Cracker Jack Ice Cream
The theme for Berkeley's birthday party is a baseball training camp. Berkeley already requested Oreo Ice Cream, but we need something else to have enough to serve everyone.... something baseball theme... hmmm... I know how about Cracker Jack ice cream?! I came up with the idea of making the ice cream based on the "Burnt Sugar Ice Cream" recipe found in The Ultimate Ice Cream Book (found on page 22) and then just mixed in some cracker jack popcorn after the ice cream hardened. It's actually pretty good. Give it a try.

2 cups milk
1½ sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tbs cornstarch
1½ tbs milk
¼ tsp salt
1 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
about 1 cup cracker jack caramel coated popcorn

Place the 2 cups of milk in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Place the sugar in a large saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook until the sugar turns golden brown. Remove from heat and gradually add warmed milk to sugar, stirring constantly. The mixture will rise, foam, and splatter. Return to heat and keep warm.

Mix cornstarch and salt with remaining 1-½ tbs milk and stir until smooth, then beat into the egg yolks. Slowly add the milk/sugar mixture to eggs. Return mixture to pot and place over low heat. Stir constantly until slightly thickened (be careful to not heat too quickly or the eggs will scramble). Remove from heat and pour hot custard through a stainer into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold.

Transfer to ice cream maker. The White Mountain ice cream maker we own will freeze the ice cream in about 25 minutes (ymmv). Remove frozen ice cream from ice cream maker, add cracker jack popcorn and mix to combine by hand. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer to harden completely.

Oreo Ice Cream
Berkeley's favorite flavor of ice cream is Oreo. He specifically requested it for his birthday party tomorrow. None of my ice cream recipe books have a "Cookies and Cream" or "Oreo" ice cream recipe, so I made it up. This recipe is based on the "Vanilla Ice Cream #1" recipe found in The Ultimate Ice Cream Book (found on page 129). It turned out great... probably the best batch of ice cream I have ever made.

2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbs flour
¼ tsp salt
1-2/3 cups milk
1 cup cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
10 oreos

Beat sugar into eggs until thickened, add flour and salt and set aside. Simmer milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Slowly beat hot milk into the egg mixture and then transfer back to pan over low heat. Stir constantly until slightly thickened (be careful to not heat too quickly or the eggs will scramble). Remove from heat and pour hot custard through a stainer into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold.

Add 5 crumbled oreo cookies to ice cream mixture and then immediately transfer to ice cream maker. The White Mountain ice cream maker we own will freeze the ice cream in about 25 minutes (ymmv). Remove frozen ice cream from ice cream maker, add remaining 5 Oreos (crumbled) and mix to combine by hand. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer to harden completely.

Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
A few years ago I bought an ice cream recipe book that contains predominantly custard-style recipes called The Ultimate Ice Cream Book. This recipe is based on the "Coconut Ice Cream" recipe in that book (found on page 50). My own variation adds the macadamia nuts and chocolate chunk pieces. Enjoy!

½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 cup half-and-half
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup macadamia nuts (or more if desired)
½ cup chopped chocolate bars (or more if desired)

Toast coconut in a broiler oven until golden brown. Beat sugar into eggs until thickened, add cornstarch and salt and set aside. Combine half-and-half with coconut milk and bring to boil over medium heat. Slowly beat hot liquid into the egg mixture and then transfer back to pan over low heat. Stir constantly until slightly thickened (be careful to not heat too quickly or the eggs will scramble). Remove from heat and pour hot custard through a stainer into a large bowl. Add toasted coconut, cream, and vanilla and mix to combine. Refrigerate until cold.

Transfer to ice cream maker. The White Mountain ice cream maker we own will freeze the ice cream in about 25 minutes (ymmv). Remove frozen ice cream from ice cream maker, add macadamia nut pieces and chocolate chunks and mix in my hand. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer to harden completely.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is just a variation of my tollhouse variation that I previously published.

2 cups flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 T butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place rack in center position and preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Beat butter and sugar in mixer until creamy (but don't overbeat). Add egg and vanilla and combine. On the lowest speed possible, slowly beat in flour mixture until the dough just sticks together (use very light hands with the dough from this point forward). Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Gently form tablespoon-sized balls of dough and drop directly onto hollow center heavy-gauge dull aluminum baking sheet. The baking sheet should be at room temperature. (I rotate batches of cookies using two baking sheets.) Refrigerate dough between batches. Bake for about 10 minutes using non-convection heat and then another 4 minutes with convection heat to product a crispy cookie exterior. The dark color of the cookie dough makes it hard to know when they are done; so use your best judgement (e.g. guess)... but be sure not to overbake! Allow to cool on sheet for one minute, then transfer to a wire rack.

Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
This is great ice cream... nothing like the fake green stuff sold in stores.

3½ cups milk
1 cup packed freshly picked mint leaves
4 eggs
1¼ cups sugar
2 cups cream
½ tsp salt
a couple of chocolate candy bars, finely chopped

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine milk and mint leaves. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes and then simmer for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Wring leaves to extract all liquid. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly blend in sugar in three smaller measurements and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in cream and salt. Combine with cooled mint-flavored milk.

Transfer to ice cream maker. The White Mountain ice cream maker we own will freeze the ice cream in about 25 minutes (ymmv). Remove frozen ice cream from ice cream maker, add chopped chocolate bars and mix to combine, then place in freezer to harden.

Chocolate Ice Cream
I pulled our White Mountain ice cream maker down from the cupboard above the refrigerator today... it's been awhile since we made a batch of homemade ice cream. This particular chocolate recipe is a combination of two recipes from a Ben & Jerry's book and a Williams-Sonoma book. The result is a chocolate ice cream that is light enough to allow for mix-ins like peanut butter cups, Oreos, etc.

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
½ cup unsweetened coca powder
3 cups milk
4 eggs
1½ cups sugar
2 cups cream
2 tsp vanilla

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Gradually add cocoa and whisk to combine. Add remaining milk. Remove from hit and chill. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl about 1 to 2 minutes. Blend in sugar ½ cup at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in cream and vanilla. Combine with cooled chocolate mixture.

Transfer to ice cream maker. The White Mountain ice cream maker will freeze the ice cream in about 25 minutes (ymmv). Remove frozen ice cream from ice cream maker, add mix-ins (optional), and place in freezer to harden.

(Update Fri May 30 10:06:52 PDT 2008 // 3 cups cream -> 2 cups cream... oops)

Chocolate Dipped Cream Puffs
We had the Sharps over for dinner tonight and served some of these chocolate dipped cream puffs for dessert. The puffs I bought from Costco; the sauce I just made up from scratch using suggestions from Kristy.

3 dozen Van Diermen Cream Puffs (or equivalent)
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate (e.g. Nestle chocolate morsels)
3 tbs cream
1 tbs butter
1 tbs powdered sugar

Thaw cream puffs (if frozen).

In double boiler, melt chocolate. Remove from heat and add butter, sugar, and cream. Combine and then place in a small bowl. Place some wax paper on a platter. Dip top of cream puffs into chocolate sauce and then place on wax paper. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Serve chilled.

(Update Wed Apr 2 20:41:12 PDT 2008 // clarified handling instructions)

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Icing
I made this today for our July 4th party. It's good... really good.

For the curd filling:

4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice
4 tbs unsalted butter
zest of 2 lemons

Whisk together egg yolks and eggs in small saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon (or until curd registers 165° on a thermometer). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add butter in tablespoon size pieces (one at a time) and stir until smooth. Stir in zest. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cooled completely.

For the cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two round 8-inch cake pans. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cream butter in an electric mixer, add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat eggs and add to butter/sugar mixture (scrape down the sides as required). Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in vanilla, and lemon zest. Divide batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 45 minutes.

For the icing:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp lemon extract
3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup cream

Beat butter, vanilla, and lemon extract until fluffy. Alternately add sugar and cream and mix thoroughly. Add more sugar or cream until desired spreading consistency is achieved.

To assemble the cake, reserve prettiest dome top of the two cake layers. Place the other cake layer, dome-side down, on a cake or serving platter. Spread lemon curd to withing about ½ inch from the edge. Place the reserved cake on top of bottom layer. Crumb coat the side of the cake and refrigerate until firm. Just before serving, spead remaining icing over cake.

Garnish with candied lemon slices or fresh raspberries (if desired).

Sugar Glaze
This simple sugar glaze is excellent brushed over chocolate cake made in a bundt or other decorative pan (we have a pan that produces a cake in the form of a sunflower). My sister-in-law Kathy claims this is her favorite dessert that I make.

This recipe for the sugar glaze was written down on paper and has been in and out of several cupboards in the kitchen for the better part of probably five years. Today I had a hard time finding it and thought I lost it, so I figured that I should probably record it here for future reference.

1 freshly baked cake, still warm
3 tbs water
1 tbs butter
1 T granulated sugar
2/3 cup powdered sugar
dash vanilla

Combine water, butter, and granulated sugar in small saucepan. Heat until bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Brush glaze over top of freshly baked cake until the upper layer of the cake is saturated with the glaze.

Use is not restricted to chocolate cake... I'd like to try this on a lemon cake, but Kristy is not a fan of lemon desserts.

(Update Mon Jun 25 16:36:36 PDT 2007 // updated for clarity)

Dark Chocolate Sauce
We made this wonderfully dark chocolate sauce tonight using a recipe found in our Book of Sauces. We drizzled the sauce over some cubes of chocolate cake and scoops of vanilla ice cream. Simple... but delicious!

