FANCY ICE CREAM DESSERTS TO MAKE AT HOME
If July 4th had an iconic food like other holidays, I bet it would be ice cream. Cold, fun, refreshing, and readily available it’s wonderfully satisfying in hot weather. More than that, it’s easy to create a huge variety of fancy desserts at home and experiment with flavors using commercial ice cream.
Years ago, I bought an ice cream machine. I lived in an area famous for blueberries, loved cranberries and had been mashing bananas in softened vanilla ice cream, then refreezing the mix in popsicle molds for ages. I thought it would be easier to create ice cream in those flavors from scratch and I wanted to try using herbs and spices.
Well….my efforts were successful, but the machine…not so much. The process was too time-consuming and the machine took more freezer space than was justified by the results-only about 1 quart of ice cream. It took days to make enough ice cream for a full family dinner, it wasn’t easy and in no way could I have the choices I wanted always available. So the machine sits on a shelf, except for occasional request. I didn’t want to go back to the old, totally, handmade methods yet I did want way to easily make fancy ice cream desserts at home, which weren’t run-of-the-mill.
So I did some research which took me a step further in the direction of convenience (or laziness). I found that it was easy to make ice cream desserts at home using commercial brands. It converted with little effort into fancy, festive presentations. Some of the recipes below are adaptations, some are mine and a few are old classics but they’re all easy, delicious, decorative, homemade AND guaranteed to get you raves!
Don’t miss the special BONUS at the end of this post. It has 3 additional recipes which can help to make your ‘company’ desserts no-brainers in the future.
RECIPES
Truffle Bites: Yield 25- From The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
3 cups ice cream-flavor optional
7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 oz. milk or white chocolate
¼ cup chopped, toasted nuts-almonds, hazelnuts suggested
Place a large cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 min. Scoop balls of ice cream with a melon baller and line them on the cookie sheet; freeze for at least 1 hr. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper and freeze it as well. Melt the chocolates in separate pots. Transfer the ice cream balls to the parchment covered sheet, and, gently spoon a little dark chocolate over half of them to cover, one at a time, and immediately sprinkle with chopped nut. Cover the other half of the balls with dark chocolate and drizzle with the milk or white chocolate. Freeze them as you go to avoid melting and keep frozen until serving.
Fruit Gateau: Serves 6-From- The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
3 ½ cups mixed berries or diced, skinned soft fruit-if using large strawberries chop to size
3 cups ice cream- flavor optional
2 Tbs. powdered sugar
4 oz. meringues = 1 small per cup of other ingredients or 6 here—See recipe below*
Dampen a 2 lb. loaf pan and line it with waxed paper. Put the fruit in a bowl with the sugar and toss until it begins to break up but don’t let it get mushy. Put the ice cream in another bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the broken meringues and the fruit. Fold the ingredients together until lightly marbled. Pack the mixture into the prepared pan and press down lightly to level. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, invert on a plate, remove wrap and slice.
*NOTE: This is delicious with an interesting texture. However, it’s difficult to slice. I think I’ll make it in individual molds from now on, perhaps even use muffin cups
Peach Melba: Per portion
1 large scoop ice cream-vanilla is customary but peach or strawberry are options
2 meringues-see recipe below*
1 peach half- canned peaches can be used, but fresh, skinned ones are better.
3 Tb. raspberry sauce- see NOTE below**
Place the peach half in the bottom of a dessert dish, top with ice cream. Press a meringue into each side of the ice cream scoop and pour the raspberry sauce over.
**NOTE: Melba Sauce is sold in gourmet sections, but fresh berries tossed with sugar are better, so are frozen raspberries sweetened to taste.
*Meringues: Yield about 25 small or 12 large
Meringues are very useful . The only thing to beware of is that egg whites will not beat if there is even a trace of any other substance, including water but especially egg yolk, on the beaters or in the bowl. Tip: egg whites beat better at room temperature.
Cookie Sheet and Waxed Paper:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 drops cider vinegar
½ tsp. flavoring – – Vanilla is usual if used with other ingredients. I like Maple to serve alone
Cover the cookie sheet with the waxed paper. Carefully separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, dry bowl. It might be wise to break them separately, over another bowl, then transfer each white into the beating bowl. That way, if there’s a bit of yoke in the last white, you don’t have to start over. With clean, dry beaters, beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, @ 1 ½ – 2 min. Still beating, add the vinegar, gradually pour in the sugar, and continue beating until glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. Add the flavoring, beat to mix.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Drop the meringue batter on the covered cookie sheet by the teaspoon or soupspoon depending on desired size, forming little mounds about 2 inches apart; cook 1 hour. While still warm, remove the meringues from the paper, and allow to cool on a rack.
*NOTE: Meringues are handy to have on hand. They can be eaten as cookies and are lower in calories. They keep in an air-tight tin for months. The batter can also be cooked flat or in shapes and used to replace pie crust or pastry shells.
