Easy Chocolate Ice Cream

This recipe was adapted from Ben & Jerrys Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book, which tells the story of the scrumptious ice creams that are American legends. It also includes 90-plus of their authentic recipes, including this one. Their recipe didn't include the Vodka... its been added to lower the freezing point so it won’t freeze rock hard. This makes one scant quart.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 can (12 fl oz.) evaporated milk (fat-free is fine)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lightly sweetened whipped cream (whipped from 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 Tbsp sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tbsp vodka

PREPARATION:
Put the cocoa and salt in a saucepan and add just enough milk to make a paste. Add the remaining milk and scald over medium heat.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Temper the eggs by gradually adding the hot milk mixture and whisking constantly.

Transfer the mixture back into the pan and cook over moderately low heat until a thermometer registers 170F, or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Add the vanilla and vodka. Pour custard through a sieve into a metal bowl set in ice and cold water and cool. If necessary, use a hand blender to smooth out the custard. Cover and refrigerate until cold (preferably overnight).

Fold in the whipped cream and pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Unmold the cubes into a food processor and break up with a fork. Pulse until smooth. (If you don’t have a food processor, freeze in a shallow pan for three hours. After every hour, break up the mixture with a fork, whisk or hand blender. If you have an ice cream maker, add the cream to the milk in the first step. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.)

Amaretto Baked Apples

Baked Apples is a classic fruit dish, and this recipe uses macaroon biscuits and Amaretto liquor to add an almoney flavour. This dessert is delicious on a winters night with warm custard! Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS:

50g dried apricots, chopped
50ml Amaretto liqueur, plus extra for baking
6 medium Granny Smith or Braeburn apples
50g macaroon biscuits, coarsely chopped
30g butter
30g sugar
1/2 cup water

PREPARATION:

Soak the chopped apricots in the liqueur while you prepare the apples. Wash and core the apples and, with a sharp knife, cut a ring around the skin about halfway down each apple to prevent them splitting randomly.

Mix the soaked apricots with the chopped amaretti biscuits and stuff this mixture into the centres of the apples. Place the apples in a baking dish and set a small knob of butter on top of each and sprinkle with the sugar.

Pour the water into the base of the baking dish with a little extra Amaretto and bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for about 40 minutes until the apples are soft and buttery. Remove the apples from the dish and reduce any remaining juices over a gentle heat until they are syrupy.

Place the apples on serving plates and pour the syrup over. Serve with whipped cream and a small glass of Amaretto liqueur.

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Caramel Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert which literally means "cooked cream". These delicious desserts need to be refridgerated until set, and can be made the night before. This quantity makes 6.

INGREDIENTS:
200 grams caster sugar
2 leaves gelatine (5 grams each)
2 cups thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

PREPARATION:
Place 100gm sugar and 1½ tbsp water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, tilting saucepan, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and becomes golden. Do not stir. Remove from heat, then immediately divide among six 125 ml ramekins, tilting to spread evenly over base and up sides.

Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes or until softened, then squeeze out excess water.

Place cream, remaining sugar, scraped seeds from vanilla bean and bean in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil over medium heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, then add softened gelatine to pan and stir until gelatine dissolves. Remove vanilla bean. Divide cream mixture among ramekins, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight or until set.

To serve, run a knife around inner edge of ramekins, then turn out onto plates and serve immediately.

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Chocolate Gelato Ice Cream

Gelato is Italian ice cream made from milk and sugar, combined with other flavorings. This recipe requires an Ice Cream maker.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks, beaten lightly


PREPARATION:
Place the cherries in a bowl and cover with rum. Allow to soak for several hours or overnight.

Heat the light cream and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved and bubbles begin to form around edge of the pot. Whisk yolks until creamy. Add 1/2 cup of the warm cream to the egg yolks. Pour the warmed yolks back into the half-and-half and continue to cook, stirring, until the custard mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil the mixture or it will curdle. Stir in the vanilla, allow to cool completely, then chill.

Pour into the ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Drain the cherries. When the mixture begins to thicken as it freezes, add the cherries and freeze until ice cream is the properconsistency.

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Sunniundalu

Sunniundalu is a traditional Indian sweet from the state of Andhra Pradesh. Urad dal is a type of pulse, and ghee is clarified butter. All good Indian shops should carry these ingredients. How this sweet this recipe tastes can depend on grinding method. Old world stone grain-grinder is the traditional method of choice but can be substituted for mortar and pestle. High powered, sharp bladed, food processor comes close. This recipe is quick and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of whole urad dal

1½ cups of sugar

1 cup of melted ghee at room temperature

PREPARATION:

Roast the dal to a golden color slowly and on low heat, continuously stirring. Grind the roasted dal and sugar to a fine sand. Add melted ghee to the urad dal-sugar powder and roll into balls.

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Mango Ice Cream

This ice cream is creamy and very mangoey! If you do not like mango, you’ll won't enjoy this ice cream... but if you love mango, you’ll be in heaven. This recipe is perfect if you don’t own an ice cream maker.

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe mangoes

1 1/4 cups of cream

3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

juice of 2 limes or small lemons

PREPARATION:
Cut the manoges in half lengthways, scrape out the flesh and discard the stones. Place the flesh in an electric blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and work to a puree. Pour into a rigid freezerproof container, cover, seal and freeze for 2 hours. Remove from freezer, whisk well, then re-freeze until firm.

Transfer to the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to soften.

Scoop into chilled glasses to serve.

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Coconut Chocolate Tarts

These tartlets are like reverse chocolate macaroons; This recipe is fast and simple to make yet it comes out looking elegant and tasting great!

INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup sugar
3 egg whites
2½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
8 oz bittersweet chocolate
½ cup cream

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Stir together the sugar, egg whites, and coconut. Grease very well 24 mini-muffin cups, silicone molds, or tartlet pans. Place a dollop of coconut mixture in each cup and gently press up the sides of the muffin cups. Bake the coconut shells 12-25 minutes, until golden. Run a knife around the edges of the shells and let cool completely in the pans, then carefully remove them (they will stick a bit).

Chop the chocolate and place it in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, heat the cream to a simmer, then pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Place a bit of chocolate in each coconut shell.

You can use the coconut scraps that will inevitably have broken off some of your shells for garnish, or garnish with some toasted almonds.

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