ice cream – Livingleen

Happy Friday Family! It was so nice spending time with my magnificent friend Michelle and her handsome beau Mike – I love when friends come to visit!!! I was afraid my early start to the weekend would make the work day drag on today but things are flying – WOOHOO!

ANYWAY, onto the good stuff! As promised, today’s Foodie Friday is all about ice cream! I love my ice cream maker and have been playing around with this concoction for awhile now – I’m thrilled to finally share my cherry chunk ice cream with all of you! Be forewarned, there is nothing healthy about this delicious indulgence but its worth every caloric filled spoonful – TRUST ME!

Cherry Chunk Ice Cream

4 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)
4-6 oz. dark chocolate
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/4 lb. cherries (pitted and halved)

*make sure to prep an ice bath with separate glass bowl before you start*

Mix 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar in a sauce pan and whisk in whole milk over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 7-10 minutes until custard begins to thicken and it stays on the back on your spoon. Add vanilla bean, strain custard into ice bath bowl and mix in heavy cream. Transfer mixture to the fridge to cool and start to work on your cherry syrup. Combine cherries and remaining 1/2 cup sugar into sauce pan over medium heat & cook for 10 minutes until syrup begins to thicken and the cherries have been cooked through. Separate the cherries from the syrup and put both in the fridge to cool. Once base for ice cream has cooled completely, transfer to ice cream maker and follow instructions for your particular machine. While the ice cream is churning, chunk your chocolate and once the ice cream base thickens (anywhere from 15-30 minutes) mix in cherry syrup (only if completely cooled), cherries, chocolate and walnuts. Allow everything to become well incorporated then transfer to container to freeze.

While ice cream can be tricky, I’ve gotten this and a few other recipes down to a science so it really doesn’t take as long as you’d think…plus how awesome is it to have homemade ice cream to offer your friends or indulge in yourself during these dog days of summer?!?!?!!?!

Its FRIDAY – let your hair down, have fun & ’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

It’s the weekend and it’s time to indulge! For me, nothing says ‘something sweet’ more than ice cream sundaes!

When I was a kid I used to spend summer vacation in Nantucket MA. This little slice of paradise is the backdrop for MANY of my fondest memories growing up – one of which is the homemade ice cream from the Juice Bar! This walk-in closet sized ice cream shop baked their own waffles to order and made their many creative ice cream flavors in house. While I
tried nearly every one, my favorite has always been vanilla.

I’m thrilled to have finally had the chance to make some of my own thanks to my incredible boyfriend! Phil bought me the ice cream attachment for my Kitchenaid as a Valentine’s Day present and I thought it only fitting I spin some right away.

Vanilla Bean Ice cream
1 cup half & half
2 cup light cream
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1 pinch salt

In a nonstick sauce pan mix together 1c light cream, the half & half, a pinch of salt, and the sugar over med/low heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Add inside of vanilla bean (save shell) as well as extract and cover off heat for 10-15 minutes.

Add egg yolks to infused milk mixture over med/high heat and mix together continuously until mixture reaches 175 degrees.

Use strainer to pour custard into remaining 1c. light cream and continue to stir together while transferring to an ice bath. Once custard reaches a lower temp. transfer to the refrigerator and allow to cool thoroughly.

Once mixture is chilled pour into ice cream maker and beat on med/low for 20 minutes. Turn to high for another 5 minutes, transfer ice cream to freezer safe container and set for at LEAST an hour, preferably overnight.

This richly indulgent ice cream is the perfect replacement for my childhood favorite and doesn’t require multiple modes of transportation and several hours.

It’s the weekends people – INDULGE!