Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday and enjoying the day. We had a wonderful dinner and instead of doing some big rich dessert I decided to go simple and refreshing for our finish this year. Sweet and tart cranberry sorbet, a perfectly light and yet festive holiday dessert. This would be divine to also serve on New Year’s Eve, especially if you scoop a few balls and put them at the bottom of a glass, then top with champagne. Cranberry sorbet floats, anyone?

Happy Holidays!

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Cranberry Sorbet

About 1 quart

Based on David Lebovitz’s recipe.

Ingredients

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup plus ¼ cup water
• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Directions

1.) In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar with ½ cup water then add the cranberries and a pinch of salt.

2.) Cover, and cook at a low boil for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries are completely softened and have burst open.

3.) Remove from heat and let the cranberries sit until room temperature, covered.

4.) Once the cranberries have cooled, puree the cranberries with any liquid and the orange juice, ¼ cup water and the orange-flavored liqueur.

5.) Chill thoroughly then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christmas, frozen treat, fruit, ice cream, sweet, tart

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One of my all-time favorite food memories is the first time I tried Vietnamese food living in Chicago. I had pho tái, shrimp summer rolls, and then at the end of the meal, my very first Vietnamese coffee. I saw another patron being served with the traditional single-serve drip and after much oohing and ahhing, got one for myself.

The flavor was potent, so absolutely sweet but bold and intoxicating, I was hooked. It quickly became one of my favorite treats (and still is), so when I saw this ice cream recipe, I about died.

Not only is it the easiest ice cream I’ve ever made (ok, second easiest), but it really is one of the tastiest. Using the naturally thick texture of sweetened condensed milk, no custard or tempering is necessary (yessss!) and the flavor is just beyond wonderful. If you’ve ever been intimidated by your ice cream machine or the process, this is the dish for you.

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Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Based on the recipe from the fabulous David Lebovitz.

Makes about 5 cups ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups freshly brewed espresso, cooled to room temperature
• 1½ cups sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup whole milk
• Chocolate covered espresso beans (for fun and garnish)

Directions

1.) In a large mixing bowl or measuring cup (something with a spout), whisk together the espresso, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk. Chill mixture for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

2.) Once chilled, pour the mixture into your prepared ice cream maker. Churn according to your maker’s directions. Once done, pour into an air-tight container. Press plastic wrap on top of the ice cream (to prevent ice crystals from forming on top), then add another layer, and put the lid on your container.

3.) Freeze the ice cream for 12-24 hours before devouring. Once ready, chop up some chocolate covered espresso beans and sprinkle on top. Enjoy!

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: coffee, dessert, ice cream, summer

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To me, nothing says summer more than watermelon. Well, that and suffocating humidity, but thankfully this dish solves that woe.

Refreshing and sweet, I could eat watermelon with every meal during summertime, especially for dessert. And as much as I can happily eat a few slices of freshly sliced melon, this recipe for watermelon sorbet from Salty Sweets (seriously my favorite dessert book ever) came across my path and quickly shot to the top of my “to cook” queue. For those who have never done it, sprinkling salt on watermelon actually brings out the sweetness and of course adds a fabulous salty flavor, so don’t knock it til you try it!

Be sure to use fleur de sel or a flaky, light sea salt. You want something gentle and mild in flavor – no kosher or table salt here. It’ll dissolve best and also won’t leave a harsh aftertaste. If you’re not keen on the idea of salted sorbet, just omit it and try out the watermelon on its own. I’m sure it’s delicious.

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Salted Watermelon Sorbet

Based on the recipe from Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson.

Makes about 1 quart of sorbet.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of water
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 cups seedless watermelon chunks (from about a 3lb watermelon)
• 1 TBL freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp fleur de sel

Directions

1.) In a small saucepan, make the simple syrup. Combine the water and sugar and simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the burner and let cool slightly.

2.) Combine the simple syrup, watermelon, lemon juice, and fleur de sel in a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. Once chilled, add to your ice cream maker and churn according to the maker’s instructions.

3.) Transfer to an air-tight container and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic on the surface of the sorbet (to prevent surface crystallization). Freeze for at least an hour to firm up the texture before serving.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: dessert, ice cream, salty, summer

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Colorado Peach Ice Cream

Due to the last minuteness of this, it’s a crazy mash up of many recipes I looked up in an attempt to salvage what happened halfway through. The (failtastic) original recipe from Martha is here, but the real help came from The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and my sister, DeAnna.

Ingredients

• 4 large peaches, pitted, unpeeled and sliced
• 1 ½ cups sugar, divided
• 1 TBL freshly squeeze lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 vanilla bean
• 4 extra-large egg yolks
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk

Directions

1.) In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine peaches, lemon juice and ¾ cup sugar. Toss to combine and coat, then let sit for at least 2-3 hours, covered. Stir occasionally and the peaches should produce a lot of liquid.

2.) Whisk the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate area, prepare an ice bath that the bowl you have the yolks in will fit. You’re not putting the bowl with yolks in the ice bath, but we’ll use that same bowl in a bit when we cool the custard.

3.) Either while the peaches marinate or after, bring the milk, cream, vanilla, vanilla bean and remaining sugar to a very low boil in a heavy-bottomed non-reactive saucepan. Keep whisking or stirring constantly to keep it from burning on the bottom.

4.) Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and using either liquid measuring cup or ladel, slooooowly whisk in the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. You’re tempering the yolks (cooking them) very slowly by whisking while you trickle in the hot liquid, so don’t be afraid to go at a snail’s pace. I go a ladel at a time until I’ve added about a cup of liquid to the egg yolks.

5.) Return the pan to the heat and switch positions up by slowly pouring the yolk mixture back into the remaining hot milk in the pan. Whisk slowly (like before) and then change to a wooden spoon once you’ve got a feel for it. Keep stirring – do not ever stop stirring. Keep stirring (I will say it again!) until it thickens quite a bit. The rule of thumb is the wooden spoon trick. If it coats the back of a wooden spoon and you can draw a clear line (where it doesn’t run) down the back of it, it’s ready.

6.) Once ready, remove the custard from the heat. Use the bowl you had the yolks/mixture in previously and rinse it out. Put it in the prepared ice bath and set a strainer over it. Pour the custard into the chilled bowl and whisk a bit to help the cool down process.

7.) Once the peaches are ready, strain them and reserve the juice. Add the juice to the cooling (or cooled, depending on when you do this step) custard and stir. Mash up the peaches with either a potato masher or your hands and add them to the custard.

8.) Let the custard come to a completely cooled temperature and then cover. Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours or even overnight if you have the patience.

9.) Once ready, pour the peach custard mixture into your ice cream maker and run according to your instructions.

10.) Freeze at least 3 hours but preferably overnight before enjoying. Sandwich between pecan sandies to go absolutely, awesomely over-the-top.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: dessert, fruit, ice cream, summer, sweet

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