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbs butter
pinch of salt

Combine chocolate, milk, sugar and salt in a double boiler and cook over simmering water until smooth. Remove sauce from heat and beat in vanilla and butter.

Note: Substitute 3 tbs dark cocoa and 1 tbs oil per ounce of chocolate.

Kristy's Chocolate Caramels
These are pretty good, it's a recipe Kristy adapted from her mother's caramel recipe:

2 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 cup white Karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup butter
pecans

Arrange pecans on the bottom of a buttered 9x9-inch pan. Combine sugar, cocoa, and Karo syrup in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until clear. Add butter. Stir until melted. Add milk. Bring to boil over medium heat until candy thermometer reads 242°. Remove from heat. Pour into pan over nuts. Allow to cool. Cut into rectangular cubes. Wrap in wax paper.

(Update Wed Feb 15 08:48:36 PST 2006 // added additional instructions for clarity)

Biff's Fruit Crisp
I made some fruit crisp tonight with apples, pears, cherries, and pear nectar that I thought came out perfectly. Here is, to the best of my recollection, how to make it.

Fruit Mixture
6 cups sliced apples or sliced pears or tart pie cherries
1 cup apple cider or pear nectar or cherry juice
2 tbs cornstarch (or flour)
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Topping
1 cup flour
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
8 tbs (1 stick) butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 8x13x2-inch glass baking dish.

Fruit Mixture. Add sugar to 6 cups sliced fruit and toss. Add cornstarch and cinnamon to liquid and whisk. Combine fruit with liquid and mix.

Topping. In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix. Cut in butter and mix on low speed until pea-sized clumps form, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Transfer fruit to baking dish. Sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Variations. A medley of fruit in the crisp is also quite good; such as a combination of 4 cups apples, 1 cup pears, 1 cup cherries with 1 cup pear nectar... or a single source of fruit can be used. Sliced fresh peaches and peach nectar would probably be yummy too.

Hot Fudge Sauce
I've had this recipe stuffed in my kitchen cupboard for the past couple of years (at least). I found in on the internet somewhere, the source is long forgotten. Berkeley and I made this the other day. It's great hot fudge for banana splits or on the top of a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream (tip: get the 5-quart 1-gallon sized Kirkland Premium Vanilla Ice Cream from Costco).

1 ½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup cocoa
¼ cup flour
½ tsp salt
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup milk
2 tbs butter
2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt in 4-quart saucepan. Add milk, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling. Cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat, cool (note: I rarely can wait for the sauce to completely cool... warm is good enough), then stir in vanilla.

This makes a lot of hot fudge sauce. Sometimes I just make half of a batch (and use the 1 can of evaporated milk and eliminate the fresh milk). Sometimes I make the whole batch, freeze half and keep the other half in the refrigerator.

To reheat, put about 2 or 3 tbs of the hot fudge sauce in a bowl and microwave for about 10-15 seconds or until fudge is warm to the touch.

(Update Thu Jun 30 13:05:46 PDT 2005 // changed 5-quart to 1-gallon)

A Variation on the Theme of Toll House
On the back of every package of Nestlé Toll House semi-sweet morsels, there is the famous Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. The recipe, in my humble opinion, makes cookies that are too "cakey" and dry... edible, but not enjoyable.

And so, after some trial and error, I have struck upon a very delicious variation of the classic Toll House recipe. I am quite sure it will not disappoint:

2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 T butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

The original Toll House recipe calls for ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 2 sticks of butter. The original Toll House recipe also infers that margarine (shudder) is an adequate substitute for butter... it most decidedly is not.

Place rack in center position and preheat oven to 335° (use convection bake if possible). Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Beat butter and sugar in mixer until creamy (but don't overbeat). Add egg and vanilla and combine. On the lowest speed possible, slowly beat in flour mixture until the dough just sticks together (use very light hands with the dough from this point forward). Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Gently form tablespoon-sized balls of dough and drop directly onto hollow center heavy-gauge dull aluminum baking sheet. The baking sheet should be at room temperature. (I rotate batches of cookies using two baking sheets.) Refrigerate dough between batches. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown on edges (do not overbake!). Allow to cool on sheet for one minute, then transfer to a wire rack.

Variations. Instead of 1½ cups chocolate chips, try any of the following:

• ½ c milk chocolate chips, ½ c macadamia nut pieces, ½ toasted coconut
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips; ½ c butterscotch chips
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips; ½ c peanut butter chips

(Update Thu Jul 7 22:44:48 PDT 2005 // added variation with peanut butter chips)
(Update Sun Jun 24 19:14:24 PDT 2007 // clarified dough handling procedures)
(Update Sat Jan 5 22:25:09 PST 2008 // added preferred baking sheet instructions)