I was psyched that this week's Baked Sunday Mornings recipe is "Pink Peppermint Stick Ice Cream with Homemade Hot Fudge." I really enjoy making homemade ice cream, and mint + chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations.
This is a pretty straightforward ice cream with a custard base flavored with peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. To make the base, you heat heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt; add a tempered mixture of egg yolks and sugar; and cook until thickened. The recipe says that you will have to cook the custard for 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat, but mine thickened and reached the specified temperature almost immediately after I added in the tempered egg yolks. I put the custard through a sieve; added peppermint extract, vanilla, and pink dye; and put the mixture in the refrigerator to chill. I left it in the fridge for a full 24 hours just because it was more convenient for my schedule.
The custard was wonderfully thick and creamy after chilling. I tasted it and thought it wasn't sufficiently minty. I briefly contemplated adding more peppermint extract but then thought I should hold off because of the candy canes that would be added later. I froze the custard in my ice cream maker and incorporated the crushed candy canes at the end.
The hot fudge is easy to make. You mix together powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt, and heavy cream; heat and boil for one minute; stir in a mixture of melted unsweetened chocolate and butter; and add vanilla. I thought this hot fudge was really odd. It had a strange texture -- thick and glossy, but also very oily and difficult to pour, coming out in glops instead of flowing smoothly when I ladled it onto the ice cream. I didn't like the way the hot fudge tasted, either. It had a strong cocoa flavor and I actually thought the ice cream was better without it.
But the ice cream itself was fantastic. It was rich and super creamy. With the inclusion of the candy canes, I thought it had just the right amount of refreshing peppermint flavor. I happen to like the teeth-sticking texture of the crushed candy canes in the ice cream, so I really loved this adorable pink, minty, frozen treat.
Recipe: "Pink Peppermint Stick Ice Cream with Homemade Hot Fudge" from Baked Occasions by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, recipe available here at Baked Sunday Mornings.
This is a pretty straightforward ice cream with a custard base flavored with peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. To make the base, you heat heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt; add a tempered mixture of egg yolks and sugar; and cook until thickened. The recipe says that you will have to cook the custard for 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat, but mine thickened and reached the specified temperature almost immediately after I added in the tempered egg yolks. I put the custard through a sieve; added peppermint extract, vanilla, and pink dye; and put the mixture in the refrigerator to chill. I left it in the fridge for a full 24 hours just because it was more convenient for my schedule.
The hot fudge is easy to make. You mix together powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt, and heavy cream; heat and boil for one minute; stir in a mixture of melted unsweetened chocolate and butter; and add vanilla. I thought this hot fudge was really odd. It had a strange texture -- thick and glossy, but also very oily and difficult to pour, coming out in glops instead of flowing smoothly when I ladled it onto the ice cream. I didn't like the way the hot fudge tasted, either. It had a strong cocoa flavor and I actually thought the ice cream was better without it.
But the ice cream itself was fantastic. It was rich and super creamy. With the inclusion of the candy canes, I thought it had just the right amount of refreshing peppermint flavor. I happen to like the teeth-sticking texture of the crushed candy canes in the ice cream, so I really loved this adorable pink, minty, frozen treat.
Recipe: "Pink Peppermint Stick Ice Cream with Homemade Hot Fudge" from Baked Occasions by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, recipe available here at Baked Sunday Mornings.
Comments