Sunday's are for Ice Cream

I like to think that I can conquer any challenge I set my mind to, especially baking. When I started baking, truth be told, I was not the best. My cakes were horrendously lopsided and dry, and my cookies would always burn at the bottom. In many cases, this can discourage people from ever picking up a whisk again.

But not me.

I bought a cake leveler to turn those lopsided cakes straight, and lowered my oven temp for softer cakes. I invested in parchment paper and then my cookies were amazing. I dominated.

Then there was ice cream.

For Christmas two years ago, I mentioned to my step-dad that I always wanted to make homemade ice cream didn’t have the resources for it. After I opened all my presents one Christmas morning, which included cupcake liners, whisks, metal bowls (the works), he presented me with the KitchenAid ice cream attachment and I was so excited. I read about ice cream all day and night, I didn’t care if it was the middle of December. When I got back to Chicago, I felt ready. I felt like, yes this I can handle, I know how this works.

I was wrong.

The first time I attempted a simple vanilla ice cream, it became just frozen cream. I analyzed it, and was intrigued on what I did wrong. So I back-peddled and realized I didn’t have enough cream. Mistake 1. Then I realized I didn’t let the custard cool after I cooked it. Mistake 2. Needless to say, there were 10 mistakes that contributed to Fail #1.

So, when I tried to make Oreo ice cream I had my mistakes handy. I let the custard cool, my KitchenAid was frigid, and I had the yolks, cream, whatever. Still didn’t work. Fail #2. However, it was a huge improvement from the first try.

Now, present time, here I am, with a recipe in front of me, memorizing it. So much so that I would triple check everything. I can do this, I can do this, third time’s the charm. I was pepping myself up and honestly, it worked.

I made ice cream! AH I made ice cream! I was so excited. I was so excited that I accidentally forgot to mix in the chocolate chips, but who cared it worked!

I froze my mixture overnight and when I photographed and ate it in the morning I was surprised. Obviously, it wasn’t as good as Ben & Jerry’s and I’m accepting that homemade ice cream might have a crystalized undertone to it. I just really didn’t care though, I made ice cream.

Unlike most recipes where I’m all-encouraging, I’m going to admit I think making ice cream can be difficult. You really need to pay attention and make sure you have all the resources. For some, it may be nothing. For me, it took three tries. You’re never going to know until you try it yourself.

This recipe comes from Joy The Baker’s Homemade Decadence, and an earlier version can be found on her website joythebaker.com. Seriously, her site is the best and her book is even better. Highly highly recommend.

The ice cream is a Cookie No-Dough. Basically ice cream that tastes like cookie dough. It’s amazing. Usually, I try to walk through the recipe step by step, but I’m going to just leave it to Joy to do so.

Good luck!

Cookie No-Dough Ice Cream

Recipe from Joy The Baker’s “Homemade Decadence” (pg. 246)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 5 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 ounces chopped dark chocolate

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Cook until it starts to crackle and sizzle, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking until the butter begins to smell nutty and there are little brown speckles on the bottom of the pan, about 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the brown butter into a small bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar and salt until the mixture is slightly paler and thick, about 3 minutes.
3. In a medium saucepan combine the cream, milk and brown butter. Cook until steaming and almost boiling, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap touches the ice cream mixture. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until chilled through.
4. Churn based on manufacturers instructions. During the last minute, add the chocolate chunks. Transfer to freezer safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours.