Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

July 7, 2016 by 11 Comments

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Well, hello July!

The last few months have flown by in a flurry of boxes, trips to the eco-station and Good Will, buying furniture, and unpacking. I always forget just how much I detest moving until I’m right in the thick of it. It’s amazing just how much stuff one can accumulate after living in a space for a few years and how much crap can fit into the tiniest nooks and crannies of a home.

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

However, all annoyances aside, we moved into our new home in the middle of May and we are completely in love with it! The house is still coming together, we are still organizing and setting up particular rooms, but we are slowly getting there. The new place has so much more space and light than either of us are used to, and it has been really fun (and a bit overwhelming) to start to make it our own. Blending the styles of two different people certainly has its challenges, but thankfully my love and I are both pretty laid back people. Plus, he can totally sense when he’s fighting a losing battle and leaves the final decision to me. (What can I say, the man is a saint.) The fur children are also adjusting, but I’d say overall they love their new backyard and don’t seem to be having any difficulties with making their mark on the new space (and by mark I mean pee spots on the lawn and scratches on the hardwood floors). They have certainly added a bit of, erm…character to our home.

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

As soon as we moved in I was itching to make use of the kitchen. So much counter space, so much light! It’s wonderful. And just when I thought life couldn’t get any better, I discovered that our backyard has a rhubarb plant that is practically the size of a small car. Naturally, I am in heaven. I have already made several batches of rhubarb strawberry jam, rhubarb coffee cake, rhubarb compote, and several rhubarb berry crisps. And my latest creation: this rhubarb crumble ice cream. Aka. heaven on a spoon.

You start with a creamy vanilla base. I used this base from my peach cinnamon swirl ice cream from a few summers ago, but added a vanilla bean for a little oomph. Then you make a quick and easy rhubarb compote, bake up an addictive cookie crumble, and swirl it all together. The end result is basically rhubarb crumble à la mode, and you might just find yourself unable to stop eating the stuff. Plus, how pretty is that pink rhubarb swirl?!

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

I know I’ve said it a million times over the past year or so, but now that we are finally getting settled, I really do hope to be able to pay a little bit more attention to this blog. I’ve got so many recipes that I’d like to share. It really is just a matter of carving out the time to do it. Wish me luck!

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream (ice cream base slightly adapted from saveur.com by Jeni Britton, and cookie crumble from Take a Megabite)

For the ice cream:

2 cups whole milk
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, scraped out
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened

Combine 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well; set slurry aside. In a large saucepan, whisk together the remaining milk along with the cream, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla bean, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes, then add in the slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, for about 2 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mixture is chilled, or overnight. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions until it has the consistency of soft serve (mine took about 25 minutes).

For the rhubarb compote:

6 cups rhubarb (approx. 8-10 stalks), chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, honey, water and vanilla in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (the rhubarb will break down). Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.

For the crumble:

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spread out, and bake for about 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely.

Layer the ice cream, rhubarb compote, and cookie crumble in a container. Use a knife or spoon to swirl the layers together. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the plastic to touch the ice cream – this will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Scoop and enjoy!

What are your favourite rhubarb recipes? If you’ve got a good one, please send it my way!

Filed Under: Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , ,

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream

March 24, 2014 by 35 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Friends! Hello! How are you?

Please forgive me for my absence over the past few weeks. Things got a little hectic there for a while, I got a little tired, and this ol’ blog was forced to the back burner for a wee time. But, I spent the weekend in the kitchen and I have a batch of recipes to share with you, so let’s get to it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

http://www.onceuponarecipeblog.com/2013/12/the-great-food-blogger-cookie-swap-nutella-and-rolo-stuffed-double-chocolate-chip-cookies/

This ice cream. Oh, this ice cream.

I’m no purist when it comes to ice cream. I like my ice cream trashy. Full of different flavors and textures, especially big chunks of chewy cookie. I may or may not dig around in the container in search of the chunky bits. Except that I totally do. This ice cream has a creamy chocolate base that gets all trashed up with swirls of peanut butter and chunks of banana and chocolate cookies. I mean?!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Let’s just say that after having my first taste of this ice cream, I promptly shared it with anyone who was willing to eat it, simply so that I wouldn’t devour the whole thing myself.

Despite the fact that we’re dealing with more cold temperatures and another round of snow, I know that Spring is around the corner somewhere. So I’m just going to keep making ice cream and margaritas and pretend that it’s already here. If we believe it, it will come!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream

Chocolate ice cream base from The Kitchn, which was adapted from Jeni Britton. Makes just over 1 quart.

