I decided to try an ice cream including one of my favorite ingredients, bacon. I checked a few recipes and decided to adapt them to my own tastes using the best of two or three of them and making my own version.
It began with candied bacon as the impetus for the flavor profile and the rest was a standard custard-style recipe using egg yolks and cream as well as half and half for the base. I start with the bacon being cooked in the oven on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lay 5 or 6 slices of thick sliced bacon on it, sprinkled with Sugar in the Raw and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper. Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then flip the bacon and sprinkle with the sugar and pepper and cook for another 15 minutes. Set the bacon on a rack to cool and finely chop.
Start with:
3 T salted butter
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 3/4 Cups Half& Half
5 Large egg yolks
2-3 teaspoons Bourbon
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
Combine the 1/2&1/2, Sugar, Cinnamon and Vanilla in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot 1/2 & 1/2 mixture to temper the eggs and then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan, beating constantly and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 175 degrees F or coats the back of a spoon. Don't let it boil.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and add the Bourbon, letting it cool and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Place in an ice cream machine and process according to the mfrs. instructions.
Add the Bacon in the last 5 minutes and process until thickened.
Place in freezer containers and freeze for 2-3 hours, then serve and enjoy!
Tim
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Dark Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon Ice Cream
I have been playing with various ice cream recipes lately and finding some very fun combinations as I experiment with them. My latest trial is combining my love for dark chocolate with my love for red wine. It has resulted in a fine ice cream.
Here is the recipe I came up with:
2 1/4 Cups whole milk
2 1/4 Cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/8 Cups granulated sugar
1 1/8 Cups Dutch process cocoa
2 Large eggs
2 Large egg yolks
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 oz. Cabernet Sauvignon wine
In a large saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream over medium-low heat.
Add the vanilla and bring to a bare simmer and remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, eggs, and egg yolks and beat until thickened similar to the consistency of mayonnaise. mix 1 cup of the milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream to temper the egg mixture.
Stir the chopped chocolate into the saucepan with the milk mixture and then the egg mixture into the milk mixture in a steady stream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the consistency resembles a chocolate pudding,(170 degrees). Transfer the chocolate mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 3 hours.
Pour the chilled custard into the freezer bowl and process until thickened, about 25-30 minutes and transfer to containers into the freezer to harden, about 2 hours.
This stuff is awesome!
Tim
Here is the recipe I came up with:
2 1/4 Cups whole milk
2 1/4 Cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/8 Cups granulated sugar
1 1/8 Cups Dutch process cocoa
2 Large eggs
2 Large egg yolks
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 oz. Cabernet Sauvignon wine
In a large saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream over medium-low heat.
Add the vanilla and bring to a bare simmer and remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, eggs, and egg yolks and beat until thickened similar to the consistency of mayonnaise. mix 1 cup of the milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream to temper the egg mixture.
Stir the chopped chocolate into the saucepan with the milk mixture and then the egg mixture into the milk mixture in a steady stream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the consistency resembles a chocolate pudding,(170 degrees). Transfer the chocolate mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 3 hours.
Pour the chilled custard into the freezer bowl and process until thickened, about 25-30 minutes and transfer to containers into the freezer to harden, about 2 hours.
This stuff is awesome!
Tim
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Double Chocolate Stout Syrup
Tonight I experimented with a recipe I heard about on the Food Network shoe Diners, Drive-ins and Dives which I think is my favorite show on television. I get so many ideas from the show and I find it a good challenge to try to replicate the dishes I think I would like and see how they come out.
This week showcased a local restaurant in Duluth, Mn called Chester Creek Cafe and the recipe was for a beer syrup made from a local Oatmeal Stout made by Lake Superior Brewing Co. here in Duluth. I chose to try my hand at it using one of my favorites, Young's Double Chocolate Stout. I have made other things with this stuff and it is very versatile in it's uses. Anyway, I started with 1 cup of Light corn syrup, 1 cup of Light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 fifteen oz. can of the chocolate stout.
I combined the sugar and corn syrup in a non-stick saucepan and cooked them over low heat until the sugar was dissolved, then added the cinnamon and the stout and brought the mixture to a simmer and cooked it for about 15 to 20 minutes, testing along the way to see how it tasted.
