Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream In The World

Ingredients
chocolate syrup -
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (55-70% cacao), finely chopped
ice cream base -
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 T + 1 t cornstarch
• 1 1/2 oz. (3 T) cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 t fine sea salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T light corn syrup
equipment -
• one 1-gallon Ziploc bag
• ice cream maker

Directions:
1. Make chocolate syrup. Combine the cocoa, *coffee, and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 30 seconds.
Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Remove from heat and pour over chopped
chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
2. Make ice cream base. Place 2 tablespoons of the whole milk in a small bowl. Slowly
add the cornstarch and whisk until combined to make a smooth slurry. Add cream
cheese and salt to chocolate syrup and whisk until smooth. Meanwhile fill a large
bowl with ice and water.
3. Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan.
Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat
and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over
medium-high heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened (about 1
minute). Remove from heat.
4. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Transfer
mixture to a 1-gallon Ziploc bag and submerge sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand,
adding more ice as necessary until cold (about 30 minutes).
5. Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. Once churned, pack ice cream into a storage container, pressing a
piece of parchment directly onto the surface. Seal with an airtight lid. Freeze for at
least 4 hours.


*I used a 1/4 cup of Hershey's chocolate syrup in place of the coffee. This makes the syrup mixture very thick, but once mixed into the milk mixture will be just fine!

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Lime Filling

4 tsp grated zest plus 1/2 cup juice from 3-4 limes

4 large egg yolks

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Graham Crust

Use either a 9-inch pre-made graham crust or

9 graham crackers crushed

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted.

Whippeed Cream for finishing

1. FOR THE FILLING: whisk zest and yolks in a medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 minutes
2. Beat in milk then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken while making the crust or if using a pre-made crust let sit for 30 min.
3. FOR THE CRUST: Bake pre-made crust by following the directions on the label or Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process graham crackers until evenly fine, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and pulse till combined. Continue to pulse while adding the warm melted butter in a steady stream. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. 
4. Transfer crumbs to a 9-inch glass pie plate, press into the pan using your fingers and a 1/2 cup measuring cup to square off the top of the crust. Bake 15-18 minutes or until beginning to brown. Let cool.
5. Pour lime filling into the crust. Bake 15-17 minutes or until the center is set. Let chill at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream and serve. 

Banana Pineapple Slush

Blend:

2 cups water
3 small (or 2 large) bananas
2 cups frozen pineapple
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

Pour into freezer-safe bowl and freeze for 5+ hours.

(I adapted this recipe from one I found online that called for a cup of sugar, too.  It definitely doesn't need any sugar!)

Almond waffles

This recipe is based off of an Alton Brown recipe you can find Here

The two things I changed was using almonds instead of Pecans, and whenever I make waffles I always beat the egg whites separately until they are stiff and then fold them in just before I cook them (to keep them airy and fluffy.) 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole milk

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch kosher salt

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine

Directions

Heat waffle iron. Combine wet ingredients and whisk well to combine. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and form a well in the center. Add the wet mixture to the well and fold in with the dry. Don't worry if there are a few lumps. Stir in pecans just before cooking.

When iron is hot, spray lightly with non-stick spray. Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter onto the center of the iron and cook until a golden brown crust forms.

Serve warm with burnt peach ice cream

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All Rights Reserved.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pecan-sour-cream-waffles-recipe/index.html#dialog?oc=linkback

Carrot Cake Pancakes

After trying Carrot Cake Pancakes at First Watch, I wanted to make some of my own.  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen.  I used half whole-wheat flour and would recommend doing at least that much, if not more, because it was delicious!  I made them with nuts and no raisins, and they were so yummy.


Yield: About 12 to 16 3- to 4-inch pancakes
Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons golden raisins (optional)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (from about a 3/4 pound bundle whole carrots)
3 tablespoons butter, for griddle
Cream cheese topping
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash of ground cinnamon
Place a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat to 200°F. This will keep the pancakes warmed as they’re fried in batches.
To make the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and, if using, nuts and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in carrots. Stir carrot mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. Let rest for five minutes while you make the cream cheese topping.
To make the cream cheese topping: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and lump-free. Whisk in powdered sugar, two tablespoons milk, vanilla and cinnamon. If you’d like the mixture thinner, add the remaining tablespoon of milk.
Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into the hot pan per pancake, flipping once, until pancakes are golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer finished pancakes to a serving dish or tray in the oven, to keep warm while you repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed.
Serve warm with cream cheese topping.

Sweet Potato and Pear Tzimmes

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Veganomicon. Tzimmes are a fall staple at our house!

Sweet Potato and Pear Tzimmes

2 lb sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
3 firm red pears, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS mirin or any sweet cooking wine
1 TBS pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 pecan halves
3/4 raisins (I always use regular, but golden could be good here)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place sweet potatoes and pears on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with oil and mirin and toss until everything is coated. Add maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and pecans and toss to coat again.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and carefully turn in the raisins. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes more, tossing occasionally if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry Salad

from Kelsey Nixon, Cooking Channel

One 10-ounce bag fresh whole cranberries (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups miniature marshmallows
One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pomegranate seeds

Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until fine and no large pieces remain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Drain any accumulated juices from the cranberries and reserve for another use, and then stir in the marshmallows and drained pineapple and set aside.

Whip the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute, and then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture, one third at a time, until fully incorporated. Transfer to an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

Refrigerate or freeze for about 2 hours. Right before serving, garnish with the pomegranate seeds.