Peach Sorbet

Summer is not over yet, and even though I am more than ready for fall (my favorite season), I am still enjoying good fresh produce while I still can.  Ben and I both agreed this is our favorite of all the sorbets I have made so far.  It really tastes like fresh peaches and it has what I consider the perfect texture for a sorbet.  I was a bit skeptical about using a half cup of corn syrup initially (or using it at all, really) but most peach sorbet recipes I found called for it.  When I pureed the fruit mixture I started out with just a quarter cup and did a taste test, but I felt the half cup was necessary.  I’m glad I followed the recipe because it came out with just the right amount of sweetness and did not overpower the nice peach flavor.

Peach Sorbet

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped fresh peaches

½ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

½ cup water

1 tbsp. lemon juice

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least two hours.  Once chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Source: adapted from Dinner and Dessert

Banana Sorbet

A few days ago I found myself out of my last batch of homemade ice cream and with a fruit bowl full of very ripe bananas.  Since buying my ice cream maker I find it completely unacceptable to not have a homemade ice cream or sorbet in the freezer, so the solution was easy - banana sorbet!  As with most sorbets, I loved this because it was so quick to whip up.  Simply puree all ingredients and freeze - that’s it!

This was a very tasty and light treat, full of real banana flavor.  Bananas are used in most fruit smoothie recipes to lend a creaminess to the end result.  Since this is almost entirely made of bananas, the result is an incredibly creamy sorbet that seemed more like an ice cream in texture to me.  This was delicious topped with a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce, and I think it could be made into a rockin’ (healthier) ice cream sundae.  That said, I’m still dying to try roasted banana ice cream because, let’s face it, that sounds awesome.  Hopefully soon, but there are just so many recipes and so little time!

Banana Sorbet

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized ripe bananas, peeled

1 cup water

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

 

Directions:

Cut the bananas into chunks and puree them in a blender or food processor with the water, sugar and lime juice until smooth.

 

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, 10 Speed Press, 2007.

Raspberry Ice Cream

There are so many amazing ice cream recipes I am still dying to try.  Each time I try to decide what to make next, I become so overwhelmed by all the options that I can hardly make a choice!  I decided that to make my decisions a little easier for the time being, I will take advantage of the summer fruits at their peak (and on sale!) and make those recipes first.  This raspberry ice cream was really delicious.  Ben says it is his favorite of all the fruity ice creams I have made so far (although the milk chocolate brownie still wins out overall).  I was apparently tired when I went shopping for this recipe, as I bought whole milk instead of half-and-half and cream, but it still turned out wonderfully.  Good texture and great flavor!

Raspberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups half-and-half

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

1 ½ cups strained raspberry puree

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

Directions:

Warm the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.

 

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

 

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream.  Mix in the raspberry puree and lemon juice, then stir until cool over an ice bath.

 

Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, but to preserve the fresh raspberry taste, churn the ice cream within 4 hours after making the mixture.

Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, 10 Speed Press, 2007.

Country Peach Ice Cream

Recently Ben and I decided to explore a farmer’s market in our area.  I have been wanting to go for ages, but this particular market is on Friday evenings and up until now, I have almost always had something else planned.  We finally went and much to my disappointment, it was a major bust.  There were literally only two stands!!!  There were several more set up but they were vacant - maybe they normally have a better turnout?  Even though it was disappointing in that regard, I did get some wonderful produce.  I bought blueberries, corn on the cob, and these gorgeous peaches.  All of them were much better than anything I could find in the grocery store.  I decided the peaches would be perfect for my next ice cream endeavor, and they really were!  Ben and I both agreed that this is much better than any store-bought peach ice cream we have had.

The ice cream itself has a very mild peach flavor.  Most of the ”peachiness” of this ice cream is in the actual fruit chunks.  You could easily increase the peach flavor by adding the juices from the reserved peaches to the custard mixture before churning.  However, I thought this mild peach flavor was perfect - just like peaches and cream. 