I had originally started with 2/3 cup of corn syrup but ended up adding another 1/3 cup to temper the bitterness of the stout. That seemed about right so I took the pan off the heat and let it cool enough to pour into a plastic bottle to store in the refrigerator.
The syrup tastes quite nice, with an ever-so-subtle hint of bitterness and a nice cinnamon finish to it. I look forward to trying this syrup on a thin buttermilk pancake or two very soon.
This week showcased a local restaurant in Duluth, Mn called Chester Creek Cafe and the recipe was for a beer syrup made from a local Oatmeal Stout made by Lake Superior Brewing Co. here in Duluth. I chose to try my hand at it using one of my favorites, Young's Double Chocolate Stout. I have made other things with this stuff and it is very versatile in it's uses. Anyway, I started with 1 cup of Light corn syrup, 1 cup of Light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 fifteen oz. can of the chocolate stout.
I combined the sugar and corn syrup in a non-stick saucepan and cooked them over low heat until the sugar was dissolved, then added the cinnamon and the stout and brought the mixture to a simmer and cooked it for about 15 to 20 minutes, testing along the way to see how it tasted.
I had originally started with 2/3 cup of corn syrup but ended up adding another 1/3 cup to temper the bitterness of the stout. That seemed about right so I took the pan off the heat and let it cool enough to pour into a plastic bottle to store in the refrigerator.
The syrup tastes quite nice, with an ever-so-subtle hint of bitterness and a nice cinnamon finish to it. I look forward to trying this syrup on a thin buttermilk pancake or two very soon.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Bourbon Ice Cream
I have been searching lately for some interesting recipes for ice cream to hone my skills and technique at the ice cream machine. I have found some interesting ones and one of those has Bourbon in it. I like the flavor of Bourbon in cooking and sipping so I thought this one might be interesting. It was. Here's the deal:
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Cups Half & Half
1/2 Cup Nonfat dry milk powder
6 large Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 Cup (packed) Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
5 Tablespoons Bourbon
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Bring the first 3 ingredients to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the milk powder dissolves completely. Remove from heat.
Combine egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar and kosher salt in a large bowl; whisk until thick and blended. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Return mixture to to the same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (175 to 178 degrees), about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Bourbon and Vanilla. Refrigerate the custard uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours. Process in an ice cream maker and transfer to containers and freeze for at least 2 hours.
Serve however you like!
I have heard that the longer you chill the custard before processing, the smoother the ice cream and this has proven true. This stuff is amazingly smooth. I hope you will try it and others I pass along here.
Tim
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Cups Half & Half
1/2 Cup Nonfat dry milk powder
6 large Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 Cup (packed) Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
5 Tablespoons Bourbon
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Bring the first 3 ingredients to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the milk powder dissolves completely. Remove from heat.
Combine egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar and kosher salt in a large bowl; whisk until thick and blended. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Return mixture to to the same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (175 to 178 degrees), about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Bourbon and Vanilla. Refrigerate the custard uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours. Process in an ice cream maker and transfer to containers and freeze for at least 2 hours.
Serve however you like!
I have heard that the longer you chill the custard before processing, the smoother the ice cream and this has proven true. This stuff is amazingly smooth. I hope you will try it and others I pass along here.
Tim
Friday, September 3, 2010
Deviled eggs
I had a craving today for deviled eggs so I dropped six eggs in cold water and brought them to a boil and then turned off the heat and let them sit, covered, for 15 minutes and then into an ice bath for about 5 minutes and then peeled them and cut them lengthwise and removed the yolks to a small bowl and set them in the refrigerator for a few minutes and then mixed the yolks with about 3Tablespoons of real mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of granulated white onion, 1/2 teaspoon Fox Point Seasoning(Penzey's.com) and about 2 Tablespoons of Smoked Whitefish, chopped finely. I mixed the ingredients with a fork and then divided it between the 12 1/2-egg whites and then sprinkled them with Smoked Spanish Paprika.
This was absolutely amazing! I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to deviled eggs! The smoked fish came from the Northern Waters Smokehaus and the rest I had on-hand.
These deviled eggs and a good beer is about as good as food can get.
Good Stinking Eating, my friend!
