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Chameleon Ice Cream |  |
How many ice cream recipe does a creative cook need? When it's a "chameleon"? Exactly one!
This is my base recipe for a "skinny" ice cream that uses less sugar, fewer eggs, a lower-fat blend of milks. How to compensate? By bumping up the flavor essence, whatever the ice cream wants to be. There are nine suggested (and tested) ice cream recipes here, all start with the base recipe. It's a "chameleon" – it can turn into whatever ice cream you can dream up!
Warm spring evenings call for light suppers and something cold to follow. If you haven’t yet splurged on a new-style ice cream maker, it’s worth the $50 investment.
CHAMELEON ICE CREAM is my new "standard but never-the-same-twice" ice cream. It begs for creativity! Banana chocolate, anyone? Ginger? Have fun with this! I’ve lightened the typical ice cream recipe with a still-rich combination of milks, two eggs compared to eight or more, only 4 tablespoons of sugar.
The secret trick to satisfaction is to bump the flavor "essence" – note the three tablespoons of vanilla extract in VERY VANILLA – to compensate for the flavor loss from less fat.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 5 & PointsPlus 6COFFEE SPICE ICE CREAM Add 2 tablespoons expresso powder or instant coffee granules to egg mixture, then stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon cloves.
COCONUT ICE CREAM Substitute 13 ounces coconut milk for whole milk and half & half. Reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons. Toast 2 ounces sweetened coconut. (To toast, spread coconut evenly on a baking sheet. Set oven for 350F/175C, put pan in right away. Stir every couple minutes during about 12 minutes of toasting.) Stir coconut into frozen mixture after processing.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 5 & PointsPlus 5RASPBERRY ICE CREAM Thaw 12 ounces frozen raspberries with 1 tablespoon sugar, stirring occasionally. Add berries just before processing.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 3 & PointsPlus 4 LOW-GLYCEMIC ICE CREAM Substitute 3 tablespoons agave for 4 tablespoons sugar.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 4 & PointsPlus 4CHAMELEON ICE CREAM
Time to table: 2-1/2 - 3 hours
Makes 3-1/2 cups
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VERY VANILLA
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup ½% or skim milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Stir milks in medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Bring almost to a boil. Refrigerate uncovered 15 minutes.
While milk mixture is heating, separately whisk eggs. (TIP: Use a two-cup container.) Add sugar and vanilla. Whisk again and set aside.
Remove milk mixture from fridge and discard thin skin on top. A quarter cup at a time, add about half milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking after each addition. Whisking, pour milk-egg mixture into saucepan. Over medium heat, cook until a slightly thickened custard forms. (TIPS: Stir often and then constantly to prevent uneven cooking. The custard is fully cooked once it coats a metal spoon.)
Refrigerate custard until completely chilled, 2 – 3 hours. (TIP: Another option is to place in the freezer for about an hour.) Process in an ice cream processor and serve immediately. (TIP: Start processor just before sitting down to eat.)
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 3.5 & PointsPlus 4 Homemade ice cream can be made and processed ahead of time but because its ingredients include no gums nor preservatives, its texture is soft but most pleasing immediately after processing. Or – cover the processor bowl and hold for up to 30 minutes.
GINGER ICE CREAM Omit the vanilla. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of ginger paste to the milks while warming, strain before cooking the custard.
CINNAMON ICE CREAM Follow Very Vanilla instructions. Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon to the milks.
SOUR CHERRY ICE CREAM Follow Very Vanilla instructions. Substitute 1 tablespoon almond extract for the vanilla. Stir in 8 ounces sour cherries (preferably puréed first so they don't ice up) just before processing.
Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook! More Ice Cream Recipes
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I love the recipes here! I just wanted to say a little something about texture. I make A LOT of homemade ice cream. I have noticed when I want to make a low-sugar ice cream, the ice cream is best, eaten right away. However, when I add 1 cup of sugar for every 3 cups of milk/cream combo, the ice cream sets well, and scoops well, just like store bought ice cream, without gums--very much like Breyers ice cream. BUT I do like low-sugar ice cream sometimes, so I make a smaller amount, and eat it right away--YUM!
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