ice cream

Earl Grey chocolate ice cream

August 2, 2019 by vytran24 1 Comment

This Earl Grey chocolate ice cream has a deep, rich chocolate taste layered with a beautiful Earl Grey note that keeps you coming back for more.

Meet my new favorite chocolate ice cream, Earl Grey chocolate ice cream! I have been dreaming of bringing an Earl Grey chocolate ice cream to life since I made these Earl Grey chocolate pots de creme over a year ago. For me, regular chocolate ice cream doesn’t quite hit the spot. I’m drawn to chocolate ice cream layered with flavors like chile, herbs, espresso, or Earl grey tea. This Earl grey chocolate ice cream is my pots de creme re-imagined.

To make the ice cream, I steeped Earl grey tea leaves in a heavy cream and milk mixture for 8 minutes. I wanted a gentle Earl Grey flavor to complement the chocolate so I decreased the amount of Earl grey tea from the original recipe. For the chocolate flavor, I whisked in melted Valrhona 70% cacao and Dutch processed cocoa which imbued the cream mixture with an intense chocolate flavor analogous to a dark roast coffee. I also tested the recipe with regular, unsweetened cocoa powder and the Dutch process cocoa won . Use good quality chocolate instead of bars or chips with high sugar and cocoa butter which compromise the texture and freezing temperature.

The cream mixture is used to temper the egg yolks and create the custard base. Egg yolks help create a creamy and smooth texture and only four yolks are needed for this recipe. From my ice cream making experience, you need a minimum of two egg yolks to get that creamy texture and maximum of four otherwise that eggy undertone will start to come through. Don’t get me wrong, I love eggs but prefer them for breakfast and not for my desserts to taste eggy. Once the eggs are tempered, the whole mixture is cooked over low heat to create a creamy custard. Strain the custard to get rid of any scrambled eggs or lumps and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating. I prefer to refrigerate my custard overnight for all the flavors to meld together instead of churning it right away.

This Earl Grey chocolate ice cream is for the chocolate lovers who want a little more–a chocolate ice cream with depth, richness, and a beautiful Earl grey note. We enjoyed it so much we’re onto batch number three already. With the weather being in the 80s-90s, we’ll be making this all summer long to cool down.

For more ice cream recipes, check out these recipes: mulberry crumble ice cream, roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream, Earl grey honey blossom ice cream, Vietnamese coffee ice cream, and rum raisin ice cream.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram. We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

4.86 from 7 votes

Earl Grey chocolate ice cream

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Churning Time

25 mins

This Earl Grey chocolate ice cream has a deep, rich chocolate taste layered with a beautiful Earl Grey note that keeps you coming back for more.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate cake, Earl grey, Ice cream

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup 2% milk
8 oz dark chocolate, 70%
1/4 cup Dutch cocoa
2 tbsps loose Earl grey tea leaves
4 medium egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup dark chocolate, 70% chopped

Instructions

In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, add the cacao solids and ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Set melted chocolate aside.
In a heavy saucepan, combine remaining heavy cream, milk, salt and ½ cup of sugar.
Put the pan over medium heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer) and sugar completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the Earl Grey tea leaves and let it steep for 7-8 minutes until the cream has taken on the tea flavor, stirring occasionally and tasting to make sure it’s not too bitter.
Whisk in Dutch cocoa until smooth. Add in melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up and whisk in remaining sugar. Set aside.
Put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and let it warm up for 2 minutes.
Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture.
While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5 minutes.
Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
When ready to serve, scoop the ice cream into a serving bowl and top with chopped chocolate.

Mulberry crumble ice cream

July 23, 2019 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

This mulberry crumble ice cream has a tangy berry flavor complimented by a spiced cinnamon crumble that tastes like mulberry pie in frozen form.

Happy July everyone! Summer is always busy for us with the kids at home. Keeping them entertained is a challenge but it’s been a fun filled schedule with July 4th celebration, beach days, and many evenings at the park. Cooking wise we haven’t done much because it’s too hot to turn on the stove or oven. One thing we have been making a lot of is ice cream. With July being national ice cream month and my favorite food holiday, I have quite a few ice cream and sorbet recipes coming your way. The first is this delicious mulberry crumble ice cream that tastes like mulberry pie in frozen form.

I discovered mulberries a few years ago and have been figuring out more ways to incorporate them into recipes. With a distinctive sweet and tangy taste that’s unlike any other berries, mulberries make the most delicious desserts. Imagine pies, tarts, jams, and frozen desserts! This mulberry crumble ice cream recipe was inspired by a marionberry pie that I had while living in Washington State. With a sweet tart berry taste and crumble topping spiced with cinnamon, it was one of the most delicious pies I have ever devoured.

The mulberry was turned into a compote, pureed, strained, and then folded into the ice cream mixture prior to churning. To achieve that unforgettable tang from the pie, I added creme fraiche to the ice cream base. The natural tanginess of creme fraiche offers a neutral background that’s perfect for mulberries, other berries, and stone fruits. For the crumble, it’s a simple mixture of flour, butter, and sugar spiced with cinnamon. If you don’t like cinnamon, other spices like nutmeg and cardamom also work well.

We love this ice cream so much we have made it three times already. I also stocked up on mulberries and froze them so I can make it again when the current batch is gone. With its tangy flavor, berry undertone, and cinnamon spiced crumble, you’re in for a treat! This mulberry crumble ice cream is the perfect way to celebrate national ice cream month!

For more ice cream recipes, check out these recipes: roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream, Earl grey honey blossom ice cream, Vietnamese coffee ice cream, and rum raisin ice cream.

5 from 5 votes

Mulberry crumble ice cream

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

This mulberry crumble ice cream has a tangy berry flavor complimented by a spiced cinnamon crumble that's like eating a mulberry pie in frozen form.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Ice cream

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup 2% milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup creme fraiche

Mulberry compote

1 lb fresh mulberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Crumble topping

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
4 tbsps unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a heavy non-reactive saucepan, combine mulberries, sugar, and lemon juice and stir well. Put the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently until the mulberries are soft and the liquid they release has reduced somewhat, about 10 minutes.
Let it cool slightly then transfer the mulberries and their juice to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much puree as possible. Discard the solids and refrigerate the mulberry.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up and whisk in ¼ cup sugar. Set aside.
In a heavy non-reactive saucepan, combine cream, milk, salt and ½ cup of sugar.
Put the pan over medium heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer). Reduce the heat to low.
Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture. Whisk in the hot cream mixture while whisking the eggs constantly. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5 minutes.
Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 2 hours or overnight. I like to refrigerate the base overnight for the most flavor.
When ready to churn the ice cream, whisk the creme fraiche, then the mulberry puree into the ice cream base.
Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
To make the crumble, in a medium prep bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Use your fingers and rub the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Refrigerate the crumble for 15 minutes until chilled.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread the chilled crumble mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let it cool completely before breaking it into small pieces. Store the crumble in a tight-lidded container until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, scoop the mulberry ice cream into a bowl and top with the crumble.

Roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream

June 22, 2018 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

This roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream is incredibly refreshing with a beautiful strawberry flavor.

roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream

It’s officially summer and we’re excited to share a recipe for roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream. I’ve been making this ice cream for a few years and it’s always a hit at ice cream socials. Roasted strawberry on its own is amazing but adding a touch of balsamic vinegar makes it extra special. The balsamic imparts a refreshing complexity to the already fruity and delicious ice cream.

two bowls of roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream

I used Gaviota strawberries from JR Organics Farm which were really sweet so not a whole lot of sugar was needed. Two egg yolks added a touch of creaminess to the ice cream. The only trick to making this ice cream is cooking the custard slowly over low heat to avoid scrambling the eggs. Once the custard was cool enough, I refrigerated it overnight for the flavor the develop. After 30 minutes of churning in my Cuisinart ice cream maker, I was in strawberry heaven. While it’s peak strawberry season, grab some from your farmers market and make this roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream.

two bowls of roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream

If you like frozen desserts, check out these recipes: mango and passion fruit granita, passion fruit frozen yogurt, and strawberry elderflower sorbet.

4.8 from 10 votes

Roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Churning time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

This roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream is incredibly refreshing with a beautiful strawberry flavor.

Course: Dessert, Ice Cream

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Ice cream

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

4 cups organic strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps granulated sugar
2 organic medium egg yolks
6 tbsps granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups organic heavy cream
1 cup organic 2% milk
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a roasting pan. Toss gently to coat and bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the strawberries are soft and release their juices.
Let the strawberries cool lightly for about 15 minutes.
Transfer the strawberries and juice to a blender and puree until smooth.
Strain the strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer. You should get about 2 cups. Set aside.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks with 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar just to break them up. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, combine cream, milk, and salt and let it heat up until you see the liquid bubbling at the edges.
Measure out half a cup of cream mixture.
While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan. Add the strawberry puree.
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5-7 minutes.
Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container to remove any egg pieces that were cooked during the process.
Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes.
Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours or overnight. I like to refrigerate the base overnight for the most flavor.
Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Spin until thick and creamy about 30-35 minutes.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Blood orange and chocolate chip sorbet

February 26, 2017 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

As the end of winter is approaching, I couldn’t be more excited to share a regular winter dessert that we make when blood oranges are in abundance. When we took a trip to Rome for our honeymoon many years ago, I was surprised to find that my favorite part of visiting Rome was not the sightseeing or the pasta, but tasting all the different gelati and sorbets. At just about every corner, you’ll find a gelateria claiming to have the best flavors in the eternal city. Instead of ordering a decadent dessert at the end of our meal, we would head to a gelateria and grab a scoop (usually two or more) to cool down in the scorching summer heat. With the cones in our hands, we made our way to the steps at Trevi fountain to enjoy our gelato and sorbets and people watch.

One of my favorite sorbets was blood orange and chocolate chip because it was unlike anything that I had in the US. The flavor of orange was intense with a raspberry undertone and nicely balanced with the dark chocolate chips peppered throughout. Since our trip to Rome, I tried to recreate that sorbet every winter when blood orange is in season. This is the closest I got to recreating the blood orange and chocolate chip sorbet from memory. Enjoy!

Blood orange and chocolate chip sorbet

½ cup of simple syrup
2 cups of freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained
pinch of salt
¼ cup of your favorite dark chocolate chip, chopped (I used Toll House)
2:1 simple syrup
1 cup of sugar
½ cup of water

1. To make the 2:1 simple syrup, whisk water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved completely.

2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool completely.

3. To make the blood orange sorbet, add the simple syrup, orange juice, and salt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

4. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool completely.

5. Refrigerate the mixture for 4 hours or overnight to let the flavor develop.

6. When ready to churn, pour the blood orange mixture into the your ice cream machine, stir in the chocolate chip, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instruction. (My machine takes about 25-30 minutes to get a lovely soft serve consistency.)

7. When the sorbet is ready, scoop out the sorbet into a freezer proof container. The sorbet can be served after 4 hours or stored up to two weeks.

Vietnamese coffee ice cream

November 12, 2015 by vytran24 3 Comments

Considering how we can’t start our morning without a glass of cafe sua da, it was a no brainer to turn one our our favorite drinks into a frozen treat. We’ve been making Vietnamese coffee ice cream since we got a Cuisinart ice cream machine years ago but haven’t thought about putting it on the blog until recently. After testing it out at several parties and ice cream socials, it won first place for the most popular ice cream among ten other frozen treats. A very coveted spot! The Earl gray and honey blossom ice cream and passion fruit frozen yogurt were trailing right behind.

We use the same coffee that we make Vietnamese iced coffee with, Cafe du Monde’s coffee and chicory. The milk and cream mixture is gently boiled and the coffee granules are steeped for about 8 minutes to impart that beautiful coffee taste. My friends and coworkers were pleasantly surprised at how similar in taste it was to the actual Vietnamese coffee drink minus the caffeine high. The intense coffee flavor will make your taste buds dance. It’s almost like drinking a glass of cafe sua da but in frozen form. Many people asked for the recipe so it would be a crime not to share! You can now enjoy this delectable treat at home or find someone that is willing to make it for you!

Vietnamese coffee ice cream

1 cup of organic heavy cream
1 cup of organic 2% milk
½ cup of condensed milk
3 tablespoons of Vietnamese coffee (my favorite is Cafe Du Monde with chicory)
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 large organic egg yolks

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine cream, milk, and condensed milk.
2. Put the pan over medium heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer). Remove from heat.
3. Add the coffee and let it steep for 8 minutes until the cream has taken on the coffee flavor, stirring occasionally and tasting to make sure it’s not too bitter.
4. While waiting for the coffee to steep, in a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up and whisk in sugar. Set aside.
5. Put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and let it warm up for 2 minutes.
6. Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture.
7. While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
8. Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5 minutes.
9. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
10. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 2 hours or overnight. I like to refrigerate the base overnight for the most flavor.
11. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
12. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
13. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Strawberry and Elderflower Sorbet

July 17, 2015 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

When I come across a new ingredient for the first time, I want to explore all the culinary possibilities. I am driven, like a mad scientist to derive its property, to break it down, to transform it, and ultimately to learn as much as I can. Over the past few months, my mind has been consumed by elderflower. The tsunami of Instagram posts on elderflower since spring piqued my curiosity. I haven’t felt this way for a long time. The last time I felt like this was six years ago, sitting in a noodle shop in Vietnam sipping on a glass of passion fruit lemonade wondering what the heck I’ve just inhaled. After a bit of research, I found that elderflowers grow mainly in Europe and are prolific in the spring. People pick the aromatic blossoms from elderberry shrubs and transform them into beautiful concoctions. Unfortunately, they are not readily available in the US so I found the closest thing I could get my hands on–elderflower cordial from St Germain. When Vu and I took a whip of the cordial, we were blown away by the beautiful fragrant reminiscent of lychee and an indistinguishable floral note.

So the experiments began! They went into drinks, cocktails, and desserts! Yes, many desserts! We’re sharing one of our favorite concoctions today–strawberry and elderflower sorbet. The flavor of elderflower is quite delicate and I wanted to preserve it as much as possible. Sorbet was the best dish for it to shine. It definitely held its own next to the sweet, exquisite taste of strawberries. The end result was a refreshing and delicious sorbet! If you haven’t tried elderflower, this sorbet will win you over.

Strawberry and Elderflower Sorbet

1 pound organic strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 16 oz when pureed)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup elderflower cordial (Saint Germain brand)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved and set aside to let it cool to room temperature.

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the strawberries with lemon juice.

3. Add the cooled syrup to the strawberry puree and blend again for a minute.

4. Stir in the elderflower cordial until thoroughly mixed.

5. Pour the strawberry mixture into an ice cream machine and churn till frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions.

6. The sorbet is best served immediately or can be kept in the freezer for up to 5 days.

Earl Grey and Honey Blossom Ice Cream

May 29, 2015 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

When I took my first sip of London Fog at Le Marche St Georges a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with Earl Grey tea. Since then I’ve been drinking it on a regular basis and you’ll find my pantry fully stocked with Earl Grey tea at any time. A few weeks ago, my friend asked for a batch of Earl Grey ice cream, and I jumped at the opportunity to turn one of my favorite drinks into an ice cream. I asked why Earl Grey considering there are endless flavors but she thought it sounded lovely as an ice cream. Darn right!

I love playing with flavors and decided to combine Earl Gray and honey blossom to see what I could coax out of those ingredients. It was a hit when tested on some unsuspecting guests at a birthday party. I think people were surprised that a tea could make such a good ice cream flavor.

Bergamot-scented Earl Gray tea and honey blossom create a sophisticated and complex flavor that is subtly sweet with slight bitter undertone. This is my fourth batch and I can’t get enough of it!

Earl Gray Ice Cream (makes 1 pint)

1 cup of organic heavy cream

1 cup of organic 2% milk

¼ cup of honey blossom

3 tbsp Earl Gray loose tea leaves (my favorite brand is from the Tea Guys)

2 tbsp of sugar

2 large organic egg yolks

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine cream, milk, and honey.

2. Put the pan over medium heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer). Remove from heat.

3. Add the Earl Gray tea leaves and let it steep for 7-8 minutes until the cream has taken on the tea flavor, stirring occasionally and tasting to make sure it’s not too bitter.

4. While waiting for the tea to steep, in a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up and whisk in sugar. Set aside.

5. Put the saucepan back on the stove over low heat and let it warm up for 2 minutes.

6. Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture.

7. While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.

8. Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 5 minutes.

9. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.

10. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 2 hours or overnight.

11. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

12. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.

13. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Homemade Rum Raisin Ice Cream

April 27, 2015 by vytran24 Leave a Comment

Ice cream flavors like mango, jackfruit, durian, coconut, pandan, and coffee were the ones I grew up with. My mom sold ice cream and frozen yogurt as a side job when I was very young. I was the chief taste tester and couldn’t be happier to play that role.

It wasn’t until we moved to America that I was exposed to exotic flavors like cookies and cream, rocky road, salted caramel, cherry garcia, and rum raisin. We went through a period of time where a new flavor was brought home whenever my mom went grocery shopping.

Throughout the years, one flavor has remained my favorite—rum raisin from Haagen-Dazs! The first time I had rum raisin ice cream, my taste buds did a happy dance. There’s something about that hint of rum that makes it so good!

With the weather warming up and my freezer semi-empty, I decided it was time to experiment. After several batches, I found the ratio of milk, cream, egg, sugar, raisins, and rum that I like. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Rum raisin ice cream

1 ½ cup of 2% organic milk

1 ½ cup of organic heavy whipping cream

4 small egg yolks

½ cup of sugar (If you like your ice cream on the sweet side, use 3/4 cup of sugar instead)

3 tbsp of dark rum

For the raisins

½ cup of raisins

½ cup of dark rum (reserve 3 tbsps of rum for ice cream)

1. Combine the raisins and dark rum in a bowl and let the raisins soak overnight.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in half of the sugar. Set aside.

3. In a heavy, nonstick saucepan, stir together milk, cream, and remaining sugar.

4. Put the pan over medium-high heat and let the mixture boil gently to bubbling just around the edges (gentle simmer). Reduce the heat to low.

5. Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture. While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.

6. Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spatula.

7. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.

8. Stir in the rum soaked raisins and 3 tbsps of rum.

9. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours or overnight.
10. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
11. Spin until thick and creamy, about 25-30 minutes.
12. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Cook’s note:

-When you’re cooking the egg yolk-cream mixture, keep the heat low to avoid scrambling your ice cream base.

-I like to chill my ice cream base overnight to let the flavor fully develop.

Celebrating National Ice Cream Day with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

July 22, 2012 by Vy Tran Leave a Comment

Ever since I came back from San Francisco, I waited impatiently for the book Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones from Bi-Rite Creamery to arrive. It came just in time to whip up a few batches of ice cream before National Ice Cream Month is over. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July as National Ice Cream Month and established the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day. He couldn’t have picked a better time to celebrate ice cream. July is the peak of summer, and everyone needs a frozen treat to counter these warm days.

I knew exactly which recipe to try first. I wanted to recreate that magical moment when my taste buds were introduced to the salted caramel ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery.

The complex taste of sweet caramel heightened by a bit of salt. Pure bliss. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Three batches later and I still crave for salted caramel ice cream. I appreciate recipes that deliver exceptional results and this couldn’t be more true of Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones. While Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home wins the prize for originality and creativity, Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones takes the trophy for delivering consistency and taste. If you are new to homemade ice cream, this book is a great resource. Most recipes call for very few ingredients that are easily accessible through your local supermarkets and farmers market.

Enjoy the rest of National Ice Cream Month whether you’re enjoying homemade ice cream from the comfort of your kitchen or ready-serve scoops at a neighborhood ice cream parlor!

