Toasted and Sugared Pecans

3 tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 c. pecans, chopped
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar

Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 large egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

1 Cup Half and Half

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, combine butter, pecans, salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. The spread on a oven tray and roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Stir and roast 15 minutes longer and let cool.  Don’t eat the Pecans until they go into the ice cream.

 Place Milk and Creams into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk the brown sugar, corn starch and egg yolks until combined.   Stir some of the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture vigorously and then return the entire mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Add the vanilla but do not let boil.

 Cool the mixture down in a refrigerator overnight and then run through your ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions. Fold through the roasted pecans and then place in a plastic container to harden over night.

 Happy Pecan Month

Cranberry Citris Sorbet

This one is unqiue with the end result giving you a sharp citrus and cranberry flavor that your guests will talk about for weeks – in a good way!

5 Cups washed fresh Cranberrys

1 1/2 Cup fine sugar

1 1/2 Cups water

1 Half Cup Orange juice

1/8 Cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp Salt

1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup

Mix all ingredients into a saucepan and cook over a medium to high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.  All of the Cranberrys should pop when the mixture comes to the boil.  Take off the heat and allow to cool.  Place the mixture into a blender and liquify.  Strain the mixer into a stainless bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool to 40 degrees.

Run the mixture through your ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions.  Bon Apetite

Sorbets are especially resfreshing on a hot summers day and are incredibly easy to make.  Try this one out for size.

2.5 Cups fresh strawberries

1.5 Cups fine sugar

1 cup peeled and chopped Bananas

Juice from 1 lemon

4 Tablespoons of corn syrup

4 Cups chilled water

Wash, top and chop up Strawberrys and placing into a bowl with the 1.5 Cups of Sugar. Fold the sugar through the strawberries and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour. It will perform better if its left overnight.  This process will draw the water content out of the strawberries and make a sugary strawberry liquid mixture.

Add the banana,  lemon juice and corn syrup to the straawberry mix and blend in a blender.  If you want more pulp then dont blend too much.  Add the mixture to a bowl and add the water.  Stir through and add to Ice Cream Maker following the manufacturers Instructions. Viola – a non dairy treat that the family will love.

 This one is great for Halloween or just for something a little different.

100 grams Black Licorice Pieces

1/2 Pint of Half and Half Cream

1/2 Pint of Heavy Whipping Cream

2/3 Cup of Table Sugar

4 Egg Yolks

Over medium heat melt down the Licorice pieces and the Half and Half cream in a saucepan, adding half of the Heavy Whipping Cream to produce a creamy texture.  You can leave small portions of the licorice unmelted for some chunky bits.  Once melted into a creamy mix, take off heat.

Beat egg yolks and mix sugar together, and then add to the Licorice/Cream mixture and return to medium heat.  Add in the remainder of the heavy whipping Cream and stir till mixed.  Do not boil.  Take off the heat and chill mixture down to 40 degrees before running through your Ice Cream Maker to the manufacturer’s instructions.  This ice cream will turn out gray, so you may need to add a little food coloring if you want a nice rich black color. 

This one is a fall favorite but tastes great any time of year.  It is incredibly easy to whip up,

1 and a half cups of Half and Half Cream
1 and a half cups Table Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
 1 oz Vanilla Extract

Beat half and half and sugar and place on a medium heat and bring to a soft boil.
Take half of the mixture and mix vigorously with 2 beaten eggs. Mix quickly so as to not to scramble the eggs.  Pour back into the saucepan and add 1 Cup heavy Whipping Cream. Bring to a soft boil again and take off the heat and add Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract.  Cool down to 40 degrees and run through your Ice Cream machine as per manufacturers instructions

Fold through Apple Pie Filling and eat

If you are ready for the Holidays, you’re ready for this festive treat.  It’s really easy and it will knock em dead at the family gathering. Not Literally!!

3 Tblsp Corn Starch
2 Cups Half and Half Cream
1 and a Half cups Crushed Peppermint Candy’s
3 More Cups Half and Half
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 oz Vanilla Extract
5 Tblsp Peppermint Extract

Mix Corn Starch and Half and Half in a saucepan over medium heat bring it up to a soft boil.  The mixture will thicken up to resemble icing or frosting.  Take off the heat.  Take your crushed peppermint candies and cool down to 38 degrees. 

Add the Heavy Whipping Cream and the remainder of the half and Half to the Corn Starch mixture. 
Add the Vanilla and Peppermint extract, mix and chill in a refrigerator till it reaches about 38 degrees.
Take out of fridge and run through your ice cream machine as per manufacturers instructions.
After extracting from the machine, fold the peppermint candy through and Bobs your Uncle – a great Festive Treat.

This is a great one for Chocolate Lovers that like a bit of Zing in their lives.  You may also see this called Mexican Chocolate. 

3 oz unsweetened Chocolate
2 Cup Heavy Cream
3 Cups Half and Half
1 and a Half Cups Table Sugar
5 Tblsp ground Cinnamon
1 oz Vanilla Extract

Melt the chocolate in a double pan until soft then take off heat.
Add one cup of the Half and Half into the chocolate slowly
Mix Sugar and Cinnamon in a separate bowl, and then add the Heavy cream and remainder of the Half and Half Cream.

Add the Chocolate Mixture and mix before placing the entire mix in the fridge to cool.
Freeze in your Home Ice Cream Maker according to manufacturers instructions.

2 Cups loosely filled Rose Petals
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup of Half & Half Cream
1/4 oz of Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Rose Water
4 Egg Yolks

Blend 2 cups of (washed and towel dried) Rose Petals with the cup of sugar in a food processor. Try to use organic roses if possible & do not use the white part of the petal that is closest to the stem. Blend till the mixture becomes a paste.

In a double boiler place the Heavy Cream, the Half & Half and the Sugar/Petal mixture and simmer till you reach a soft boil. Dont let it boil over like I did in the bloopers.

Whisk 4 egg yolks till light and slowly stir in the cream mixture. Whisk quickly while you add the mix slowly as going to fast may scramble the eggs. Add 1/4 oz of Vanilla extract and 1/4 Cup of Rose water and whisk through. Place the mix into a fridge or an ice bath to cool to about 38 degrees.

You can strain the mix before putting it into your ice cream maker if you wish, but I prefer the rose petal pulp in the finished product. Run through your Ice Cream machine according to manufacturers instructions. Please note that not all flowers are food safe; be sure to check before using any other flower in this recipe.

This one is very refreshing on a hot summers afternoon.
You will need:
4 Cups of seedless watermelon chunks – about 1 – 2 inches
3 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup of Half and Half Cream
1 and 1/2 Cups of Sugar
4 Egg Yolks
1/2 oz of Vanilla Extract

Cut your watermelon up in to cubes and include the juice that you generate in a bowl.
Add the Cream, Half and Half and the Sugar into a heavy saucepan on medium heat and bring to simmer.
Beat egg yolks and then add a portion of the simmering cream mixture and mix thoroughly. Add this back to the rest of the cream ingredients and continue to a simmer.
Pour the cream mixture over your watermelon chunks and blend with a stick mixer.
Place this mixture in the fridge to cool down to about 38 degrees and then run through your Ice Cream machine following manufacturers instructions.

By the way – Watermelons dont grow on trees!

This one is a very unique Ice Cream that tastes absolutely fantastic – believe it or not.
One word of caution, any time you utilize a recipe incorporating meat, always make sure the meat is well cooked to avoid any bacterial infection.

3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Cup Half and Half
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
4 Egg Yolks
1 Pound Thick Cut Bacon

Cook your bacon in a fry pan until golden and brown (Not too crispy). Once done, take off heat and let the pieces sit in the fat.

In a saucepan add Heavy Cream, Half & Half & Brown Sugar and bring to a slow boil being careful not to overboil.

Seperate 4 egg yolks and whisk until mixed and then add a third of your simmering cream ingredients to the egg yolks slowly while whisking. Add all of the contents then back into your saucepan and return to the heat.

Once you have small bubbles appearing around the outside of the pan, take three quarters of your bacon strips and drop into the cream mixture and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove Bacon strips from the mixture and then chill the mixture down until about 38 degrees. You can strain the mixture if you would like but the small offshoots of bacon really add to the flavor.

Finely chop your remaining quarter of bacon strips and also place in the fridge. Once all of these ingredients are cool, add your bacon pieces to the mix and freeze in your ice cream machine following manufacturers instructions.

Serve as is in a bowl, or place on top of a freshly baked belgian waffle with a garnish of bacon. Delish!!