I have a secret to tell you…
I can say no to a bowl of ice cream.
I know that this may seem pretty insignificant, but for me, who would break down walls for chocolate, saying no to ice cream would seem like a big feat. For whatever reason, the urge for me to open the freezer and stand there with a spoon, shoveling it back, is non-existent.
Buuutttt, if it’s homemade ice cream….well, that’s a totally different story. I’m not sure if you know this, but most of the ice cream at the grocery store (more specifically, the ones with cookie dough and chocolate bar chunks) will say “frozen dessert” and not “ice cream”. This means they are often made with edible oil products and don’t contain the nutrients naturally found in milk. According to the Dairy Farmers of Canada, they are made with oils like palm kernel or coconut oil, where ice cream is made from 100% milk (including ingredients derived from milk, like cream, skim milk powder, or whey powder). It may also be lighter than home made ice cream because it’s “overrun” which is the amount of air that is pumped into the product (so in some cases, it may be half the actual weight of ice cream you make at home). So, the science behind these frozen desserts make it possible for it to have fantastic “mouth feel” but the “richness” of real ice cream is kinda missing. This ice cream, however, is as close as I could get to Laura Secord’s French Crisp (apparently their number one flavour)…awesome in a spoon is what it should be called.
Did I also tell you I just found out I’m lactose intolerant? Heck, what’s a little upset stomach.
Yup, it’s that good.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 1/2 c half and half (you can also use 3/4 c heavy cream and 3/4 c milk here)
6 egg yolks
pinch salt
2/3 c granulated sugar
splash water (about 2-3 tbsp)
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (milk chocolate)
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted in a hot, dry pan
1/2 Skor pieces
1. Make sure that the cylinder portion of your ice cream maker has been in the freezer for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).
2. In a pot, put sugar and water together and give it a stir. Now put it back on medium heat and DO NOT STIR IT! Every minute or so, swirl the pot around to distribute the heat. Watch it closely…it will start to turn brown around the edges. Keep swirling it until it becomes a uniform caramel colour.
2. This is the colour it should be and it should smell like a deep caramel (almost like a burnt sugar). When it reaches this colour, take the pot off the heat and pour in the cream (CAUTION: it will bubble up but don’t panic…the bubbles will subside and then the mixture will come together). It should come together nicely, but if it doesn’t…
3. If you make a mistake with the caramel and it clumps (like in the above picture…I did it on purpose to show you…I totally lied…I wasn’t careful and it clumped!), just whisk it together as the cream heats and keep stirring until the caramel melts and it begins to get thick.
4. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the half and half and make sure it is completely amalgamated; add the salt and stir again.
5. While whisking the egg yolk mixture, stream in about 1/4-1/2 c of the hot mixture which will temper the mixture. Now put the caramel mixture back on low heat and stream the egg yolk mixture into the pot while whisking the egg yolk mixture.
6. Over medium heat, keep stirring (use a wooden spoon to finish this process). As the mixture looks like it is beginning to thicken, check the back of the spoon to see if it’s ready (this trick is explained here).
7. Once it’s ready, pour the mixture into a glass bowl (pouring through a sieve to make sure you catch any egg particles that may have curdled in the process) and place some plastic wrap over the surface (so it doesn’t get a skin/film); refrigerate overnight.
8. Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and run it for about 20 minutes (it should look like soft serve ice cream). Once it looks ready, add in the chocolate chips, burnt almond slices and toffee bits; mix to combine.
9. Pour the ice cream into a flat glass container, cover and return to the freezer.
10 When you are ready to serve it, place a scoop onto a plate and serve with either some chocolate sauce , whipping cream or pair it with these Nutella or Biscoff pillows:
1. Buy some wonton wrappers (the small ones are best); separate them and, one by one, plop about a tsp of Nutella or Biscoff (like nutella but it’s crushed cookie spread) in the middle.
2. Wet your finger and run it along the edge; fold over the wonton and seal in the filling by pressing tightly.
3. In a small pot, bring canola oil to high heat and fry both sides until golden; sift icing sugar over pillows.
4. Serve alongside a scoop of this ice cream (or on their own!)
Now that’s a dessert!
You scream, I scream….you know the drill…
