This past spring, when temperatures started climbing, I got out the bowl of my ice cream maker and put it in the freezer. You see, the bowl has to freeze for at least 24 hours before use, and in the past when I've had a hankering for homemade ice cream (and happened to have the ingredients on hand), I was sorely disappointed to find that I'd have to wait an entire 24 hours before enjoying any! So, I set out to always have the bowl frozen and ready for all the delicious ice cream treats I would undoubtedly make this summer.
Sadly, my ice cream bowl sat frozen and ready, and very neglected, all summer long. With summer approaching its finale, I needed to change that! Here are our creations...
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream:
I adored this. It was dark, rich, and creamy. Ryan thought it was too dark (he's more of a milk chocolate kind of guy...), but I wasn't too disappointed, because I got to eat most of it!
2 cups half-and-half
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder*
½ cup sugar
pinch of salt
½ cup creamy peanut butter
*Regular cocoa powder can be substituted, though the chocolate taste will be stronger and darker.
Whisk together the half-and-half, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, stirring until thoroughly blended.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer container and allow to ripen several hours.
Delicious! This stayed creamy and wonderful for a few days after making it.
Lime Sherbet:
We all loved this. I think next time I'll try revving up the tang by adding a the juice of a few more limes, but the zest gave it a wonderfully fresh, lime-y taste! Because of the acidity, it tends to get a bit icy after the first day of preparation. Still tasty, but not as good as the first day!
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 4-5 limes)
zest of 3 limes
2 1/2 cups half and half
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Add all ingredients to a medium bowl whisk until combined and sugar is dissolved.
Assemble your ice cream maker and freeze the sherbet according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sherbet to an airtight plastic container and freeze at least two hours before serving.
Sources: Chocolate Peanut Butter: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, Ten Speed Press, 2007. ; Lime Sherbet: my own imagination, just playing with what we had on hand :)
ENJOY!
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