Graham Cracker Ice Cream Cake with Chocolate Frosting

A few days ago I celebrated my birthday, ringing in the beginning of year 27. It promises to be a year full of exciting, big changes.

Each year when the 10th of March rolls around, I always debate what to do about my birthday dessert. Should I enjoy it in a fancy restaurant or bakery? Should I make myself a whole cake? Do I even want something sweet? But each year I wind up craving the exact same flavors of a cake my mom always made on my special day: graham crackers, vanilla pudding, chocolate frosting. I have her recipe for the cake, but it makes far too much for just two people and the cake pan would take up a fourth of our refrigerator space. So instead, each year I daydream of a new way to make the flavors into a new dessert.



This year I settled on creating ice cream cakes, each the perfect size to share with a special someone. These are quick to create, especially, if you like me are short on time, and substitute a really great quality vanilla ice cream for homemade.



GRAHAM CRACKER ICE CREAM CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Makes 2 cakes

Because my freezer space is so limited, I decided to make these ice cream cakes in individual springform pans. The size is perfect for sharing with your special someone, just be sure to have your fork ready, as this dessert has a way of disappearing right before your eyes!

10 graham crackers, ground into crumbs in a food processor, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Reserve 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the remaining graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until all the evenly coated. Divide the mixture evenly between two 4 1/2-inch individual springform pans. Using your fingers, press the mixture into a crust over the bottom and about halfway up the sides of each pan. Freeze the crusts for about 10 minutes.

When crusts are set, place two scoops of vanilla ice cream in each pan and smooth with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the reserved graham cracker crumbs over the top of each. Freeze for about 15 minutes. Place two additional scoops of vanilla ice cream in each pan, smoothing again with a small offset spatula. Divide the remaining graham cracker crumbs evenly over the top of each. Wrap each pan in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

To make the chocolate frosting, sift together the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Using a hand mixer, combine the ingredients until the frosting is light and fluffy.

To serve, remove the ice cream cakes from the freezer and unmold. Frost as desired and serve immediately.

Chocolate Stout Floats

I will admit that when it comes to St. Patrick's Day, I am quite lazy in preparing a dessert for the holiday. Perhaps it is because I am not Irish or maybe because Mike and I have arrived at the age where we plan to stay in the apartment to actively avoid the bar hoppers. If it is a particularly warm day and the windows happen to be open, we collectively roll our eyes as the cheering and partying starts to turn into yelling and sobbing.

I told you we were old! This year, I decided to at least make an effort and prepare a super easy dessert that still celebrates the main star of the day - stout! With just two ingredients required - plus a cute striped straw - it ensures we will be back to reading our books and shaking our heads at the rowdy youth in no time.


CHOCOLATE STOUT ICE CREAM FLOATS
Makes 2 floats

For this easy recipe, you just need two ingredients on hand: your favorite chocolate stout and a delicious vanilla bean ice cream. If you have homemade ice cream on hand, it will be perfect in these floats, but not to worry - a good quality store-bought pint will serve as a great substitute.

12 ounces chocolate stout (I love Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout)
4 scoops vanilla bean ice cream, recipe below (or substitute a good-quality store brand)

Divide the beer evenly between two sundae glasses. Carefully scoop two scoops of ice cream into each glass. Serve immediately.


VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM
Makes about 1 quart
Qdapted from The Perfect Scoop

1 cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Pinch of table salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, and table salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and also add the bean pod. When liquid is barely warm to the touch, cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until nappe: when the mixture the thickens, coats the spatula, and holds its shape when a you draw a line with your finger across the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, stir in the vanilla extract, and cool over an ice bath, stirring occasionally.

When mixture cools, place in the refrigerator to ripen overnight. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Chocolate Marquise with Toasted Meringue

It is almost summertime. We enjoyed one week of perfectly gorgeous weather, sandwiched between two months of solid rain, and now the city is humid and sticky, a strong indicator of no reprieve before sweltering summer days are upon us.

Summertime used to be synonymous with an easy, relaxing lifestyle. School vacation, day trips, and beach days – the days moved a bit slower, the nights lasted a little longer, and I felt that I could finally inhale deeply and enjoy life. While such summer days are a bit of a distant memory, I find myself craving even just a few days of such rest, relaxation, and simplicity.

The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

With this challenge, my mind could not help but drift towards my absolute favorite summertime dessert – s’mores. You may already be aware of my love for graham crackers and when combined with melting chocolate and a burnt, oozing marshmallow, that first bite instantly transports me to simple, summer days.

Kiwi Sorbet

This St. Patrick’s Day, I will not be avoiding the many city bars and their overindulgent patrons on my walk home from work. And since I am surrounded by palm trees, golf courses, and the ocean, I am not necessarily craving a heavy dessert to celebrate the holiday. Luckily, this kiwi sorbet is just the perfect compromise – a naturally green sorbet, so refreshing with just a kiss of sweetness.

