Recipes
Chocolate Ice Cream
Lollipops
You can
make a fun afternoon with
children out of this recipe, letting them cut their own ice cream lollipops,
then dipping them in chocolate and garnishing them as they please. I have no
doubt that it will make you very popular. You can customize these lollipops as
you please with cutters of different shapes, such as hearts and stars. You can
also make this with a quart of storebought ice cream. Let it soften slightly
and then spread it in a baking sheet and freeze.
Makes about thirty-five 2-inch
lollipops
Chocolate Ice Cream (recipe below)
28 ounces (850 grams) 72%
chocolate, melted
Crushed nuts, such as walnuts,
peanuts, or almonds (optional)
Sweetened shredded coconut
(optional)
Vegetable cooking spray
Prepare the ice cream as
directed. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and line it with
parchment paper. Pour the ice cream in the prepared baking sheet, and spread it
in an even layer with a silicone spatula. Place it in the freezer to firm up,
about 1 hour.
Place a bowl of hot water next to
your work surface, and line a baking sheet with waxed paper. With a 2-inch
round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut rounds out of the ice cream, and place them
on the prepared baking sheet. Insert lollipop sticks into the center of the ice
cream rounds, and return to the freezer until the rounds harden and you are
ready to coat them in chocolate.
With a chocolate or instant read
thermometer, check that the temperature of the chocolate is about 90°F. If not,
reheat it for a few seconds in the microwave or over a double boiler, ensuring
that the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Place it in a deep bowl.
Holding them by their sticks, dip the ice cream rounds into
the chocolate, coating them completely. Let the excess chocolate drip off, and
immediately sprinkle nuts or coconut over the chocolate if using. Return to the
baking sheet, and place in the freezer until ready to serve or for up to 1
month.
Chocolate Ice Cream
This chocolate ice cream is very
smooth and has a rich chocolate taste. I like adding a little bit of honey, for
extra complexity and a sweet taste that differs from that of sugar. Making ice
cream consists of making a crème anglaise, chilling it, and haveing a machine
churn it for you---it’s easy, and delicious.
Makes 1 quart
3 ounces (90 grams) 72%
chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 grams) whole milk
1 cup (250 grams) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup (60 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons (60 grams) honey
Put the chocolate in a medium
bowl. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes to make an ice-water
bath.
Combine the milk and cream in a
large saucepan over medium-high heat. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into
the pot, and add the pod as well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together
the egg yolks, sugar, and honey until the mixture turns a pale yellow.
Pour half of the hot liquid into
the yolk mixture, whisking constantly with the other hand to keep the yolks
from curdling. Continue whisking until everything is combined. Return the yolk
mixture to the pan with the remaining liquid over medium heat, and stir with a
wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a
wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. If you drag your finger through the mixture when
it coats the spoon, the trace should remain. While stirring, make sure to
scrape the bottom and sides of the pot so that the mixture does not curdle.
Remove the
mixture from the heat, and immediately strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into
the bowl containing the chocolate. Let the heat melt the chocolate for a few
minutes, then whisk to ensure that the mixture is smooth. Place the bowl in the
ice bath to cool the mixture rapidly, then cover and refrigerate until the
mixture is thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Pour the mixture into an ice-cream
maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Be careful to
not overchurn the ice cream, or it will become grainy. Transfer to a heavy
plastic container, and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Variation: Vanilla Ice Cream
Simply omit the chocolate in
Chocolate Ice Cream.