STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kittenheels · Coach

Do you like to make ice cream?

NCshopper · Hermes

Same thing here--we've had an ice cream maker for about three years now and rarely used it until this summer. I've been on an ice-cream making kick now.

First I made plain vanilla ice cream and added fresh blackberries to it.
Last weekend I made mint and chocolate chip ice cream, using only mint from my backyard and it was INCREDIBLE. So much different than store bought.
Last night I made pomegranate sorbet just with some pomegranate juice, some sugar, a few splashes of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of Absolut Kurant.
Today I'm going to make black cherry ice cream.

The ice cream recipe I've been using has been the basic vanilla ice cream recipe from the cookbook The Best Recipe and it's been great. It's a little bit more work because it requires tempering eggs, but it makes for a wonderfully rich ice cream. The Apartment Therapy website also has a bunch of cool recipes.

Suasoria · Chanel

We used to use ours a lot before DH turned vegan - now I make sorbets occasionally, but the thrill is gone. I like using tea in the sorbets/ices though - green tea and Earl Grey tea both are good.

Our favorite ice creams have been peanut butter, blueberry, and anything with chocolate candy chunks. I also grate cinnamon sticks into vanilla ice cream for Thanksgiving - it goes really well with pumpkin pie and even chocolate cake.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

there was a riesling sorbet recipe in one of the recent cooking light's that was great. Besides that I'v eonly made vanilla so far.

Sunshinegirl · Kate Spade

Right now I'm loving this book by one of my favorite Chocolatiers, David Lebovitz. I made black pepper ice cream and Rose (wine) Raspberry sorbet this week and this weekend i'm going to try my hand at the malted milk ice cream. I higly recommend it. The recipes are easy and he provides pairings with some of the more unusual flavors (such as basil ice cream with strawberries macerated in lemon syrup - yum).

Sunshinegirl · Kate Spade

Hmm, my above post did not show the image but I will try again

The Perfect Scoop
by David Lebovitz

Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments

kittenheels · Coach

Yummy! I'm so glad you all like making ice cream too! I've been practicing on getting my vanilla custard base ice cream (you make what's essentially an egg custard with vanilla flavoring - chill it and then use the ice cream maker. It has the perfect creamy gelato flavor that I love.

I'm thinking of trying to make hazelnut flavor or nocciola (sp? - chocolate hazelnut) this weekend.

Drew · Gucci

I bought an icecream maker this summer and used it three times. Grocery store ice cream has been better so far, so I don't think I have good recipes.

Can someone post some really awesome, to-die-for recipes for me to try???

Kelly · Hermes

Drew wrote:

Can someone post some really awesome, to-die-for recipes for me to try???

ditto! I just bought one on Sunday night. I haven't been able to try it yet, but I know I'll need good recipies to keep putting in the effort...

NCshopper · Hermes

I should add that instead of the plain cherry ice cream that I said I was going to make, I made cherry basil ice cream instead. So. freaking. good.

I'll post the recipe I've been using for vanilla ice cream later. I've been using it as the base for all of mine so far.

kittenheels · Coach

I like the idea of a book about ice cream very much indeed!

Drew - I have been practicing the basic vanilla recipe in the new Gourmet cookbook - it's the one with the yellow cover. It's essentially making a custard on the stove top with eggs, cream and sugar - for whatever reason, that gives a very smooth and velvety texture. I'd also recommend checking out Nigella Lawson's recipes in Forever Summer - as they operate from the same custard base. I think using eggs allows it to be smoother than otherwise when using sort of a wimpy home machine like mine and not some super powerful industrial one!