Strawberries and Ice Cream

Although I wait in great anticipation for the new arrival of fresh spring fruit every year, I’m nevertheless always mildly surprised when it actually shows up. It’s a little bit like seeing a good friend for the first time after miles and months apart. Today, all of a sudden there are these beautiful precious things, a bright shock of color after the dreary days of winter.

Strawberries are making their first appearance here in California and they are looking great. Their bright color and wonderful aroma send such a strong signal of the coming spring season, it’s impossible not to jump and make a first purchase.

This ice cream is a great way to enjoy some terrific juicy strawberries. They are sweetened and enhanced with a bit of balsamic vinegar and then folded into a tart ice cream base to produce a grand pleasure reminiscent of a simple bowl of strawberries and cream. I think you’ll find this a very enjoyable way to welcome a new crop of gorgeous and glorious fruit. Spring has definitely sprung!

Bench notes:

- Taste your strawberries to gauge their sugar level and then keep tasting as you add sugar.

- Substitute brown sugar in the strawberries if you prefer.

- Since strawberries contain quite a lot of water, if you won't be consuming all the ice cream at once, the strawberries will need quite a lot of sugar and should be pureed to avoid becoming too icy in the freezer.

- If you enjoy balsamic vinegar, you'll love the reserved syrup generously spooned over a bowl of the ice cream. After you've strained out the strawberries, taste for any additional sugar or balsamic.

Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream

Makes about a pint

1 C sour cream

1/2 C buttermilk

1/4 C heavy cream

1/4 C milk

1/2 C sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 t lemon juice

1 pint of fresh ripe strawberries

3 T sugar, to taste

balsamic vinegar, to taste

Whisk all the dairy ingredients together until blended. Add the sugar, pinch of salt and the lemon juice. Chill thoroughly.

Hull and cut strawberries into thin slices and place in a bowl. Toss with sugar and taste for sweetness. Add balsamic vinegar a teaspoon at a time, to taste. Set aside and let macerate for about an hour.

Freeze the ice cream according to your machine’s instructions. Pour into a clean airtight container. Put a piece of plastic wrap on the surface, cover and place in your freezer for an hour or two to firm up a bit.

Drain strawberries in a strainer and reserve the syrup.

When the ice cream is ready, pour about half of it into another container and dollop with strawberry mixture. Repeat and press the strawberries into the surface. Scoop into ice cream dishes and enjoy with a drizzle of strawberry balsamic syrup.

Fruits of Summer Ice Cream Sundae

Sitting out on picnic table in the sunshine, eating ice cream after running through the sprinkler.  This was an important part of summer to me when I was a kid.  I loved any kind of ice cream...peppermint bon bon, sherberts, cookie dough, strawberry, peach, chocolate...I ate them all!  I would even scoop them all into one bowl if I had the option to!  I loved to load them up with toppings as well.  I can remember being at my Dad's house when I was about eight making myself an ice cream sundae.  I grabbed everything and anything ice cream related or that could be used as a topping and started crafting my masterpiece.  I scooped 3 different ice creams into a bowl.  Peppermint Bon Bon, Strawberry, and Moose Tracks. I then loaded it up with fudge, caramel and reddi whip.  Not to stop there however, I topped it off with M&Ms and chocolate chips. It was a monster bowl of ice cream, and I ate it all!  Looking back on it, it sounds way too sweet and kind of disgusting to me now, but I was in heaven at the time!

My tastes have drastically changed and I am no longer into that overly sweet stuff.  I much prefer things which are made sweet by fruit instead of just sugar, and I am in love with coconut milk based ice creams instead of the dairy I used to indulge in all the time.  And so recently when I was looking through photos of the ice cream on my blog, I thought, wouldn't it be lovely to create a sundae featuring fruit and herbs?
I had recently made lemon basil ice cream and it was so refreshing that I knew it would be perfect among the other ice creams in the sundae.  I also whipped up a batch of raspberry lavender and peach thyme.  They were all wonderfully fragrant and just sweet enough, but not overly so.

I spooned them into one of my Grandmother's antique dishes, and topped them off with a bit of fresh raspberry sauce, crunchy pistachios, and a mixture of fruits I happened to have on hand.

