Foodie Friday -- Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream

This is my "Go To" ice cream recipe. It actually came with the ice cream freezer, though I have made a few changes to the recipe that is documented under the Tips & Tricks.

This is how to make the custard, which is the base of the ice cream. It is NOT an instruction on how to MAKE ice cream, mainly due to the fact that ice cream freezers are all different.
That's your problem, not mine. :-)

Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream

 

5 Quarts  

 
3 cups sugar

½ cup flour

½ tsp. salt

6 ¼ cups milk

5 eggs, beaten 

5 cups whipping cream

2 ½ Tbls. vanilla extract

Combine sugar, flour and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat approximately 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Gradually stir about 1 cup of hot mixture into beaten eggs. Add egg mixture back into remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute: remove from heat. Refrigerate 2 hours. Combine whipping cream and vanilla in large bowl; add chilled mixture, stirring with wire whisk to combine Freeze as directed according to your ice cream freezer.

 Tips & Tricks:

·         I use vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract. Vanilla paste has a stronger vanilla flavor without the alcohol of an extract, plus the paste has vanilla bean seeds throughout.

·         BEFORE refrigerating the mixture, strain the custard into a plastic container and seal with a lid.

·         The custard can be made the day before and refrigerate overnight. Be sure the container is sealed tightly as the custard will absorb other flavors in the refrigerator.

·         The step that says combine the whipping cream and vanilla in a large bowl is redundant in the sense that you can simply mix it in the container that comes in the ice cream freezer.

·         My ice cream freezer holds 5 quarts. Be sure to adjust the recipe according to the size of your ice cream freezer.

 

Foodie Friday -- Crazy Cake in a Mug

Don't get your panties in a wad! Yes, I'm actually posting a Foodie Friday recipe! Actually, I found this one on Sweet Little Bluebird yesterday, and my daughter (12) tried it out last night. The kidlet needs to learn to cook sometime, right? And I'm not cooking very much since I'm focused on losing this little bit of weight I gained over the last few months--I'm eating as natural as possible, which means no yummy recipes until I can manage to get my snacking under control.

My daughter made this recipe, but I did taste it. Yes, it was only about 1/2 teaspoon. It's pretty good, though I think cocoa powder doesn't have the punch real chocolate does. This single serving will give you the sugar fix you need without all the tempting leftovers.

Enjoy!

Crazy Cake in a Mug

(single serving, microwave recipe)

5 Tbls flour

4 ½ Tbls sugar
2 tsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Dash of salt

½ tsp vinegar

¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 ½ Tbls water

Using a large microwave safe mug, spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in the mug. After mixing well, make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in another, and vegetable oil in the third. Pour water over the top. Mix well with a fork until smooth. Place in microwave and cook on high for 1 ½ minutes, uncovered.

BE SURE TO NOT OVERCOOK!

Top with anything you like--powdered sugar, frosting, chocolate chips, caramel, or whipped cream--or nothing at all.

Hints & Suggestions:

• the original time said 2 minutes, but our microwave tends to cook quickly, thus the 1 1/2 minute cook time
• You could undercook this and not have a problem since there are no eggs in this recipe
• Yes, it does rise due to the chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar