Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

A search in the New York Times brought about a recipe that just screamed "yes" to me.  This recipe comes from the Calliope Restaurant in New York City.  Are you ready for this?  Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream.

I made a few adjustments to make it easy on myself, and a fantastic ice cream developed in my kitchen.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
adapted from Calliope, NYC

3/4 cup hazelnuts  (I toasted the hazelnuts for 10 minutes and then rubbed off the brown skins)
6 ounces gianduja (chocolate hazelnut paste-about 3/4 cup)   I substituted Nutella..6 ounces or about 3/4 cup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
6 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream


Heat oven to 350 degrees and spread hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toast in the oven for 10 minutes.  Let cool for about 10 minutes and rub the nuts in a dish towel to remove most of the skins.

In a medium bowl, melt the Nutella and butter.  (Either Microwave or over hot water.)  Keep mixture warm.

In a medium saucepan bring the half and half, sugar and vanilla bean to a simmer until the sugar melts, taking care not to boil.  Stir occasionally.

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot half and half mixture, whisking constantly and carefully so as not to scramble the yolks.  Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the remaining half and half, whisking constantly.  Heat the custard through, but do not simmer.  If you see curdled clumps, pass through a fine strainer.  Remove the vanilla bean.

While whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm custard into the warm melted chocolate.  Once the chocolate custard is thoroughly combined and smooth, whisk in heavy cream.  Cover the custard and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

Pour chocolate hazelnut custard into an ice cream machine and chill for approximately 25-30 minutes.  Fold hazelnuts into ice cream.  Freeze to harden.

Believe me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this ice cream.  It is absolutely delicious, creamy, smooth and so perfectly chocolate.  This will become a favorite.   I hope you will try it.

Orange Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans

It was just about a year ago when my friend Barbara, at Moveable Feasts posted this recipe for ice cream. I immediately copied it and knew I would make it shortly.  I will admit, the more and more I thought about orange ice cream, the less desirable it sounded.  The Trout kept asking when we were making "that ice cream".  I just could not commit.  Then, after we had decided on duck for Thanksgiving, the orange sounded so good.  First of all, DO NOT let the orange flavor turn you off.  It is very subtle and both of us decided that this ice cream is so very, very good.  Absolutely delightful!!!  It just seemed like such a better idea than pies though I did miss my pecan pie.

So, thank you, Barbara, for posting this a year ago and WOW, did we enjoy it.  Why did I wait so long?

Orange Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans
from Moveable Feasts

2 medium navel oranges
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
large pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 of a vanilla bean split lengthwise (brought this baby home from France)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tablespoons Cointreau
3/4 cup toasted pecans, broken
Toast pecans and set aside.
Soak the cherries in the orange juice and Cointreau for a few hours until soft
Pare off the peel of the oranges and set aside.

Fill a saucepan half way with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and combine milk, cream, sugars, salt, egg yolks, vanilla bean and orange zest in a glass bowl and set over the simmering water.

Stir mixture constantly until it reaches a temperature between 165 and 180 degrees.  Mixture will thicken somewhat.  Add vanilla and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.  When you are ready to freeze, pour through a sieve to remove the peel and vanilla bean.  Add half the cherries and ALL of the excess soaking liquid.

Freeze according to directions of your ice cream freezer.  When the mixture is semisolid, add the remaining
cherries and pecans.  Continue freezing with it holds stiff peaks.  I poured into my plastic covered container and it went into the freezer for a day.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

My blogger friend, Mary, at "One Perfect Bite" has won me over again. When I saw the recipe for her "Dulce le Leche" ice cream, I knew I had to make it. 

Mary's recipe is simple, especially if you can find the dulce de leche in the Hispanic section of your food market.  If not, Mary gives perfect directions on how to make your own.  Living in Florida, I had no problem finding this ingredient. 

My only advise is to have friends over so that when it is gone, it is gone and the temptation to keep going into the freezer is no longer lingering over you.

The taste is creamy, butterscotchy, caramely, well, you get the picture.  I know you will want to try it.

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake and Cinnamon Ice Cream

The following two recipes have been on my mind for quite some time.  Marie-Helene's Apple Cake from "Around My French Table" by Dorie Greenspan was featured on a favorite blog of mine, More Than Burnt Toast. 

I immediately liked the idea of a light batter and lots of apples.  Then I read that Marie-Helene actually served Cinnamon Ice Cream with this beautiful dessert, and I was totally sold!!  The cake is very simple to put together, not too sweet and not much batter and lots of apple flavor.  As for the cinnamon ice cream, I can't rave enough about it either.  It is so good, I can imagine even eating it on pancakes.  It is subtle but very cinnamon flavor.

So, don't be hesitant about trying both recipes.  You will not be disappointed.  With this we had a terrific $6 bottle of wine, Vina 24, Albarino 2008, from Raimat in Spain.  It was from a very favorite wine store of ours, West Palm Wines in Ybor City, Florida.

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake
From Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan via
More Than Burnt Toast Blog

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (4 different kinds if you choose)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  My pan was 9 inches so therefore the cake is a little thinner with more diameter.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores.  Cut the apples into 1 to 2 inch chunks.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they are foamy.  Pour in sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend.  Whisk in rum and vanilla.  Whisk half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth rather than thick batter.  Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so it is coated with batter.  Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it is even.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes.

Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan.  Open slowly.  Allow the cake to cool until just slightly warm or at room temperature.

The cake can be served warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or cinnamon ice cream.

The cake will keep 2 days at room temperature.  It is best not to cover it because it is too moist.  Leave on the plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap against the cut surfaces.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
by David Lebovitz from The Perfect Scoop

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Ten 3 inch cinnamon sticks, broken up (I just hammered them to split them..not small pieces)
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan.  Once warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the cinnamon-infused milk mixture.  Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard them.  Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream.  Stir until cool over an ice bath. 

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Nobody needs it and everybody wants it. Ice cream, of course. And, chocolate ice cream has got to be my all time favorite...at least running side by side with pistachio.

I gifted myself with "The Perfect Scoop," a wonderful cookbook written by David Lebovitz whom I follow on his blog and on Facebook. David lives in Paris and is one fantastic foodie. Can you imagine, a whole book on sorbet and ice cream? Well, I am on my fourth recipe now and this one is just about my favorite, though I really did like that Nectarine Sorbet also.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

• 2 cups heavy cream


• 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder


• 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped


• 1 cup whole milk


• 3/4 cup sugar


• Pinch of salt


• 5 large egg yolks


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, the reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour into a large bowl.

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture coats the spoon. Pour through a strained that sits on top of the chocolate mixture bowl and then stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla and chill.

Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to directions.