Vanilla Ice Cream

 

This is the perfect vanilla ice cream. The recipe comes from David Lebovitz's recipe book "The Perfect Scoop".  Made from simple ingredients. No stabilizers, emulsifiers, artificial flavours or preservatives. 

Vanilla Ice Cream

1 liter/quart





1 cup whole milk


A pinch of salt


3/4 cup sugar


1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise


2 cups heavy cream


6 large egg yolks


1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


2 tablespoons vodka (optional)



Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, then add the bean pod to the milk.

Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for 30-60 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.

Rewarm the milk mixture after it is finished steeping, then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour.

Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula or spoon.

Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Add the vanilla bean and vanilla extract. Place the bowl of custard over a large bowl of ice to cool. Stir occasionally. Once cooled add 2 tablespoons of vodka. The vodka is added at the end so that the ice cream does not freeze too hard. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. Preferably overnight.

Remove the vanilla bean and freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Print Recipe:Vanilla Ice Cream

Warm milk, sugar, 1 cup of cream, salt and vanilla bean in a pot.

Remove from heat and steep the vanilla bean into the mixture.

Pour the remaining cup of cream into a bowl and place a fine mesh strainer on top.

whisk egg yolks in a small bowl.

Rewarm the the milk mixture that was steeping and add a little of the warmed milk mixture into the bowl of egg yolks, stirring constantly so you don't scramble the eggs. Add about a cup into the egg yolks in total. Then pour the egg yolks into the pot.

Over medium heat cook the custard, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This takes around 5 minutes approximately.

Pour custard through the fine mesh strainer into the cream. Add the vanilla bean and vanilla extract.

Cool in a ice bath.

After ice cream is cooled, add 2 tablespoons of vodka.

Pour into a storage container and finish thoroughly cooling the custard.

Process according to your ice cream makers instructions.

Once finished in the ice cream maker store in a container and freeze.

Brookies Cookies

 

My daughter found this recipe many years ago and it has become one of our favourites. Be sure to not over brown the butter or the cookie will be dry. So just lightly brown. 

Bubbly Sourdough Focaccia

 

This is such a great loaf of focaccia made using active sourdough. Soft, bubbly and tender.  I love eating this cut into cubes dipped into olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is also awesome sliced and made into sandwiches. Great toasted with a slather of peanut butter. 

Sourdough Bread

 

I have been making sourdough bread for the last 4 years, almost on a weekly basis.  It is amazing to me that combining four simple ingredients can create such a delicious loaf of bread.   It is definitely a labour of love and one of my favourite hobbies. I can say that not all my attempts have been successful but I learn from every failed loaf. Even a bad loaf tastes good or makes excellent bread crumbs or croutons. If you don't have sourdough starter you can make your own, buy online or get some from a friend who makes sourdough bread. Be careful because once you start making it you will find it hard to buy bread from the store. 

Blackened Creole Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

This is a copycat version of Cactus Club's Blackened Creole Chicken. It has taken me several attempts to come up with this version and I think it is a ringer for the original. Make the creole butter and marinade the chicken 24 hours in advance. Then on the day you are serving this dish all you have to do is make the potatoes, cook the chicken and steam a vegetable. Make sure you take the creole butter out of the fridge several hours prior to serving to ensure the butter melts over the hot chicken and potatoes. 

Pomegranate and Feta Salad

 

This is a tasty simple salad that is a real crowd pleaser. Simple enough for a week night meal and great for company as well. If you don't have pomegranate seeds use dried cranberries instead. 

Pitcher Margarita

 

This is a great party drink that you can make ahead of time and serve in a pitcher. This is a classic margarita and a real crowd pleaser. I sometimes add a little club soda to each glass for a little fizz.