Screaming for Ice Cream
At Sunday’s Big Chill II, an ice-cream social at Grace Court Park, Elizabeth Martin madea wonderul vanilla ice cream from an old family recipe. It may be just plain old vanilla, but it sure is good, especially if you can get a hold of some Mexican vanilla extract, which can have complex flavors with a hint of cinnamon.
Please take note of the warning regarding raw eggs.
And for something different, try Jane Dougherty’s Moroccan delight ice cream, a really neat combination with coconut, anise, rum, raisins and almonds.
Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream
Recipe submitted by Elizabeth Martin. This recipe uses raw eggs. Though the chance of salmonella contamination is small, this ice cream is not recommended for the children, elderly, pregnant women or anyone with a weakened immune system. Others concerned about the safety of eating raw eggs may wish to try pasteurized eggs, in which a gentle heating process kills any bacteria that could cause foodborne illness but preserves the raw characteristics of eggs.
3 eggs
2¾ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 pint half-and-half
2 teaspoons Mexican or other good-quality vanilla extract
½ gallon whole milk
1. Beat eggs, sugar and pinch of salt together. Combine with half-and-half until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla.
2. Put in ice-cream freezer and fill with cold whole milk. Churn the ice cream until firm, following manufacturer’s directions.
Moroccan Delight Ice Cream
Recipe submitted by Jane Dougherty.
½ cup mixed light and dark raisins
¼ cup Marsala wine
½ cup almonds
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 cup dried shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
4 cups heavy cream, divided use
2 cups whole milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1½ tablespoons good-flavored honey
2 big pinches of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
10 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark rum
1. Warm raisins and Marsala in a small saucepan until wine is absorbed. Let cool. Chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on baking sheet and bake 5 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown, stirring frequently to toast evenly. On a separate baking sheet, toast almonds until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Chop almonds and set aside.
3. Toast anise seeds in a medium saucepan over moderate heat 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the milk, 2 cups of the heavy cream, sugar, honey, salt and toasted coconut. Heat until warm. Using a paring knife, scrape all the vanilla seeds into the saucepan and add the pod as well. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour or longer.
4. Rewarm the flavored milk mixture. Set a mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the anise-coconut flavored milk into the saucepan. Press down to extract as much flavor as possible. Remove vanilla bean pieces & discard coconut and anise seeds.
5. Pour remaining 2 cups heavy cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer on top. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
6. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats a spatula or spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla extract and rum. Place bowl over an ice bath (bowl of ice water), and cool, stirring occasionally.
7. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
8. Freeze mixture in ice-cream maker, following manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in the raisins and almonds near the end of the freezing.