8 oz. good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3 1/2 cups half and half
1 TBSP. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 ounces cream cheese, softened (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt

Mix-ins: 1 banana (chopped small), 1/2 cup chocolate cookies* (chopped), and about 1/2 cup peanut butter

*I used these cookies (minus the centers) because I had some left over, but you can use any homemade or storebought chewy chocolate cookies.

In a small bowl, mix 2 TBSP. of the half and half with the cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the remaining half and half with the sugar. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat, bring to a boil and cook over medium high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, combine the chocolate and cream cheese. Pour just enough of the hot milk over the chopped chocolate and cream cheese to cover it. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the salt. Gradually add the remaining hot milk mixture and whisk well. Cover the mixture and chill completely, preferably overnight.

Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in the banana and cookie chunks. Layer in a container, along with spoonfuls of the peanut butter (I microwaved my peanut butter for about 20 seconds to make it thinner and easier to work with), then swirl with a knife. Freeze for an additional four hours (or more) in an airtight container. Scoop and serve!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana & Cookie Chunk Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Filed Under: Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches

October 2, 2013 by 66 Comments

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

Oh heyyyyyyyyyy. I’m…sorry.

Yes, consider this your advance apology for the recipe I am about to share with you.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

I’m sorry for ruining your diet. I’m sorry for kiboshing your plans to start eating healthier after a summer full of patio beer-drinking and ice cream-eating. I’m sorry for giving you a cold recipe just when the weather is starting to turn cooler (much cooler, if you live in my part of the world) and you’re craving all things warm and toasty. But mostly, I’m sorry for not appreciating the amazingness that is salted caramel a hell of a lot sooner.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

I realize that salted caramel everything has been rather trendy for the past while, but in all honesty it didn’t really appeal to me. Sure, I like caramel. And yes, I am a big fan of the salty/sweet combination. But as my wise mama said, “if all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” And so while everyone else was choosing salted caramel ice cream, I was sticking to ye old faithful – chocolate chip cookie dough. Or mint chip. I would not be sucked in by this new salted caramel kid on the block.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

But then I came across a recipe for Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream by David Lebovitz. (The word “butter” may or may not have been mostly responsible for capturing my attention). One look at photos of the creamy, deep caramel-colored ice cream dotted with little rivers of gooey caramel was enough to change my tune. It was time to see what all the fuss was about.

And dangggggggg. You trendy foodies know your stuff. (Not that I ever questioned your expertise). I’m tempted to say that this is some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted. Like, ever. My words will not do this ice cream justice. You simply must try it for yourself.

But I couldn’t stop there. Chewy ginger cookies are one of my favorites in the Fall and Winter months due to their spicy flavor profile. I had the sense that ginger cookies with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream smashed between them would be rather epic and I was right. But again, don’t take my word for it.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

A couple of notes about these two recipes: First of all, be warned – the ice cream recipe is a bit involved and will take you some time. However, I can promise you that it is worth the effort. Please be careful though, as the salted caramel is as hot as Hades and will hurt (a lot) if you splatter yourself with it. I have a rather sizable war wound from a stray droplet that found its way onto my hand while I was scraping the caramel praline mixture onto the cookie sheet. Ouch! Secondly, both the ice cream and the cookies are lovely on their own. The ice cream tastes magnificent scooped into a sugar cone or a plain ol’ bowl, and the cookies are wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea. In fact, this is my new favorite ginger cookie recipe – the raw cane sugar adds an incredible texture and crunch to the outside of the chewy cookie. So if making the ice cream sandwiches seems like too much all at once, pick one part and have fun with it!

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches 

For the Salted Caramel Ice Cream (from David Lebovitz)

Makes 1 generous quart.

For the caramel praline (mix-in):

½ cup sugar

¾ tsp. good quality sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream:

2 cups whole milk, divided

1½ cups sugar

4 TBSP. salted butter

½ tsp. sea salt

1 cup heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

¾ tsp. vanilla

To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty saucepan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil. Heat the sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn (this doesn’t take long). Working quickly, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon of salt without stirring, then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

To make the ice cream, prepare an ice bath (fill a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and add a cup or so of water to cause the ice cubes to float). Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts) over the ice, pour 1 cup of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it. Spread 1½ cups sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described for the caramel praline. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. This happened to me, but be patient! It will become smooth with time. Stir in the second cup of milk.

Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and stir constantly to cook the custard (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170°F.

Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into small pieces. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then spread into a container to chill in the freezer until firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the plastic wrap to touch the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming.

For the Ginger Cookies (adapted from A Couple Cooks)

Makes about 24 cookies.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup raw cane sugar (plus extra, for rolling)

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through to salt) and mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and 3/4 cup raw cane sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients. Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough into small balls (about  1 1/2-inch), then roll the balls in the raw cane sugar to coat. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet (with a Silpat or parchment paper). Bake until set and crinkled on top, about 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble the ice cream sandwiches: Place a small scoop of ice cream between two cookies and press together gently. Carefully wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and place in freezer for a couple of hours.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

Enjoy the rest of your week, friends!

Filed Under: Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , ,

For Todd (and Rufus) | Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream

July 25, 2013 by 44 Comments

Cinnamon Peach Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

This post is for Todd. Todd who, you ask? Well, I wish I could tell you.

You see friends, I was in a car accident a couple of weeks ago. I will spare you the details, but as any of you who have also experienced the frightening event that is a car accident can attest, a car accident has the ability to shake you up a bit. This wasn’t a simple fender bender, this was a crash that killed my car. (My car’s name was Rufus, and may he rest in peace). Thankfully, no one was seriously injured and both myself and the other driver walked away relatively unharmed. And at the end of the day, that is all that matters. A car is a car, and cars can be replaced.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Todd was the gentleman who stopped and helped me at the scene of the accident. He arrived on the scene about a minute after it happened – after numerous drivers who would have witnessed the accident zoomed on by. Todd called 9-1-1 as I had become a bit useless due to shock. Todd held my pup, Bella for me while I spoke to the police officers and medical personnel. (Bella had been in the car with me, as we were on our way to the dog park. Fortunately, she was not hurt either.). Todd called his wife and told her he was going to be late for dinner. When I protested and begged him to carry on with his evening, he refused. Todd told me that he would not leave until he knew someone was there with me and that everyone was ok. Todd sat with me on the side of the busy freeway for two hours. Todd told me that everything would be ok.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

When my mom arrived, and Todd finally succumbed to my pleas for him to go home to his wife and eat (a now cold) dinner, I was so focused on thanking him profusely for his time, his kindness, his compassion – I failed to get his last name. And wouldn’t you know it, there are a lot of Todds out there. I have been unable to locate this particular gem of a Todd, but if I could, I would tell him – in a more coherent and calm manner than I did that evening – just how thankful I am that he was driving down the road that day and took the time to stop to help me.

Friends, it’s true when they say that the little things in life are what count. And for me, this complete stranger who stopped to help a very panicked girl and her dog – he counts. And I can promise that the next time I find myself in a situation where helping someone out might inconvenience me, even for a couple of minutes (nevermind hours), I will remember Todd. And I will pay his kindness forward.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

And to my dear Rufus (my wonderful little blue Mazda 3) – thank you for saving me. You done good.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

This ice cream is nothing short of amazing. I have read many wonderful things about Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, but unfortunately Jeni’s ice creams are not available here in Canada. So when I came across a recipe for Jeni’s ice cream base, I knew I had to try it. The recipe yields a rich and creamy ice cream, and I can’t wait to experiment with different flavor combinations. But for my first attempt, I decided to pair it with one of my favorite summer fruits – peaches! The final result tastes just like peach pie a la mode, minus the pastry part. I’m tempted to try this recipe again with pie crust cookie chunks! In any case, the long and short of it is that this is a perfect summer ice cream recipe.

To Todd! And all of the other “Todds” out there – thank you.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream (ice cream base from saveur.com by Jeni Britton, and peach cinnamon swirl adapted from A Cozy Kitchen)

For the ice cream:

2 cups whole milk
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened

Combine 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well; set slurry aside. In a large saucepan, whisk together the remaining milk along with the cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes, then add in the slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, for about 2 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mixture is chilled, or overnight. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes).

For the peach cinnamon swirl:

4 peaches (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon + a pinch of salt

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in the peaches and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove the peaches from the water and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove the skins and pits and cut the peaches into bite-size pieces. Add the peaches, the sugar, and the cinnamon and salt to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the peaches have broken down and the mixture is thick. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Layer the ice cream and peach mixture in a container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the plastic to touch the ice cream – this will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 2-4 hours. Scoop and enjoy!