Salted Caramel Ice Cream (from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones)

¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ¾ cup heavy cream, at room temp
5 egg yolks
¾ cup whole milk (the original recipe calls for 1% or 2% milk)
½ tsp salt(the original recipe calls for 1 tsp)
caramel sauce (optional)

Toasted almonds (optional)

1. Get all the ingredients ready and set them near the stove.

2. For the caramel sauce, measure out ½ cup of sugar (the rest will go in the yolks). Put 2 tablespoons of sugar in a nonreactive saucepan and set the pan on medium heat. When the sugar is melted around the edges and starts to turn amber, about 2 minutes, stir the mixture gently and add another 2 tablespoons sugar to the pan.

3. Continue adding the remaining sugar to the pan 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently and allowing most of the sugar to melt before adding more. Watch carefully as the sugar darkens, stirring gently to help it melt evenly.

4. When the caramel becomes a dark mahogany color, remove the pan from the heat and immediately but slowly pour the cream into the pan.

5. The mixture will steam and bubble up so be careful not to burn yourself. When the bubbling subsides, gently stir to completely blend the cream into the caramel. If you see lumps of hardened caramel, put the pan over low heat and stir until the caramel is melted.

6. Once the caramel is completely smooth, stir in the milk and salt. Put the pan on medium-high heat. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.

7. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just the break them up, then whisk in ¼ cup of sugar. Set aside.

8. Carefully measure out ½ cup of hot cream mixture. While whisking the eggs constantly, whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs until smooth. Continue tempering the eggs by adding another ½ cup of hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.

9. Pour the cream-egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula.

10. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.

11. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 2 hours or overnight.
12. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
13. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
14. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
15. When ready to serve, scoop the ice cream into bowl, drizzle with caramel sauce, and top with some toasted almonds.

Caramel sauce

¾ cup heavy cream, at room temp

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Repeat steps 1-5.

2. Let the sauce cool until just warm. If not using within a few hours, transfer the caramel sauce to a container and refrigerate. Re-warm before using.

Passion fruit frozen yogurt

June 25, 2012 by Vy Tran Leave a Comment

We fell in love, with frozen yogurt, that is. Well not just any frozen yogurt, but HOMEMADE passion fruit frozen yogurt. We found some passion fruits at the farmer’s market yesterday and decided to stock up. With our recent success with the roasted strawberry ice cream from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, I decided to try her passion fruit frozen yogurt recipe.

The flavor was intense. But perfect. Vu and I love the tartness. Similar to how Vietnamese yogurt tastes, the ones we grew up with, which Pinkberry has successful introduced to the American consumers. If you have traveled to Vietnam, you probably remember the frozen yogurt sold in a little plastic bag. And only one flavor, plain tart, unlike the multitude of flavors offered at the typical American yogurt parlor. The hot, humid weather of Vietnam melts it quite nicely and turns it into a delectable treat of sweetness and tart.

We have always liked yogurt, even more so than ice cream since it’s a healthier alternative. Just about every time we went to dinner, we would end the night at Yogurt World or Pinkberry.

The frozen yogurt was a perfect treat for a warm afternoon. Absolutely refreshing. And the color was gorgeous. Beautiful sunny yellow. A welcoming sign of summer. We enjoyed it so much that I whipped up a second batch already. Hidden nicely in the back of our freezer. We are ready for the upcoming warm summer afternoons and evenings.

Passion Fruit Frozen Yogurt (adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home)

1 quart plain low-fat yogurt

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup passion fruit pulp

1 cup and 2 tbsps whole milk

2 tbsps cornstarch

¼ cup light corn syrup

1 cup of heavy cream

1. Set a sieve over a bowl and line it with a cheesecloth. Pour half of a quart of yogurt into the sieve, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight to drain.

2. Discard the liquid, and measure out 2 cups of strained yogurt (you’ll yield a bit over 2 cups, save the remaining for other uses).

3. For the passion fruit syrup, combine the passion fruit pulp and combine ½ cup of sugar in a small saucepan and boil over medium-heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Combine 2 tbsps of milk with 2 tbsps with cornstarch to make a smooth slurry.

5. In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and stir with a spatula until the mixture slightly coats the spatula. Remove from heat.

7. Gradually whisk the strained yogurt and passion fruit syrup into the milk mixture and mix until smooth.

8. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes.

9. Pour the yogurt mixture into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

10. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.

11. Pack the frozen yogurt into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.