-low heat, and heat until barely simmering, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to low. 

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. 

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat three times more, whisking thoroughly before adding each additional 1/2 cup of hot cream to the egg yolk mixture. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream, and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Do not let mixture boil. 

Pour the ice cream base into a bowl add whole Oreo cookies and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. If you like more solid chunks of cookie add them during the freezing stage.  Place in refrigerator and chill for several hours or overnight. The next day, pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Remove the ice cream, pack into a covered container, and freeze for 2 hours or overnight before serving.