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One's already made and I'm making the other Saturday night for Sunday. So there will be at least 12 hours of freezer time after churning.

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I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~ Jason Love
There is no pie in Nighthawks, which is why it's such a desolate image. ~ Happy Stomach
I can't go to Hollywood. I got biscuits to make. ~ Dwight Henry

Late-Nite Eats Database

That's one mighty fine book, isn't it? Just got mine a week or so ago, and it's my current bed-time reading. Lebovitz is a funny guy, and his pairings/accompaniment ideas are geniusness. Can't wait to try the fruit ice cream/sorbet recipes. He's a fun person to follow on Twitter, too. (@davidlebovitz)

Actually, I'd say that it probably won't be fine after an hour long drive. Ice just isn't cold enough. I'd definitely grab some dry ice, which will keep it frozen for a few days. Overkill, but it works.

That said, dry ice is harder to find around here than you might think. Just today, I found the best source I've encountered in the area. Polar Ice sells dry ice out of its Pilsen-ish factory for relatively little ($7 for a 10lb block), and provides quick and easy service. Jefferson Ice, way further west, also has it, but charges significantly more ($15 for 10lbs, IIRC) and had me waiting around for 20 minutes last time I drove out to pick some up from them.

One more tip. Make sure you pull your ice cream out of your cooler a while before you intend to serve it. After an hour in the dry ice, it will likely be hard as a rock.

--Rich

Polar Ice Co.
2308 West 21st Place
Chicago, IL 60608-3810
(773) 254-6420

Jefferson Ice Co.
2248 North Natchez Avenue
Chicago, IL 60707-3492
(773) 622-9400

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I don't know what you think about dinner, but there must be a relation between the breakfast and the happiness. --Cemal Süreyya

Call first, but many Baskin-Robbins stores have dry ice on hand that they might be willing to sell you.

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Chicago Craft Beer Week!

I sometimes wish I didn't have David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop. The ice creams I have made from that book have been fabulous (if I do say so, though it's hard to go wrong when you use 5-6 egg yolks per batch)--great flavor and texture. My favorites are the malt ball, the bittersweet chocolate ice cream with peanut butter patty mix-ins and the salted caramel (actually from his website) with dark chocolate truffle mix-in (below)--though I have to give a shout out to Rich/RAB's salted caramel gelato which is actually a little better.

Dry ice update: I picked up four pounds at the Village Creamery on Waukegan & Oakton for about $1.55/lb. Can't be sure of the exact price since I also picked up five individual servings of ice cream (lychee, tasty; avocado, also tasty; durian; jackfruit; and ginger) and a cookies and cream sandwich.
They seem to have dry ice readily available and they're open 11-11 daily (the other places I tried thanks to numerous suggestions were not open Sundays or could not promise they'd have it then) but bring your own bag. They put it all in one paper sack which did not hold up under the pressure and all my blocks fell into the street. Trying to bring them upstairs in their own smokin' plastic bags was quite a sight. Also, I did not need 4 lbs.; after an hour in the car, it was still rock solid. Next time 1 per quart should be plenty.

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I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~ Jason Love
There is no pie in Nighthawks, which is why it's such a desolate image. ~ Happy Stomach
I can't go to Hollywood. I got biscuits to make. ~ Dwight Henry

Late-Nite Eats Database

I made the butterscotch ice cream from "The Perfect Scoop" last weekend and mixed in the almond pralines. Delicious! Note to self: don't eat cantaloupe sorbet after "Perfect Scoop" ice cream--it really suffers in comparison.

Does the Greek Yogurt recipe actually need Greek yogurt, or could I substitute another kind of thick yogurt? I ask because I haven't been pleased with any Greek yogurt since Fage moved its production to the US, while there are several Middle Eastern yogurts I like very much. They are a bit thinner in consistency, is it necessary to drain them a bit?

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As a mattra-fact, Pie Face, you are beginning to look almost human. - Barbara Bennett

We're going to a BBQ for Labor Day and I offered to bring dessert. I was thinking peach ice cream would be nice, but the hostess loves my Coulda Been Mildly Famous Rum Cake* (a moist chocolate bundt with lots of rum, butter, and pecans). However, since I couldn't make up my mind, I wondered do those two things go together? Then I could just make both. Thoughts?


*also known as The Unmarketed Product Cake and Unmotivated Ass-Sitters Cake

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I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~ Jason Love
There is no pie in Nighthawks, which is why it's such a desolate image. ~ Happy Stomach
I can't go to Hollywood. I got biscuits to make. ~ Dwight Henry

Late-Nite Eats Database

What do you use to store your ice cream? I've been using Rubbermaid storage containers - they're great for everyday use, but are (unsurprisingly, I suppose) terrible for ice cream. Freezer burn is prevalent after just a few days (good thing it never lasts that long!), and the plastic itself starts to crack after prolonged time in the freezer. My airtight metal cannisters work much better (and freezing them overnight before adding the ice cream makes them even better), but they're rather expensive, and hard to scoop from.

I saw this product eligible for Amazon's 4-for-3 promotion:

http://amzn.com/B001R1ZVWI

Does anyone have experience with it? Is it any good?

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"I've always thought pastrami was the most sensuous of the salted cured meats."

I just use those tall plastic containers you get from Chinese restaurants when you order soupy dishes. This also provides an easy excuse to go to Ben Tre. Although I've been known to use quart-size yogurt containers too.

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I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~ Jason Love
There is no pie in Nighthawks, which is why it's such a desolate image. ~ Happy Stomach
I can't go to Hollywood. I got biscuits to make. ~ Dwight Henry

Late-Nite Eats Database

I have one of these, but I use it for transporting as opposed to storing. Since there is the added insulation, it seems like overkill to keep the ice cream frozen in this in the freezer, and I worry about it getting too cold. Let me know if that works for you. In the meantime, I bought some plastic Ball containers from Walmart that are meant to go in the freezer. I've been trying to watch what I eat this summer, so I haven't been baking or making ice cream all summer long. I'll report back later this fall after I use them.

To prevent freezer burn, I put a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the ice cream and pat it down gently. I just use left over take-out containers, too.

I've had the cracking problem with all sorts of plastic too. What seems to have solved it is making sure not to fill the container completely. Ice cream continues to expand as it freezes, or at least that's what I'm told. I also do what thaiobsessed does, though I use aluminum foil instead of plastic. That and the fact that homemade ice cream never lasts long in my home seems to solve the freezer burn problem.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

I've used the plastic wrap trick, and it does help. The problem is that after the first batch, when the surface is still viscous, I inevitably get trapped air pockets on the surface, which leads to the freezer burn. Besides the plastic wrap, my best solution thus far has been to eat all the ice cream before it can dry out. This works very well, but it is perhaps not sustainable without investing in more elastic-banded pants. Le sigh.

I'll try leaving some extra space for expansion in the containers to see if that solves the cracking issue. I stopped using the take-out containers because of the cracking, but if it works, I might go back to them. Thanks!

In the dark of night, alone with my thoughts, I've had visions of an 'ice cream sausage' - that is, ice cream extruded into some sort of edible tube. This appeals to me because of the inherent and undeniable superiority of all tube-shaped foodstuffs. In the winter, I could then open the windows an hang them from my ceiling, as all tube-shaped foodables should be stored. Mmmm. Tubes.

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"I've always thought pastrami was the most sensuous of the salted cured meats."

First time making ice cream! Inherited an unwanted Cuisinart Ice Cream maker and, admittedly, didn't have high hopes that this would even be edible but I was VERY pleasantly surprised. Felt like doing something a bit exotic so went with a twist on Cherry Garcia--Cardamon Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream. Started with a base recipe and played around with it a bit after reading various things on line.

Here is what I came up with:

1 ½ cups fresh cherries, pitted (I used a batch I'd frozen a couple of weeks ago--there was a lot more liquid in the bag but I didn't use it for this (made grappa with the rest of it--I see a very interesting dessert in my future!!)
¾ cup whole milk (I subbed 2% because it's what I had in the house and liked the end result just fine)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
About a dozen cardamom pods, crushed with mortar and pestle, pods removed
Pinch salt
2 egg yolks
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Chop cherries to desired size—I like pieces about the size of a medium dice(food processor is fine).
2. Whisk together the milk, sugar, egg yolks, cardamom and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir in reserved cherries with all juices. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (I chilled for about 4 to make sure the cardamon was thoroughly infused).
3. Freeze in ice cream maker. When pouring the mix into the freezer bowl, the cardamon seeds mostly remained at the bottom of the mixing bowl and I tossed them. If you really wanted to be sure to get all the seeds out (they can be kind of bitter), you’d have to refrigerate the milk mix before adding in the cherries, take out after a couple of hours and strain, add the cherries in and chill again for a couple more hours. I didn’t feel like doing this and like the “bite” of the occasional cardamon seed.
4. About 5 minutes before freeze complete, add in chocolate chips.

I LOVED the flavor of this--not crazy about my vanilla extract so using a better brand (i used Kirkland 100%) could only improve but the cherry and cardamon flavor really comes through. And the machine worked, much to my surprise. I had a cup from the bottom which was the most frozen and the texture was perfect. The top 2/3 was less frozen and the very top a bit soupy so I mixed it to even out the consistency, did the plastic wrap cover trick and back in the freezer it went.

Looking forward to seeing what it's like tomorrow. And making it again in a couple months when my grappa is ready!

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Technically not ice cream, but this grapefruit & campari sorbet couldn't be any simpler. It was delicious too.

3 cups grapefruit juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Campari

Dissolve sugar, mix, chill in the fridge, and run it through your ice cream maker.

I made the Momofuku Sour Cream ice cream, and it was just dandy! More lime flavor than I expected, but that was fine.
http://momofukufor2.com/2010/07/sour-cream-ice-cream/

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American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
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Maybe scrape a half to whole vanilla bean into the liquid and steep with the pods? I don't think extract has worked well with ice cream recipes that I have tried.

Yeah...it was a rookie mistake. So I had some yesterday and another small bowl today--texture is definitely changing--still good but icier. SO didn't like it--complained about the aftertaste which could've been either the vanilla or the cardamon. Looking forward to more experiments--it really was so easy.

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

read a interesting homemade ice cream article in the current Saveur Magazine it uses cream cheese as part of the base.
I'll be trying it soon.

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my food shots

RE the texture, in step 2 did you cook the custard or are you just eating raw egg yolks? Cooking it will help the texture. More imprtantly, I don't think the eggs add anything of value if added to uncooked cream, so they present an unnecessary though minor health risk. Sugar is also very important to ice cream texture, and I do not think 2/3 cup is enough for the volume you made. When you taste ice cream base before freezing, it should seem too sweet. The sweetness will mellow when it is frozen and the sugar helps the texture.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

I knew about the risk but know the source of my eggs so wasn't overly concerned about it--but do appreciate the rec on improving the texture. And the level of sweetness was fine--I had read about what to expect when tasting the pre-freezing mix and it turned out as sweet as i would've wanted (any more and it would've been pretty cloying i think). When I made it on Sunday the texture was good. When I tasted it again after freezing for 4 hours, it was exactly what I was looking for. It just started getting a bit crystallized by Monday--I had also read that this is fairly normal so I wasn't surprised--from all accounts, it's best to make it and eat it, or freeze for an extra few hours if you need it to harden up a bit (which I did because I might not have left it in long enough.)

I'll think i'll try leaving out the eggs next time. Thanks for the help!

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

I made the base ice cream from Saveur over the weekend. I liked the consistency of this even more than David Lebovitz. A combination of some of his recipes using this base are next on my list.

Bummer! went to put my ICM'er in the freezer and it has a hole is the canister?? No idea how that could have happen but I'm not sure I'm going to drop $45 bucks on a new one I think I'll try one of the DIY methods instead.

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my food shots

We got the ice cream maker attachment for our KitchenAid for Christmas. Since I'm extremely lactose intollerant I have to come up with non-dairy ice creams to make.

I started with a blueberry sorbet basically using the recipe that came with the maker. This came out way too sweet.

So, for the next batch I made a strawberry sorbet. There was no recipe for this so I just guessed based off of the other fruit sorbet recipes in the KitchenAid book. I used just under 2 pints of strawberry's I chopped in our Kitcehn Ninja. I made the simple syrup with about 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 cup+ of water and a fresh squeezed lime. I chilled all of that before putting it in the ice cream maker. This came out really good. It did have the issue of freezing to a block of ice basically but I just broke off chunks and microwaved them for 30 seconds when we wanted to eat it. Worked out just fine.

Yesterday I decided to try a thai ice cream using coconut milk. I had a recipe I pulled off of some site but I modified it a bit since my ice cream maker is on the smaller side.

I used 2 cans of coconut milk, about 3/4 cup of sugar and about 1/4 tsp of salt. I heated that mixture to a boil then reduced to a simmer for several minutes. I cooled it in an ice bath while still stirring. I put it in a tupperware container and put that in the fridge for about 6 hours.

Then I churned the mixture in the KitchenAid for about 25 minutes. After chilling for about 7 hours last night it had a great consistency to it. I'm not sure how it will be when I get home tonight. I'm hoping it's kept about the same texture. My wife and I would always get Thai custard at New Pot in Oak Park. This scratches that itch for sure.

So, now I want to experiment a bit with other coconut milk based recipes. I'm thinking the next batch will have chocolate chips and candied almonds.

I also want to do a pina colada version with pineapple and rum and maybe a coffee infused one. A coworker suggested maybe experimenting with some indian spices. I'd really like an ice cream with a bit of a heat kick so I'm going to play with that idea too.

Any ideas for lactose free ice cream are welcome. I will eventually try using different soy and nut milks but for now the coconut milk will work as a good vehicle for other flavors I think.

Re: the coconut milk variations, if you can find kaffir lime leaves at a SE Asian market, infuse your simmering sugar/milk mixture with 3-4 whole leaves (they are in two parts/lobes). Throw half of a split vanilla bean in there, too. Chill the vegetation in the mix, and strain before freezing. Oooow-weeee! Good eats.

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Food & Flowers: Andre Jordan's sweet doodle for a cold winter's day; diary of an unhappy restaurateur, circa 1881; winter project - try a terrarium

I'm going to give that a try. It hadn't even occored to me to infuse the milk or simple syrup with an herb like that. Definitely another angle I will play with.

I'm wondering about how to go about doing the coffee flavor. I'm assuming I want to brew it first and mix some in with the coconut milk? Or do I just use a small amount of coffee grounds? I'm just wondering if adding coffee to the milk while it's heating will water it down too much and give me that ice block consistency I'm trying to avoid.

I assume throwing some green tea bags in the milk while it simmers would do something for the flavor. I need to read up a bit more on this stuff I guess.

Yo, Gorack: I'd infuse the coffee grounds right in the coco-milk, and strain the infusion through cheesecloth. Ditto with the green tea.

BTW, I got the kaffir lime notion first to use with a regulation cream-based ice cream, since infusing lime leaves gives you a true lime flavor without curdling the milk product. The vanilla bean just rounds out the flavor. The coco-milk/vanilla/kaffir lime combo is even better, IMO.

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Food & Flowers: Andre Jordan's sweet doodle for a cold winter's day; diary of an unhappy restaurateur, circa 1881; winter project - try a terrarium

Gorack -
Interesting. I'm gonna be rocking some coconut milk ice cream myself. Very interested in consistency after the long freeze. Suggestion for you: I do a mole ice cream pretty frequently. Cinnamon, cocoa, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and dried ground pepper. The sugar and cream kind of dampen the heat, so you really need to add more of a heat component than you'd think if you want any sort of "burn." I'd suggest a blend of chiles to accomplish a layered heat effect and be mindful of the flavors they will add. Pequin will add real top end heat without really messing with the flavor, but things like habanero, jalapeno, ancho, and aleppo will alter the flavor. In my experience, I would use habanero by itself for the distinct, fruity, taste it has. Also, if you want some frozen lime leaf, perhaps in trade for a few small tastes of your final products in a dixie cup, let me know. I have a quart sized ziplock of leaves in my freezer, and if you are in FP, I'm not too far, and wind up in Forest Park visiting friends on a pretty regular basis.

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