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Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream | Melon Champagne Sorbet
Raspberry-Peach Ice Cream | Blood Orange Sherbet | Red Plum Sorbet
More Summertime-Good Old Summertime???
By Cynthia Bowan
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August and summer will soon be over.
Somehow, it seems to me that the days fly by even quicker in summer than any other time of year. I mean, when we were all much younger, three months off of school was not enough. Perhaps nowadays, at any rate, it seems that summer and all the glory it shares are over quickly because summer is overshadowed when football camps and even the football season starts, and back-to-school sales ads fill up a lot of television time and newspaper space.
But there still are some weeks of marvelous weather, easier living and cooking to be enjoyed. Fresh fruit and vegetables are in stores, and trips to farmers' markets a delight.
We eat differently now, lighter meals and desserts, especially ones that do not a lot of time to cook. When the temperature hits the 90's around here, we look for more ways to get cool. Yesterday, for example, our dinner was fresh corn on the cob which I cooked in the microwave (shucked and cleaned ears rinsed well, placed on a plate and covered with waxed paper, cooked about 1 1/2 minutes per ear, or until the kernels are tender). Sweet butter, a little salt, maybe even a dash of pepper...
A plate of sliced cucumbers and early ripe tomatoes which taste like summer, fresh bread (made that morning in the bread machine)...who needs fancy stuff?
Sometimes in the evening, though, I get an urge for ice cream. The choice of flavors is not the important thing; the memories are. When we were very little, our parents would make ice cream. Dad would get the old church out while Momma made the custard and sliced the fruit. Fresh peach, strawberry, or fresh banana...sometimes she would make crushed pineapple...
Then it would be our turn: either my sister Susan or brother Joe or myself would help Dad as he turned the handle. We would alternately layer the crushed ice and rock salt as Dad kept working. When the ice cream was just about done, Dad could not turn the crank anymore. So he would carefully open the church and remove the blade, handing it over to Momma, who would put it on a platter for those of us to sample who couldn't wait. Then Dad would put the lid back on, we would pour off the slush and repack the churn with more ice and salt ---- and wait. After what seemed days, Dad would pronounce the ice cream had "matured", the container would be taken into the house, and we would all have a huge bowl.
Sometimes we would go for a ride in the car in early evening, just driving around to see what we could see. We would stop for ice cream at any number of places, with soft custard being one of our favorites. And oh! The time we discovered the twin joys of chocolate and vanilla, braided around each other in a cake cone...yes, being a child of any age in summer has its rewards.
Imagine my joy when I fell in love, and discovered that Merrill's family also took car trips, and stopped for ice cream at some of the same places my family loved: Hank's Frozen Custard in the Junction Stretch between Rochester and New Brighton; there was another whose name none of us can remember, between Ambridge and Fair Oaks where they served home made ice cream in the only sugar cones anyone had in the area. It was a rare find to come upon such a place.
That was the summer that the love of my life worked on a Mister Softee truck. Each summer night, his route would somehow take him past my parents' home, and he would stop in front with the bells ringing, and of course, I had to buy some ice cream just so we could talk. That was also the summer Merrill discovered how good strawberries were on chocolate ice cream, something he still loves to this day.
Moving to Oakmont here in Pennsylvania, it did not take us long to discover Glen's Frozen Custard. You have your choice between chocolate, vanilla and a couple other flavors or frozen sherbet in exotic flavors like watermelon. Glen's is always packed with people while the season lasts. In Oakmont, we also have Brrr-Kees, a privately owned small shop with big flavor.
Many times over the years, my husband and I would take our children for a ride, much like my parents and his did, and end up at an ice cream stand. Our son Mark and his wife, Cheryl, continue the tradition with their boys.
When we go to Greensboro, NC, to visit our oldest son, Doug, we have to visit Cold Stream Dairy for their ice cream. There, the staff take your choice of ice cream, place it on a marble slab, work it around quickly, folding in your choice of add-ons, from crushed graham crackers to Gummi bears to fresh fruit and more. With two flat scoops, they then roll it in a ball and place it in a cup or cone. Let me tell you, fresh blueberries and lemon sorbet are almost decadent. But then again, Doug thinks toasted coconut in coffee ice cream is number one.
Well, before I share a few ice cream recipes with you, let me tell you about an old newspaper clipping about ice cream tips that I found while going through my files today. The first one stated "Once opened, ice cream should be consumed within 14 days. Over time, especially after being opened, ice cream tends to lose fresh flavor and smooth texture."
I do not know about your home, but in mine, that is never a danger! <G> I will give you the best tip, though, from Mark and Robin Howell in NC who make a fresh peach ice cream to die for - make your ice cream mix the day before. Cover it well and refrigerate overnight. At the same time, freeze your empty ice cream container. The next day, when you go to make the ice cream, it will take far less time and you will not have to wait as long as my brother and sister and I did to enjoy it.
As you can tell, I love ice cream. I love sherbet, sorbet, gelato. I love cones, sundaes, parfaits, sandwiches, ice cream on a stick or in a push-up. Sometimes, I think whoever really invented the stuff should be immortalized somehow, somewhere. I hope you feel the same, and will Enjoy! the following.
And as always, CYH - consider yourself hugged.
Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream
3 1/2 c. whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 T. vanilla
10 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed
Fresh raspberries for garnish
Heat whipping cream. Beat egg yolks and sugar together. Gradually add hot cream to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Place mixture in the top of a double boiler and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and coast the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Do not let mixture boil.
Remove from heat. Strain mixture into a bowl. Add chocolate and vanilla, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool completely. Stir raspberries with juice into cooled mixture. It should cool completely before freezing.
Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into serving dishes and garnish with fresh raspberries if available. Makes 1 1/2 qt.
Melon Champagne Sorbet
4 c. cantaloupe, cut into large chunks
1 c. champagne or sparkling white wine
2 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 T. sugar
Cantaloupe slices (optional)
Puree melon chunks and champagne in blender or food processor. Pour pureed fruit mixture into a shallow container; freeze until firm, stirring several times during freezing process.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon small chunks of frozen mixture into food processor or blender; process until fluffy. Fold into beaten egg whites. Return mixture to shallow container. Cover and freeze until sorbet is firm.
Let stand 15 minutes before scooping into serving dishes. Garnish with cantaloupe slices if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 8 1/2-cup servings.
Raspberry-Peach Ice Cream
1 pint half-and-half
1 1/2 T. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. whipping cream OR half-and-half
4 peaches
1 c. raspberries, fresh or frozen
In a medium bowl, combine half-and-half, vanilla and sugar. Beat well. Stir in 1 c. whipping cream.
Pare and slice peaches. Reserve about 8 slices for garnish. Using a blender or processor, blend remainder quickly, leaving some of the pulp pieces; set aside. Blend berries in same manner, setting aside and reserving some whole ones for garnish.
Fill freezer can with cream mixture. Place in tub and proceed with salt and ice according to manufacturer's directions. Churn until ready.
Before eating, divide ice cream in half. Stir peaches in one half, and raspberries in the other. Spoon some of each into dessert dishes. Garnish with peach slices and berries.
You can use boysenberries or blackberries for this as well. Makes 2 qt.
Blood Orange Sherbet
4 c. blood orange juice (12-16 oranges)
1 c. sugar
grated zest of 2 oranges
Strain orange juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add sugar and zest; stir until sugar is entirely dissolved. Test to see if the sugar is dissolved by rubbing some of the juice between your fingers. You should feel no grains.
Chill well. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. (Or, pour the mixture into a metal 13x9" cake pan and freeze until almost solid, about 6 hr. Crack into chunks and process in food processor until smooth.)
This is best served the day it is made. Makes 1 qt., serving 6.
Note: If you are fortunate enough to be able to get your hands on Meyer Lemons, try this recipe with them. Or make one batch of each and serve them together.
Red Plum Sorbet
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 1/2 lb. ripe red plums (8-9)
Several drops fresh lemon juice
Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Cool sugar syrup completely. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store chilled.)
Halve and pit plums. Place in processor and puree. Strain puree through sieve into bowl, pushing all solids through. Stir in 1 c. sugar syrup (reserve remainder for another use). Add lemon juice to taste. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze in covered container. Soften slightly in refrigerator before serving. Makes 3 c.
Variations: For 2 3/4 c. mango sorbet, ,use 2 c. mango puree, 1/2 c. sugar syrup, 1/4 c. water and several drops lemon juice.
For 1 3/4 c. raspberry sorbet, use 1 1/2 c. raspberry puree, 1 c. sugar syrup, 3 drops raspberry eau de vie and several drops lemon juice
For 2 1/2 c. lemon sorbet, use 1 c. sugar syrup, 3/4 c. fresh lemon juice, 3/4 c. water and several drops lemon vodka.
For 2 3/4 c. blackberry sorbet, use 1 3/4 c. blackberry puree, 1 c. sugar syrup. 2 T. whipping cream and several drops lemon juice.
For 2 1/4 c. kiwi sorbet, use 1 1/2 c. kiwi puree, 3/4 c. sugar syrup and several drops white rum.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream | Melon Champagne Sorbet
Raspberry-Peach Ice Cream | Blood Orange Sherbet | Red Plum Sorbet
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