Country Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 large, ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted and chopped into small chunks

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp.

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Directions:

Put half of the peaches in a bowl and mash slightly with a fork.  Sprinkle with the lemon juice and the 2 tablespoons sugar and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate.

 

In a heavy 2-qt. saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup of the cream, and the remaining peaches.  Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.  Do not let boil.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the peaches with the back of a spoon.  Discard the solids.

 

Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, salt, and remaining ½ cup cream in a bowl.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

 

Gradually whisk about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.  Pour the egg and milk mixtures into the saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4-6 minutes.  Do not let the custard boil.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.  Add the vanilla and stir to combine. 

 

Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water.  Stir occasionally until cool.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  When the ice cream is frozen to the consistency of soft serve, transfer to an air-tight container and fold in the reserved peaches.  Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 3 days before serving.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma Ice Cream by Mary Goodbody, Free Press, 2003.

Blueberry Ice Cream

Even though math and science have always been my strong suits, I am horrible at estimating.  You would think that the more I cook and bake the better I might be at it - not true.  When I bought the blueberries to make blueberry pie, I knew I needed 4 cups.  However, I had no idea how many cups are in a pint (2, for anyone else who is clueless).  So, thanks to my inability to visually size things up, I ended up buying 4 pints - two times the amount of berries I actually needed.  Thank goodness they were on sale!  It wasn’t hard to decide what to do with the extras.  One pint went directly into my mouth and the other was used to make this ice cream.  This is a really nice, light ice cream.  The flavor of the blueberries really shines through, accompanied by a creamy undertone.  And the gorgeous purple color - that alone is reason enough to make this ice cream!  (An added bonus - it turns your tongue that color too )

Blueberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries

¾ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup half and half

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. vodka (optional)

 

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blueberries, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes to steep.

 

Transfer the blueberry mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve (if desired) and into a bowl.  Stir in the vodka.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine.  Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer to an airtight container, cover and freeze until firm.  Makes about 1 quart.

Source: adapted from Half Baked

Strawberry Peach Sorbet

I have had this recipe saved for months and finally decided that with strawberries and peaches in their prime (and also very cheap), this was the time to make it.  It is definitely a fantastic sweet summer treat!  I was concerned that the strawberry flavor would overpower the peach flavor to the point of nonexistence, but the peach came through well.  I’m sure this varies depending on the ripeness and quality of the peaches, so taste the puree before freezing and adjust as necessary.  This sorbet has a really great texture, being very smooth and scoopable, and not too icy.  Yummy

Strawberry Peach Sorbet

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar

3 cups sliced strawberries

2 medium-sized peaches, peeled and sliced

1/3 cup water

pinch of salt

 

Directions:

Mix strawberries in a bowl with sugar.  Cover and allow to sit for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Using a blender or a food processor, combine the strawberries and their juices, peaches, water and salt and puree until smooth.  Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour until the mixture is chilled.  Strain the puree through a mesh sieve to remove the strawberry seeds if desired.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: adapted from Delish

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Brownie Bits

Oooooh my, this is some delicious ice cream.  There are several chocolate ice cream recipes in The Perfect Scoop and they all look fantastic, so I have decided I will be trying them all :-)  Ben chose this for us to try first and it was an excellent choice - and now, it has taken place as Ben’s new favorite ice cream.  I think this says a lot since he is not even a chocolate fiend like myself.  I was pretty nervous about making my first French-style ice cream but the wonderful instructions and tips written by David Lebovitz made it easier than I thought it would be and the whole thing went off without a hitch.  The texture was deliciously rich and creamy.  Now I’m really looking forward to trying some more French-style ice creams.  I just have to choose which one to try next!

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Brownie Bits

Ingredients:

For the brownie bits:

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup flour

1/8 tsp. salt

½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

 

For the ice cream:

8 oz. milk chocolate with at least 30% cocoa solids, finely chopped

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups whole milk

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt

4 large egg yolks

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line an 8-inch square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides.  If it doesn’t reach all the way up all four sides, cross another sheet of foil over it, making a large cross with edges that overhang the sides.  Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with butter or nonstick spray.

