Walking thru the store the other day, I noticed that an ice cream machine was at a clearance price. I think that is a bit premature since the hot temperatures are not going away any time soon. It did, however, give me a thought.
One of my favorite childhood memories was watching and helping my mother make ice cream. It was not a difficult one to do and was fun for the whole family. We would take turns mixing the ice cream. These days, ice cream machines are inexpensive. In a short time, you can have your own homemade ice cream. It is also a great way to get children interested in cooking. It’s a good start to their lessons in the kitchen. So today, I offer you three ice cream recipes, Bananas Foster, Cinnamon and a No-Cook Ice cream.
Bananas Foster is New Orleans most famous dessert. It has been reimagined many different ways. From bread pudding to French toast, the flavor combination of Bananas Foster is a great twist on regular dishes. Here is my take on ice cream.
Bananas Foster Ice Cream
3 medium-sized ripe Bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups Milk
2 tablespoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
3/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Rum Extract
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Prepare bananas and toss them with the brown sugar and butter in a 2-quart baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Stirring once during baking, until the bananas are browned and cooked through. Scrape contents of the dish (bananas and the thick sugar syrup) into a blender or food processor. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt, and purée until smooth.
Add rum extract and pulse to combine.
Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator ( about 4 hours). Pour into your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
Ice cream is not the healthiest dish. However, cinnamon has some great medical benefits. It is loaded with antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties and helps lower blood sugar. This versatile spice is good in both savory and sweet applications. This ice cream really hits the spot.
Cinnamon Ice Cream
3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Milk
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
4 large Egg Yolks
Combine cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks in a medium-size mixing bowl. Slowly add about 1 cup of the cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly until smooth. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the cream mixture, whisking constantly. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil. Pour through a strainer into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the custard to prevent the skim from forming and chill in the refrigerator. Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
This recipe brings me back to my childhood. There is no need for cooking or an ice cream machine for this one. I remember taking the mixture out of the freezer to mix it with a hand mixer. This simple recipe is not short on flavor. If you like, add chocolate chips towards the end of the freezing process.
No-Cook Ice Cream
2 (12 ounce) Cans Evaporated Milk
2 cups Sugar
3 cups Milk
1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
5 whole Eggs
In a large bowl, combine evaporated milk, sugar, milk and vanilla and stir until the sugar dissolves, Beat eggs separately and add to the mixture. Place in a metal bowl in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, until the ice cream is almost solid, beat the mixture to ensure the ingredients stay incorporated.
Beat the heat and make some ice cream at home. You will have everyone at the house singing, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
