No churn dulce de leche ice cream

Besides being a cookbook junkie, I'm also addicted to kitchen gadgets (in my defence, I use them all the time, both the books and the gadgets). :) One of my favorite gadgets is my ice cream maker, which I keep in the freezer for whenever the feel for ice cream strikes, but knowing that not everyone has one I decided to try this recipe found in Nigella's latest book; not only was it dead easy to make but I think you can go wild and adapt it accordingly to your taste - for instance, Nigella used chestnut purée but I went for dulce de leche instead.

No churn dulce de leche ice cream
adapted from the gorgeous Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes (I bought mine here)

300ml heavy cream
200g dulce de leche + a bit extra swirl into the ice cream (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dark rum

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the dulce de leche, salt and rum. Transfer to an airtight container and swirl in the extra dulce de leche (if using). Freeze for at least 6 hours.

Serves 6-8

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream

The day is cold, gray, cloudy, the rain comes and goes, and I plan to spend the afternoon under the blankets, with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie. Too bad this delicious ice cream is long gone - it was so amazing I would certainly have a bowl of it even on this chilly day. :)

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream
from the always amazing The Perfect Scoop

225g (8oz) milk chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
1½ cups (360ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
generous pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons Cognac
140g (5oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from the saucepan and set a strainer on top.
Warm milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the hot mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer onto the milk chocolate cream, add the Cognac and mix. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, over an ice bath.
Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker.
While ice cream is freezing, melt the dark chocolate in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, In the last minutes of churning, carefully pour the melted chocolate in a slow stream directly onto ice cream as it churns and continue to churn 30 seconds (chocolate will harden in streaks). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Makes about 1 quart (950ml)

Macadamia crunch ice cream + my favorite cookbooks

Every other day I receive emails from the readers asking which are my favorite cookbooks; for each of those emails I reply two more arrive in my inbox – not a very practical thing. That is why you’ll find below the list with my all time favorite cookbooks – the ones I love the most (in no particular order):




This delicious ice cream – if you think I’ve become addicted to praliné, you’re right, how could I not? – comes the cookbook I’ve used the most so far: the one that comes to mind whenever I think of making something sweet – which, let’s be honest, is something that happens quite often. :D

Macadamia crunch ice cream
from the fantastic and always delicious Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful

Toffee:
2/3 cup (94g) roasted salted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter

Ice cream:
1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream
1 ½ cups (360ml) whole milk
pinch of salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toffee: butter small rimmed baking sheet. Combine nuts and baking soda in a small bowl. Stir sugar, water and butter in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Boil until dark amber colored, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Mix in nut mixture and immediately pour it onto buttered sheet, spreading it as much as possible. Cool completely, then chop with a sharp knife into small pieces.
Ice cream: bring cream, milk and salt to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across – do not boil. Pass through a sieve into a medium bowl, stir in vanilla and refrigerate until very cold, 3-4 hours.
Process custard into ice cream maker according to manufactures’ instructions. Add toffee during last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer to an ice cream container, cover and freeze until firm.

Serves 8-10