Tim
This was absolutely amazing! I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to deviled eggs! The smoked fish came from the Northern Waters Smokehaus and the rest I had on-hand.
These deviled eggs and a good beer is about as good as food can get.
Good Stinking Eating, my friend!
Tim
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
New Ice Cream maker
My lovely wife brought me a new toy the other day in the form of a Cuisinart ICE-30BC ice cream maker. We have been talking about this for quite a while and I now have a little time on my hands so we decided to purchase one. I have been wanting to experiment with some unusual flavors of ice cream, like Dark Chocolate with Cayenne, maybe a Bacon version, Salted Caramel, things like that.
My first batch went in tonight and it was fairly innocuous but still interesting; I made a traditional Vanilla but added some Buttered and Salted Pistachios to the mix. I love that sweet-salt combination and I happened to have Pistachios on hand so I added 1 1/2 cups of chopped Pistachios to 2 Tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher Salt.
The remainder of the recipe is pretty simple, including some cream, whole milk, sugar and Vanilla. That went into the machine and about 25 minutes in I added the Pistachios for the last 5 minutes. The machine produces a fairly soft ice cream so I saved a little to taste (quite nice, by the way) and put the remainder in containers in the freezer to harden up for tomorrow.
I was really pleased with the results in terms of taste; nice and creamy, and I am looking forward to seeing how well it freezes up and what that texture ends up like.
I look forward to reporting on the final results and how Teresa likes it as well!
Tim
My first batch went in tonight and it was fairly innocuous but still interesting; I made a traditional Vanilla but added some Buttered and Salted Pistachios to the mix. I love that sweet-salt combination and I happened to have Pistachios on hand so I added 1 1/2 cups of chopped Pistachios to 2 Tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher Salt.
The remainder of the recipe is pretty simple, including some cream, whole milk, sugar and Vanilla. That went into the machine and about 25 minutes in I added the Pistachios for the last 5 minutes. The machine produces a fairly soft ice cream so I saved a little to taste (quite nice, by the way) and put the remainder in containers in the freezer to harden up for tomorrow.
I was really pleased with the results in terms of taste; nice and creamy, and I am looking forward to seeing how well it freezes up and what that texture ends up like.
I look forward to reporting on the final results and how Teresa likes it as well!
Tim
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Off the roof
I must apologize for not posting anything here for some time now. I have not been cooking much. A couple of weeks ago I was working on my roof and was getting down from it. I stepped on the ladder and as I put my full weight on it the ladder flipped sideways and I was headed for the ground from seven feet in the air. It is amazing how much thinking one can do at lightning speed while on the way to the ground! I could see I was going to land face-first so I decided to try to flip on my back. I made it part way around and landed on my left side. It knocked the wind out of me and I quickly realized I was home alone and this could be very bad. I got up on my knees and finally got my breath back and then stood up slowly. My word, did that hurt!
I was still breathing and I didn't have any obvious leaks or serious cuts but it did feel like I might have broken something. I managed to sort of pack up the job site and put my tools back in the truck because I figured I was going to have to get to the hospital somehow. I locked the house door and sat on a lawn chair for a minute to take stock of what I needed to do. My wife Teresa is an RN and was working so after I had crawled up into the truck and started down the road for the half-hour drive to the hospital, I called her and told her I was on my way there.
She met me at the emergency room and we soon found out that I had broken four ribs(#6,7,8,9) and had a grade2 laceration of my spleen.
To make a long story short, I spent the next five days in the hospital and am back home now trying to heal up. It will take a while and I will post as often as I can.
Thanks for your patience,
Tim
I was still breathing and I didn't have any obvious leaks or serious cuts but it did feel like I might have broken something. I managed to sort of pack up the job site and put my tools back in the truck because I figured I was going to have to get to the hospital somehow. I locked the house door and sat on a lawn chair for a minute to take stock of what I needed to do. My wife Teresa is an RN and was working so after I had crawled up into the truck and started down the road for the half-hour drive to the hospital, I called her and told her I was on my way there.
She met me at the emergency room and we soon found out that I had broken four ribs(#6,7,8,9) and had a grade2 laceration of my spleen.
To make a long story short, I spent the next five days in the hospital and am back home now trying to heal up. It will take a while and I will post as often as I can.
Thanks for your patience,
Tim
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