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Have a lovely weekend! xo

Filed Under: Fruit, Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , ,

Vegan and Deceivin’ | Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream

May 27, 2013 by 46 Comments

Vanilla Macadmia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Well ahoy there, friends! Pardon my absence – I have been without Internet access for the past while. Looonnnggg story. But tonight finds me stationed at a coffee shop, a ginormous green tea lemonade by my side, and free access to the Interwebs. Huzzah!

I have decided that I need to do this more often – not for the free Internet – but for the sake of quiet and the absence of distractions. It is nice to come to a place and just sit and write, without leaping up every five minutes to fetch Bella’s ball for her, change the load of laundry, or feel the urge to turn the TV for background noise. Perhaps it will become a regular event.

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

However, let’s get back to the food. I have to be honest. I’ve had a few busts in the kitchen lately. I’m a believer in only sharing food and recipes that I really love, and that I think you’ll love too, and I have not been churning many winners out of my kitchen lately. A big part of that has been a result of a busy schedule, and the fact that I typically have time to make one big pot of something that I feast on throughout the week. Day 5 leftovers = not my favorite thing.

Despite my lackluster kitchen efforts, I did manage to get around to dusting off my ice cream maker this past weekend and made the first batch of ice cream of the season. And I had to share.

Vanilla Macadmia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Almost a month has passed since Dana first shared her Coffee Coconut Ice Cream recipe. I immediately bookmarked it. However, I bookmark a lot of recipes, and sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, despite my good intentions. Thankfully, I follow a few great food blogs (read: several hundred…) and occasionally the same recipe will have caught another blogger’s eye, prompting them to post the recipe (or their version of it), which then gives me a nice little reminder about that bookmark I made. Ahh, the circle of life blogging. It’s totally a thing.

So…when the lovely Clara re-posted Dana’s recipe last week, I knew I had to take it as a sign from the food gods that I was intended to make this ice cream. One should never ignore a sign from the food gods!

Vanilla Macadmia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Oh goodness, am I ever glad that I listened. First of all, I changed up the recipe just a little. In place of the regular brewed coffee, I used the vanilla macadamia nut coffee that I brought back from Hawaii last month. I added a bit more vanilla, and then tossed in some toasted macadamia nuts and mini dark chocolate chips. This ice cream is vegan, peeps. That may be a selling feature for some (ie. Vegans, the dairy-intolerant, etc.). However, I can assure you that no one will ever know that it is. Oh, and surprisingly, the coconut flavor is not overwhelming. The creaminess is so deceiving, you’ll think you’re eating regular ice cream. It’s vegan and deceivin’! (Yep, came up with that one all by myself…)

One more thing – if you don’t already own an ice cream maker, you may want to change that. I was given mine as a gift, and to be honest, I never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. The fact is, there’s something rather lovely about homemade ice cream, and it’s darn easy to make too. I declare Summer 2013 as the season of ice cream adventure!

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream (adapted from Minimalist Baker)

Makes about 1.5 quarts. Feel free to experiment with different flavors of coffee, if you’re so inclined. Change up the add-ins too! And use premium quality coconut milk, if possible. It will make a big difference. 

2 cans full-fat coconut milk

¾ cup brewed coffee (I used vanilla macadamia nut coffee)

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup toasted and chopped macadamia nuts

½ cup mini dark chocolate chips

Combine the coconut milk, coffee, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until well chilled (at least 6 hours or overnight). Churn in your ice cream maker (according to manufacturer’s instructions). Mine took about 25 minutes. Fold in the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. Transfer to a Tupperware container (or loaf pan!) and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the plastic wrap to touch the surface of the ice cream, as this will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Scoop and serve!

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream | Once Upon a Recipe

Filed Under: Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , ,

How I Survived a Half Marathon | (And Lived to Eat) Pumpkin Toffee Ice Cream

October 4, 2012 by 22 Comments

You are much stronger than you think.

I repeated this phrase approximately 149 times in my head during the 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 19 seconds that it took me to complete my first half marathon. 21.1 km. Boom.

To say I was nervous going into this race is a major understatement. My training didn’t go as well as I had hoped. Motivation was hard to find at certain points. Life easily got in the way of going for a run (Geez life! Why you gotta be like that?). I overtrained in the final month before the race, leading to terrible shin splints a couple of weeks before the big day. I obsessively googled race day tips. I almost bought a new pair of shoes with 7 days to go.

My uncle gave me some great advice about a month ago. He encouraged me to visualize the race and how it would feel to finish. After our conversation, I spent a few minutes before I fell asleep every night thinking about what crossing the finish line would feel like. The sights I would see. What I would smell. Hear. Every time I would add more specific detail. Standing at the starting line, there was no doubt in my mind that I would finish the race. I had envisioned it so many times.

The thing is, we are all capable of so much more than our minds allow us to believe. My yoga instructor often says “Keep breathing. There is nothing that you cannot breathe through”…often in the third minute of thunderbolt pose, when our legs are burning, ready to give out. “Just breathe,” she tells us. “You are much stronger than you think.”

And so I breathed deeply as I repeated “You are much stronger than you think” over and over. And over.

The first 10km clipped right by. In fact, when I passed the 10km marker, I was surprised. Almost half way! My surprise gave me hope that the next 10km would fly by just as quickly. The next marker I hit read “13km”. I felt like it should have read 15km. You’re over half way there, I reminded myself. You can do this!

And then the wheels started to fall off the bus. One of my water bottles popped out of my fuel belt and bounced around on the ground behind me. I skidded to a halt and tried to quickly grab it without disturbing any of the other runners. I grabbed the bottle. It jumped out of my hands again. I ended up half-lunging, half falling to the side of the course to get out of another runner’s way. She gave me a sympathetic look. I got back on my feet and got moving again. But I was frazzled. I had lost my momentum. My rhythm.

By the time I hit the 16km mark, the kilometres really started to crawl by. I began to desperately wish that I had someone running beside me, encouraging me, cheering me on. Someone who might be able to drag me across the finish line, if needed.

The huge hill at kilometre 18 nearly finished me. It was long and winding. I promised myself that I would be at the top in 20 seconds. Just when I thought I was nearing the top, it wound around and kept going. I attempted to trick myself in various ways. I pretended that I was on a leisurely 5km run through my neighborhood. I told myself that my body felt great! That my legs did not feel as though they were moving independently from my body, like two stiff boards that I no longer had any control over. That my lungs were full of air, rather than painfully tightening due to a lack thereof.

As I reached the 20km mark, I came upon my friends in the crowd of people lining the streets. Thank goodness for my friends. Hearing their voices cheer my name, seeing their smiling faces, reading the neon sign they held above their heads (“Hurry up, my legs hurt!”) gave me that one final push that I so desperately needed. I managed to sprint the last 200m to the finish line. And despite the difficulty of preceding two hours, I felt like a million bucks. I think it’s true. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. 

Feeling good a few minutes after the finish!

I used to think that I would never run further than a half marathon. Anything longer just seemed…crazy. And quite frankly, downright unnecessary. But in the fog of my post-race high, I’m having second thoughts. There just might be a full marathon in my future.

After all, we are much stronger than we think.

And while we’re burning all of these calories, we’d better remember to replace them. What better way than ice cream?! I came across this recipe for pumpkin ice cream by the lovely Leah from Freutcake a few weeks ago. I immediately pinned it for future making. I made a few small changes to Leah’s recipe, adding in a few additional spices and replacing the dark chocolate chips with toffee bits. It’s creamy, pumpkin-y, and studded with little bits of Skor chocolate bar. Perfect for Fall!

Pumpkin Toffee Ice Cream (adapted from Freutcake, originally from David Lebovitz)

I am presently fantasizing about eating this ice cream out of a big waffle cone and drizzled with caramel sauce. Makes about 1 quart.

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

5 large egg yolks

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. brandy

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup chopped Skor bar (or other toffee chocolate bar)

Prepare an ice bath by putting some ice and a little water in a large bowl and nest a smaller metal bowl (one that will hold at least 2 quarts) inside it. Place a mesh strainer over the top.

In a medium saucepan mix together the milk, cream, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Warm the mixture until hot and the edges begin to bubble and foam. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and gradually whisk in about half of the milk mixture (to temper the eggs), stirring constantly. Scrape the egg mixture back in to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (an instant-read thermometer should read between 160º-170ºF). Immediately pour the mixture through the strainer into the bowl nested in the ice bath. Add in the brown sugar, stir until cool, then refrigerate overnight.

Whisk in the vanilla, brandy, and pumpkin puree. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in the chopped toffee bar, transfer to a container (or my favorite, a loaf pan) and freeze until firm.

Filed Under: Holidays, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For… | Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

July 11, 2012 by 31 Comments

Friends, I have a very sad confession to make. I have had an ice cream maker sitting, unused, in its original box, for one and a half long years. I received it as a gift for Christmas in 2010. I had good intentions of using it immediately. I picked out recipes. I formulated ice cream-making plans. And it never happened.

You see, whenever I followed through on those good intentions, and got all geared up to make ice cream, I’d open the box and realize (for the bazillionth time) that the canister needed to be frozen for at least 8 hours prior to using it. And I’m embarrassed to report that instead of taking it out of the box and sticking in the freezer to avoid the same disappointment the next time around, I just closed it right back up again. It is important to note that there was one other very labor intensive step required…washing the canister. Sometimes I confuse even myself.

Thankfully, I righted all of these wrongs last weekend when I did the smart thing and stuck that dang canister into the freezer, and the next day went out and picked up my ice cream making supplies. And then I got straight to makin’ ice cream!

The combination of mint and chocolate has been one of my favorites for a long time, so I immediately began searching for a mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe. Cool, minty ice cream chock full of dark chocolate chunks. And let me tell you…there is nothing quite like a humongous bowl of cold, minty ice cream on a hot summer evening to help cool a person down. Heat wave is an understatement. Let’s just say there’s been much spread eagle, underwear only, fan blasting directly at the bed insomnia sleeping going on lately. Thank goodness for ice cream.

PS. July is National Ice Cream month! Don’t be surprised if you see another ice cream recipe (or two) posted here in the next few weeks. I’ve spotted a recipe for peanut butter ice cream…trouble!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (adapted from The Kitchn)

Makes about two quarts.

3 cups fresh mint leaves

4 cups half and half

3/4 cup sugar

A pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

4 egg yolks

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped

Tear the mint leaves off of their stems and put in a bowl. Pound with a pestle or large spoon just until they are bruised and start to give off their delicious minty fragrance.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the half and half, sugar, and salt. Heat until the mixture just begins to steam, the remove from heat, add the mint leaves, and cover. Steep for about two hours. Once the mixture has steeped, strain out the mint leaves and bring the mixture to just under a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks together in a small bowl and add a cup of the cream to temper the eggs. Whisk it all back into the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the custard reaches 170º to 174ºF (this only took a couple of minutes for me). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

We’re ready to make ice cream! First, chop the chocolate into chunks and set aside. Freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to directions, adding the chocolate about halfway through. Transfer ice cream to a container and cover with plastic wrap so that the wrap is touching the surface of the ice cream (this will prevent ice crystals from forming). Freeze for at least four hours before serving. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Best Dessert Ever in the History of the World | Butter Brickle

January 8, 2011 by 59 Comments

Ok ladies and gents, pay attention. I’m about to share one of the most incredible recipes with you. I was going to be selfish and keep it to myself, but it is too good not to share. If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, I would eat the masterpiece known as Butter Brickle, or Brickle Brackle if you are a member of honey’s family. No matter what you call it, this frozen delight is fantastic. Another family favorite and the birthday “cake” of choice for several people in my life.

Heaven in a pan. Two layers of crumbly cookie and nuts, drizzled with butterscotch, surrounding a thick layer of vanilla ice cream. Does that not sound absolutely delicious?! But beware…if you make this once, you will make it again, and again, and again…and if you share this delectable goodness with anyone else, you will never be able to return to them again without another pan of Butter Brickle. Consider yourselves warned!

But don’t let that stop you from trying this dessert! Immediately! Just drop what you’re doing and make this right now! And keep the first batch for yourself, and eat it out of the pan while laying around your house in your pyjamas on a cold and snowy winter afternoon. I mean, I would never do that, but you should. At least once. 🙂 Enjoy my friends! Happy eating!

Butter Brickle

2 cups flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, melted

1 box of vanilla ice cream

1 jar of butterscotch sauce

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and pecans in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Watch closely during the last few minutes, as the edges can start to burn.

Using a 9 x 13 inch pan, crumble half of the mixture into the bottom. Top with half of the jar of butterscotch sauce. Cover with ice cream.* Sprinkle the remaining cookie mixture over top of the ice cream and top with the rest of the butterscotch sauce. Cover and freeze for at least a couple of hours before serving.

*Tip: Open your box of ice cream completely and slice the ice cream into 1-inch slices. The ice cream will start to soften slightly once on top of the warm cookie mixture, so let it sit for a few minutes and then spread the ice cream so that it is an even layer.

Filed Under: Sweet Treats Tagged With: , , , ,