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Writing a food blog keeps me honest, but not in the sense of being truthful (which I am) or not providing faulty recipes (which I don’t). By honest, I simply mean I am forced to try an array of different recipes, no matter how much I may just want homemade graham crackers with a cold glass of milk everyday for the rest of my life.

The big downfall to this honesty is that after pursing our inspiration in the kitchen, meticulously recording ingredients and methods, writing a thoughtful post, and photographing the finished product, bloggers - including myself - tend to wipe our hands clean of improving upon the published recipe. Despite the notes I make on what to try differently or how to improve the recipe the next time, I rarely consult these notes in attempts to devise an even better version.

A few weeks ago, a certain someone looked over at me longingly and whimpered, “What does a boy have to do to get some mint chocolate chip ice cream around here?” To remedy the situation, I consulted the recipe I developed and posted last summer. But just as I was poised to shatter the first egg’s delicate shell, my notes flashed through my mind. I gently set the undisturbed egg back in its crate and consulted lots of different recipes for this ice cream, comparing the ratios of each, in attempts to achieve the changes I desired. The result was the best mint chocolate chip ice cream I have ever tasted. This, I promise you, will be the version I will keep and make each time someone bats his baby blues my way.

Bourbon Ice Cream

Sometimes I wonder if I am the type of girl who people think would enjoy bourbon. Ladies are supposed to enjoy sipping champagne, big glasses of wine, and sugary cocktails. And while I do rather enjoy my wine, some moments in life require a glass of Maker’s. Neat, please.

Around the holidays, I started seeing recipes for bourbon eggnog, which you think may have peaked my interest. But drinking warm milk and eggs, even with a boost of bourbon, just is not my type of thing. However - frozen milk and eggs with bourbon? That combination seemed heaven-sent. I had no idea if this brilliant idea would actually work, facing the little technicality that alcohol does not actually freeze. More specifically, a certain ratio must exist between the components, to ensure the ice cream will still freeze, even with the added alcohol.

I am happy to tell you that the below recipe holds the perfect ratio of milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and Maker’s. Each scoop of ice cream emerges effortlessly and unimaginably smooth from the container. The usual ‘burn’ of the bourbon is chilled, only revealing the oak-y, vanilla flavor behind the alcohol.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

When people start making ice cream at home, an infatuation usually begins and interesting flavors quickly start emerging from counter-top ice cream machines. After mastering the simple process of making an ice cream custard, flavor possibilities suddenly seem endless and the thought of willingly returning to plain-Jane vanilla ice cream seems an unimaginable waste of creativity.

But when it comes to ice cream, there is often nothing better than a good scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. This basic flavor is one of the few which pairs seamlessly with desserts of all seasons: a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream alongside a fresh berry tart in the summertime is equally as delicious as the same scoop slowly melting over warm apple pie in the winter.

Gingersnap Ice Cream

I love the boldness of flavors in a gingersnap cookie - the spicy ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom exquisitely balanced by the sweetness of the molasses - exploding on my tongue with the first nibble.

Not every person favors this flavor profile, in fact most people either love or hate this ginger-infused dessert. Fair warning: if you are not smitten with gingersnaps, you will probably want to skip this recipe.

Unlike many gingersnap ice creams, crushed gingersnaps are not mixed into a milder tasting ice cream base. Instead, this recipe infuses the custard with all the spices and sweetness you find in the cookie. The flavors are not shy, which is exactly why I love it so much.

If you are like me and crave complex, comforting flavors of a gingersnap whenever the temperature dips below freezing, you should spin a batch of this ice cream immediately.

Do not allow the cold weather deter you from enjoying a generous scoop of this frozen deliciousness. The spiciness will take the chill off any winter day.

Chocolate Gelato with Salted Caramel Sauce & Candied Bacon

I consider myself incredibly blessed to be dating a handsome, driven, supportive man.  For the past five years (!), it has been amazingly comforting to know I have someone to make me laugh each and every day.

But, as with most relationships, there is just this one, nagging thing I desperately wish I could change about him.  He remains steadfast in his unwillingness to change, however, although not for lack of trying on my part.

It is not the fact that he consistently hangs his towel on the wrong hook (at least he hangs it up, right?), not because he hands me the remote to turn off the television every night, not because he goes deaf when I start doing dishes, and not because I seem to be the only person in this apartment who seems to know how to put on coffee for the next morning.

I consider these minor and, mostly, livable quirks of which it is not worth the effort to demand change.

So, what is this one lingering thing that drives me crazy?

The boy does not like fruit desserts of any variety.  None.

Chocolat Milano

Upon entering the storefront, our eyes were drawn to the cute, wooden sign above the espresso bar. And then, as the crowd slowly inched towards the gelato bar, my eyes were filled with container upon container of gorgeous gelato. I instictively gasped and grabbed Mike's arm. He responded with wide-eyes and a nod. We knew something delicious was about to be presented to us.

Wanting to try each and every flavor, I could not make a decision for the life of me. But I finally decided on Nutella, café, and dark chocolate. Mike ordered two cafés for us as I secured a table, photographed the gelato, and admired the chandeliers. Amazing gelato, strong cafe, and a cozy storefront. Mike and I loved this place so much, we purchased our only souvenirs from Milan on our way out - two espresso cups and saucers, complete with the name of the shop and the cute cow!

Chocolat Milano

http://www.chocolatmilano.it/home_en.htm

Via Boccaccio 9

Milan, Italy

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

We all have that one ice cream flavor that continually has the ability to transport us to younger, summer days.  The flavor we chose as our reward for, perhaps, nothing more than being a kid.

As an adult, that very same ice cream flavor reminds us of days when our biggest decisions were the vessel to hold the ice cream - cup, sugar cone, waffle cone - and our most stressful moments were in not allowing a single drop of ice cream to escape down the side of the cone.

When I asked Mike to reveal his favorite childhood ice cream flavor, he adamantly answered, "Mint chocolate chip."  No question.

Since he has been particularly sweet and supportive these past few weeks, I decided to spin a homemade version of his beloved mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Baked Alaska: White Nectarine Ice Cream with Brown Butter Pound Cake

The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. 

Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.

The beautiful thing about making a Baked Alaska is the ability to create any flavor combination you can imagine.

In this challenge, bakers were required to use the brown butter pound cake, but given the freedom to use any ice cream flavor - just as long as it was homemade.

Brown butter lends a very toasty, nutty flavor to its component, so I was initially a bit unsure what ice cream flavor to pair with it, keeping in mind the dessert was still being served during the summer heat.

Luckily, I stumbled upon beautiful white nectarines at the farmer's market and decided to create a beautiful, lightly pink ice cream from the juicy fruits.

I spooned the freshly spun ice cream, still slightly soft, straight from the ice cream machine into the little bowls prepared with a layer of plastic wrap.  I leveled the ice cream off with the side of a small offset, covered the base with the overhanging plastic wrap and placed in the freezer.

With the ice cream part of the dessert prepared, it was time to brown some butter for the pound cake.

Watermelon-Lime Vodka Granite

During the summer months, I rarely desire a heavy dessert at the end of any meal.  Instead, a perfectly ripe piece of fruit or a refreshing sorbet seem to be just perfect.

So I guess it goes without saying that I also do not desire to spend a large amount of time in my kitchen creating a dessert during these months.

My kitchen is the size of most walk-in closets and does not benefit from air conditioning.  So creating intricate, delicate or otherwise fussy desserts in the summmer is not exactly an option.

Enter granite - a quick, simple and fuss-free process yields an icy, refreshing end to any meal.

Using watermelon juice, with a touch of lime juice and a splash of vodka, I was able to create a perfectly summer flavor combination, in less than 5 minutes preparation time.

Lemon Verbena Water Ice

The summer days are dwindling away, although the hot, humid summer air seems to be holding on for dear life.

At night, when the setting of the sun offers a few hours of relief from the heat, a lightly sweetened, fragrant dessert offers the perfect conclusion of the day.

A simple water ice always reminds me of my younger summer days, which I enjoyed between catching lightening bugs with my little sister.

Since neighborhood ice cream trucks, as well as lightening bugs, are noticeably absent here in Manhattan, the creation of such water ices are left completely in my hands.

Lemon verbena, an herb whose leaves are scented with the fresh, clean scent of lemon, is a welcome addition to flavor the syrup before it is frozen.

Test Recipe: Honey Sesame Cookies

This week’s test recipe was not one that had been laying around for awhile.  


Instead, the idea of finding this recipe had been floating around in my head since last winter, when Mike and I discovered a wonderful Thai restaurant, Land, just around the corner from the apartment.

For dessert, I had blood orange sorbet, which was served with a sweet, crisp sesame cookie.

While I knew how to make the sorbet, I had never had this type of cookie.

After a little searching, I found a recipe which looked similar in appearance and flavors.

But before I made the cookies, I decided to whip up some blood orange sorbet to complete the trial.

I cut open all the blood oranges, which revealed that deep, dark beautiful red color.

I juiced all of the oranges, by hand, through a small strainer until I had about 16 ounces of juice.

Then, I strained the juice again into a saucepan on the stove.

And added ½ cup sugar.

I warmed this over a medium-low flame just until all the sugar was dissolved and then chilled the syrup for the remainder of the afternoon and evening.

Now it’s time for the test recipe!

As with most recipes, I cut the recipe down so as to only yield a few cookies.  So, if you decide to make the full recipe, do not be worried if my ingredients look much smaller in comparison!