It was the most beautiful sundae I had ever layed eyes on...almost too pretty to eat!  You may be wondering if I ate this concoction myself or shared, as it was a rather large bowl.  I ate every last bite myself!  It was too good to share...that bowl at least.

Luckilly I had enough ice cream leftover to share some.  Who says ice cream sundaes have to be overly sweet and dripping with gooey sauces?  Light and refreshing is so wonderful especially when it is near 100 degrees and you don't want to be feeling heavy.

Fruits of Summer Ice Cream Sundae
peach thyme ice cream:
makes 5 cups

2 Tbsp fresh thyme
3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 medium fresh organic peaches, diced
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

In a blender combine all ingredients, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

raspberry lavender ice cream:
Makes 5 cups
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp dried lavender, divided
2 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
3/4 cup agave nectar
12 oz fresh organic raspberries or 12 oz bag frozen raspberries
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup lite coconut milk to a simmer and remove from heat. Add 1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers and stir in. Let cool, then chill in the fridge until very cold to let lavender infuse. Strain coconut milk, discarding lavender then add chilled milk to a blender, along with all other ingredients (except remaining 1 Tbsp dried lavender) in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, stir in remaining Tbsp lavender and pour into a freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

lemon basil ice cream:
Makes 4 cups

3 cups organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
3 Tbsp organic lemon zest
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until well blended. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to package directions (mine takes about an hour, and is still a little soupy like the consistency of a malt, but firms up in the freezer later). Once processed, pour into freezable container with a lid, and place in the freezer for at least a few hours, or overnight to firm up for best results.

Raspberry Sauce:

2 cups fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Puree all ingredients until smooth.

For assembly:
1/4 cup pistachios (each sundae)
assorted fresh organic fruit (I used raspberries, blackberries, peaches, and strawberries)
fresh basil and thyme leaves

To assemble, scoop 2 scoops of each ice cream into an obling bowl.  Top with a bit of raspberry puree, pistachios, fresh fruit, and herbs.  Enjoy!

Coffee Ice Cream - The Ultimate Summer Treat

Coffee ice cream has to be one of the most refreshing summer treats available. This tasty, frozen dessert combines the refreshing coolness of ice cream with the tantalizing flavor of coffee. Factor in a little energy boost from the coffee...and you've got yourself a super summer treat!

Thinking that frozen coffee treats are just reserved for specialty shops and that only gourmet chefs can churn out this fantastic treat, it's a wonderful surprise to taste the product of this recipe for the first time! Yup! You can make this great tasting dessert in the comfort of your own home!

Whether you're heading out to cut the grass, you've just come in from weeding the garden, or you just want a chilled bowl full of frozen goodness...you'll be happy to relax with the tasty treat made from this simple recipe. You'll be surprised that you made it yourself!

This recipe is versatile. You can make it to suit your "coffee tastes and preferences." Some people like their coffee weak; others will only drink it strong. Some people are adamant regular flavored coffee drinkers; others love the variety of flavored coffee now and then. Some people choose espresso over coffee.

When it comes to this recipe, you can adjust it to suit your likes and churn out a treat that's perfect for you!

Do you like your coffee strong or weak? Use more or less coffee to suit your preference!

Are you in the mood for flavored coffee? Simply use your favorite flavored instant coffee!

Do you like coffee or espresso better? Use your favorite instant coffee or espresso!

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp instant coffee or espresso (2 tbsp for a weaker flavor, 2 1/2 tbsp for a moderate coffee flavor)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for Making Homemade Coffee Ice Cream

Step 1: With an electric mixer or whisk, mix milk, granulated sugar, and instant coffee until the sugar and coffee have completely dissolved.

Step 2: Stir heavy cream and vanilla extract into the coffee mixture.

Step 3: Pour mixture into your ice cream maker.

Step 4: Mix ingredients in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Ice cream will be thick when finished.

Step 5: Dig in and enjoy!

With your bowl filled to overflowing with this tasty bowl of homemade coffee ice cream, you can sit back...relax...and enjoy the beautiful day!