Banana Popsicles: Makes 6 as per usual mold set*
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream
1 cup mashed RIPE banana=1 large or 2 small—dark spots from ripening don’t show after mixing
Mash the banana to a paste with a fork and stir into the ice cream until fully mixed. Freeze in molds. Rec
* Can substitute for the cream in the Cake recipe below
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(1 qt.) 32 oz. ice cream-vanilla—see Note for using other flavors
8 oz. caramel sauce
3/4 cup chopped toasted nuts-pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts
Soften the ice cream. Rinse and line a 1 lb. loaf pan with plastic wrap. Stir 1/3 of the ice cream into the caramel sauce and mix well, heating if necessary. Cool then stir in the nuts. Spread 1/3 the caramel mixture into the pan and top with ½ the ice cream. Repeat layers ending with the caramel. Tap to level the surface and freeze for at least 6 hrs. To serve, dip pan in hot water, invert onto a plate, remove wrap and slice.
NOTE: Only vanilla combines with the caramel sauce well taste wise. If using another flavor of Ice cream buy enough vanilla ice cream or substitute 2/3 cup whipped cream.
Ice Cream Cake: Serves 10-12
(1) 2 1/2 quart freezer proof mold or large round, deep mixing bowl
Layer pans, tube pan or sheet cake pan to bake the cake
1 box of cake mix, cooked according to directions, cooled and removed from the pan(s)
½ gal—Or 1.5 qt. container ice cream.
Bake the cake according to box directions, remove from pans and allow to cool.
Soften ice cream to consistency of whipped topping.
Rinse bowl or mold with water and shake out excess but do not dry. The film of water freezes and forms a protective coating on the container that makes it easier to unmold the finished dessert.
Smear a dollop of softened ice cream over the bottom of the mold. If it has a decorative top be sure to fill it all in. Then begin to fit chunks of the cake into the mold in layers. Be sure to separate the layers of cake, the pieces of cake in the layers and the cake pieces from the sides of the mold with enough ice cream that they don’t stick together or become exposed when the dessert is unmolded.
Also, have a thick enough layer of ice cream on the bottom of the mold to form a firm base when plated for serving.
Freeze the mold for several hours or overnight.
Remove from freezer and dip the mold in a larger bowl, or pan, of hot water, for the count of ten (10). Cover the bottom with a serving plate and invert to unmold.
Serve at once or store in the freezer until needed.
Pass any appropriate toppings: whipped cream, wet nuts, sauce, fruit etc. on the side.
Bonus
Chocolate Cups: Serves 6- From-The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
These are an elegant way to dress up a couple of scoops of ice cream. Just add whipped topping, some fruit or other decorations and you have a party dessert! Make them ahead and you’ll always be set.
8 oz. chocolate broken in pieces-dark, white or milk
Waxed paper
1 baking sheet
(1) 3 inch round cookie cutter—OR tuna fish cans, washed and open at both ends
Cover the baking sheet with waxed paper. Cut (6) 12 x 5 inch strips of waxed paper. Fold each in half lengthwise and roll to fit inside the cookie cutter when standing on the baking sheet and tape paper in circles. Stand the cookie cutter on the baking sheet, fit a paper roll inside it and, with a teaspoon, spoon a little chocolate inside, spreading it over the bottom to form a base and unevenly up the sides. Careful not to crack the chocolate shell, remove the cutter and go on to the next cup. This is where tuna cans make the job easier; they stay in place until the cups harden, allowing several to be made quickly.
Each cup holds 2 normal scoops of ice cream.
Coconut Ice Cream: Serves 6– This doesn’t belong in either of the above categories, but it’s a fun addition, especially with the current popularity of coconut.
14 oz. can coconut milk
¼ cup sugar
2 limes, zested and juiced
Toasted coconut shreds, toasted almond slivers and/or chocolate shavings for garnish
Boil sugar with 2/3 cup water to dissolve, stirring constantly; cool then chill well. Add lime and coconut milk. Pour into a freezer-proof container and freeze 4-6 hrs., beating or processing twice in between to break up ice crystals. Freeze until firm. Serve in scoops topped with choice of garnish.
Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream-An easy way to surprise people with unusual flavors.
3 cups (1 ½ pts.) half-and-half
(1) 14 oz. can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup lightly mashed fresh blueberries –OR other pureed or mashed fresh fruit, such as peaches, strawberries, bananas and raspberries*
Food coloring (optional)
COMBINE all ingredients in ice cream freezer container; mix well. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
REFRIGERATOR-FREEZER METHOD
Combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl; stir in 1 cup prepared fruit and food coloring, if desired. Fold in 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream (do not use non-dairy whipped topping). Pour into 9- x 5-inch loaf pan or a 2-quart freezer container; cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
*NOTE: I found blanching the blueberries slightly before mashing them softens them enough so their texture blends well with the cream when frozen.