Okay – confectioner’s sugar, honey, orange juice and butter into a saucepan.

It will begin to melt.  Make sure you are stirring liberally.

And then it will begin to boil.  Let it boil for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.

Add flour, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds and orange zest to the sugar mixture.

Allow this to reach room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Following the directions, I scooped the mixture with a ½ ounce scoop and placed them far away from each other on a SilPat lined baking sheet.

Place in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top begins to become golden.

I set my timer and returned to the kitchen to do some clean-up.  When I checked on the cookies about 5 minutes later, I discovered the four cookies had melted down to become one large sheet!

No need to panic.  I already know what to do.

Once the cookie sheet was golden and removed from the oven, I allowed it to cool just a few minutes until the cookies and SilPat separated easily.

Now for some cookie cutting!  First, I grabbed my heart-shaped cutter.  I thought these would be super cute.

And they would have been – if this had actually worked.

Next, I tried various sizes of my circle cutters. 

These worked much better since you could apply pressure AND twist the cutter.

Near the end of my cutting frenzy, as the cookies began to cool off, I did run into some breakage.

I allowed these to cool completely.

About 30 minutes before we were ready for dessert, I turned on my ice cream machine and poured the chilled blood orange syrup into the vessel.

This churned for about 35 minutes and yielded the most color-rich, sweet tasting sorbet.

I plated a few scoops with one of the honey sesame cookies and delivered this week’s test recipe to Mike for evaluation.

Mike was unimpressed with the cookie.  Rather, he loved the blood orange sorbet so much, he said it did not need the cookie.  Taste and appearance wise, he found it to be distracting from the real gem of the plate.

I thought it made for a prettier presentation and enjoyed the textural contrast the cookie provided.  However, I remember the cookie from Land having a little more flour, a little less sweet and no orange.

For now, I will keep this recipe in my binder.  But I will also be sure to make a note to, eventually, find an even better version.

Please find this week’s test recipe, Honey Sesame Cookies, below.  I have also included my own recipe for blood orange sorbet.

Citrus Sorbet

from Allison M. Veinote

Ingredients 

16 ounces freshly-squeezed citrus juice (e.g. red grapefruit, blood orange, lemon, lime, etc.) 

½ cup granulated sugar 

Preparation Instructions 

Place sugar in small pot.  Add just enough juice to saturate the sugar. 

Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves completely. 

Stir sugar mixture into remaining juice.  Chill. 

Freeze according to ice cream maker’s instructions. 

Honey Sesame Crisps 

adapted from ‘Martha Stewart Living’, December 2000  

Ingredients 

½ cup confectioner’s sugar 

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 ½ tablespoons honey 

1 tablespoon orange juice 

¼ cup white sesame seeds 

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds 

2 tablespoons AP flour 

Zest of ¼ orange 

Pinch of salt 

Preparation Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper, and set aside.  

In a small saucepan, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, honey, and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.  

Remove pan from heat, and stir in remaining ingredients. Cool to room temperature.  

Using a 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, drop batter onto prepared baking sheets about 4 inches apart. (Alternatively, place closer together and, once slightly cooled, cut with cookie cutter into desired shape). 

Bake until cookies are crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes.  

Transfer from baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Sorbet

Sorbet is one of my favorite desserts: light, sweet, and satisfying. It adds a nice end to any meal, without being as heavy as it's other counterparts.

My favorite Thai restaurant serves a delicious blood orange sorbet, which I wanted to replicate with my tiny ice cream maker at home. Unfortunately, I have encountered many freezer burn issues in the past.

I thawed the bowl on Saturday, wrapped it in a plastic bag and froze again overnight. According to the maker's instructions, this was the trick to freezer burn-free delights.

But because I wasn't quite positive the mixture wouldn't end up as another frozen block, I decided against the expensive blood oranges or juice. Instead, I opted for grapefruit (my favorite citrus fruit).

The result was phenomenal. Light, airy, sweet, fresh. Before I finished my first helping, my mind was already turning with ideas for the warmer days ahead: blood orange, lemon, lime and, the one I am particularly excited about, Mojito-tea.

The recipe I used is below, in case anyone would like to join my club of sorbet lovers. I will probably use less sugar in future versions, as I love the natural tartness of grapefruit.

RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT SORBET
NOTE: You could substitute the juice of your choice. The juice should be fresh-squeezed, either by hand or store-bought. If choosing the store-bought route, just be sure no extra sugar has been added, as the end result may be too sweet.

16 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
1/2 cup white sugar

(1) Place sugar in small pot; pour in just enough juice to saturate the sugar.
(2) Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves completely.
(3) Pour sugar mixture into remaining grapefruit juice; stir to combine; chill.
(4) Freeze according to ice cream maker's instructions.