 

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly with a whisk over very low heat until the chocolate is melted.

 

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, and the vanilla.  Stir in the flour and the salt.  Beat the batter vigorously for 30 seconds, until it begins to forms a smooth ball.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 30 minutes, until the center feels just about set.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Cut into small bits to be mixed in to the ice cream.  (Only half of one batch is needed to mix in to ice cream – the other half can be eaten in regular brownie form or frozen for later use.)

 

For the ice cream, combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.  Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan.  Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.

 

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

 

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture.  Stir until cool over an ice bath.

 

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Fold in 2 cups of crumbled brownies into the just-churned ice cream.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, 10 Speed Press, 2007.

Orange Sherbet

This is my submission for this month’s installment of the Tasty Tools blog event featuring the juicer, hosted by the fabulous Joelen.  Ben and I both really enjoyed this sherbet.  It has a great, really fresh orange flavor because of the freshly squeezed juice.  However, I think next time I try this I may use equal amounts juice and milk.  The texture is a bit icy when the proportion of juice to cream is so high, and it doesn’t lend itself well to nice, pretty scoops.  The longer it is left out before scooping, the more easily it scoops (obviously), but I think some extra cream would do the trick.  For those who are a fan of the orange-chocolate flavor combination, a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top makes this treat even tastier

Orange Sherbet

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh orange juice (from 6-8 oranges)

¼ cup sugar

1 cup whole milk

 

Directions:

In a bowl, stir the orange juice and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.  Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a nonaluminum bowl.  Pour the milk into another bowl.  Cover both bowls and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

 

Mix the orange juice and milk together.  Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer the sherbet to a freezer-safe container.  Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.

Source: Williams Sonoma Ice Cream, by Mary Goodbody, Free Press, 2003.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I love ice cream.  Love it.  I enjoy most flavors, but when asked my favorite I would probably have chosen something like double fudge brownie or strawberry…until I met this ice cream.  This is now, without a doubt, my favorite of all.  The flavor is amazing, the texture is perfect.  I could go on and on, but I won’t.  Just make it and see for yourself.  It is absolutely delicious.  I used the cream and whole milk version and was obviously happy with the result.  I can’t wait to try the variation suggested by David Lebovitz, caramel fudge ripple, but I also know that I don’t think anything can top this classic vanilla.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Ingredients:

3 cups heavy cream, or 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

 

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot.  Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

 

Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups cream (or cream and milk) and the vanilla extract.

 

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.  When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, 10 Speed Press, 2007.

Lime Sorbet

For a delicious end to our Mexican meal last night, I thought lime sorbet sounded like the perfect treat.  It is funny because I normally do not enjoy lime sorbet, lime popsicles, etc. when they are store-bought.  Something about the artifical taste called “lime” is not so appealing to me.  I am really, really glad I gave this recipe a try though because it has superb natural lime flavor.  The sorbet is perfectly sweet and tart at the same time.  I tweaked the recipe a bit since myself and one of our guests are pregnant, the Champagne was not really an option.  I used some 7Up I had in the fridge but I think ginger ale would also be a fabulous substitute.  I served this in chocolate bowls which was a fun and festive touch, but I did not get a picture to do them justice so I will just have to make them again soon!  The only thing about this sorbet that was less than stellar was the texture.  It froze pretty hard due to the high water/low fruit content and was not so easily scoopable, but it tasted so good that I really don’t care about that

Lime Sorbet

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups water

¾ cup sugar

1 lime

¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (approx. 5-9 limes)

6 tbsp. Champagne or sparkling wine (optional) – 7Up or ginger ale can also be used

 

Directions:

In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix 1 cup of the water with the sugar.  Grate the zest of the lime directly into the saucepan.  Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1 ¼ cups water, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

 

Mix in the lime juice and the Champagne or sparkling wine, if using.  Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, 10 Speed Press, 2007.