Ice Cream Party

July 18, 2018 by

An ice cream party is one of the funnest and easiest parties to throw.  And tastiest, of course.
We have done one 2 years in a row for my oldest daughter’s birthday she liked it so much!
I’m going to share my tips so you can do this super simply!
I’ve done this making homemade ice cream or using a tub from the store.  If you make homemade just be sure to make it a day ahead so it can firm up.

For the toppings.  Go to the grocery store and pick out some fun things.  If you have a Winco or other grocery store that sells bulk that works nicely so you only have to buy what you need.  You may have things in your pantry all ready too.

This is a good chance to mix homemade with purchased items.  I made the sauces myself along with the waffle bowls but I’ve also done it where I didn’t make anything but one sauce and it was loads of fun still.

Cute dishes for serving are fun, but even some mason jars are cute.

Since this was for a birthday I made an ice cream themed cake.  Super easy.  When you level off your cake rounds save the scraps and mix with frosting to make a big cake ball.  Put on top of frosted cake and pour ganache over and while wet place cone on top of cake ball.

Topping ideas:
Sauces (purchased or homemade)
Marshmallow cream
Salted Caramel
Hot Fudge (serve in mini crockpot?)
Chocolate
Butterscotch
Strawberry
Pineapple.. you get the idea.  Just pick a few sauces 🙂
Bananas
Strawberries or other berries
Chopped nuts
Mini Reese’s PB Cups
Sprinkles
Whipped Cream
Cookies
Oreos
Pop rocks (This one is always the most popular!)
Crumbled Sugar cones
Mini marshmallows
Pretzels
Mini Chocolate chips
Chocolate dipped dried bananas
m and m’s
Whipped cream
Waffle bowls
Seriously, just have fun with it.  Even gummy worms are fun!
Oh, and don’t forget the ice cream!!! I always just do vanilla since we have so many other flavors with the add ins but if you wanted to go all out you could do chocolate too of course!

The ice cream bowls and spoons are a set from Amazon and we still use them all the time! We ended up using them for the toppings and our big Corelle cereal bowls for serving since the kids could fit a waffle bowl inside them and all the toppings their hearts desired!

Filed Under: Ice cream, Parties

Red Licorice Ice Cream

January 30, 2018 by

In my hometown there was a little ice cream truck downtown in the summers that my sister worked at.  Occasionally I’d tag along with my Dad when he would pick her up.  He ALWAYS had to check if they had the black licorice ice cream in.  I’m not sure if I loved it too or just liked it because he liked it.  I’ve been toying around with different ways to make homemade when my youngest asked if we could make red licorice ice cream.  Why not?!
After a few batches of tedious straining I had a moment of clarity when I saw our vita mix on the counter.  Why not? So I made a simple Philadelphia style ice cream base with reduced sugar since the licorice itself has sugar.  I wish my Dad were here to try it, I think it would be his new favorite.
Make a batch up for your favorites this Valentines day!

LICORICE ICE CREAM
5 oz licorice (13 sticks)
1 1/2 cups milk (I use fat free)
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Chill or immediately churn in ice cream maker.
(I used my Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker and churned 25 minutes)
Freeze in airtight container for at least an hour before serving.

Filed Under: Ice cream

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

May 31, 2012 by
I had no idea how amazing this would be when I started making this.  Sure, I can pretty well tell how something will turn out by reading a recipe or when I start to mix something, and I did think this would be good (which is why I went to the trouble to make it).. but I had no idea HOW good it would be.  I made it for a tea party last year and everyone loved it as much as I do.  I love the warmth from the lavender, and… I dunno, it’s just plain delicious.  You’re just going to have to trust me. : )  And ps. yes, this does require a few steps, but they are simple steps.  And you can make the mixture the day before, then freeze it the next day.  And the day after that, well, you’ll just wish you had some left.
 
HONEY LAVENDER ICE CREAM
makes about 1 quart
 
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lavender flowers (dried or fresh)
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I have made this with fat free as well)
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
 
Heat the honey with 2 T of the lavender in a small pot until warm.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
 
Put the cream in a large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer on top.
Pour the lavender-honey into the cream, straining out the lavender.
Push the lavender against the strainer to extract as much flavor as possible.  Discard lavender.  Set bowl of cream aside.
 
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  Add a ladle of the warm milk, whisking in, then slowly add the rest of the warm milk to the egg yolks.
Return to pot and stir constantly over medium heat, until mixture thickens slightly.  Pour through strainer into cream.
Add remaining 2 T lavender and stir over an ice bath until cool.
 
Chill mixture overnight in the fridge.
Strain mixture again, pressing the lavender to extract flavor.
Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to your maker’s directions.  If desired, garnish with a couple of dried lavender flowers.
 
Recipe source: “The Perfect Scoop” by David Lebovitz
Filed Under: Ice cream

Chocolate Caramelized Banana Malts

March 23, 2012 by

We had some good news this week.  First, our whopping cough test came back negative.  Hooray!  Second, we are finally emerging from the zombie state of this awful cold!  I hate having sick kids.  Not being able to make them feel better is the worst.  So now that we’re all getting our appetites back, it’s fun to start playing in the kitchen again.

These were a huge hit, I love anything with caramelized bananas… and the chocolate doesn’t hurt either of course. ; )

CHOCOLATE CARAMELIZED BANANA MALTS

1 T unsalted butter
1 banana
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate ice cream
3/4 cup milk (fat free or whatever you have on hand)
2 T malt powder
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter over medium high heat in a small skillet.
Peel banana, cut in half lengthwise, and place cut side down in melted butter.   Turn when crisped, then sprinkle with brown sugar.
Cook until sugar caramelizes.  Put in blender with remaining ingredients, puree.
Serve with whipped cream if desired.  makes 2 drinks.

Filed Under: Drinks, Ice cream

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

October 18, 2011 by
 
Yet another pumpkin recipe! I haven’t even gotten through half my stack of recipes and scribbled ideas for pumpkin uses, but I’m having lots of fun getting through it. : )
Pumpkin is one of my hubby’s favorite foods so he makes a great test subject.  We really loved the fall flavors of this shake, and while we don’t usually have many milkshakes in the fall and winter in particular, these were a very fun fall treat.  In fact, I think we’ll be making these again soon and trying them with a little extra pumpkin puree and maybe a drizzle of caramel sauce.
 
PUMPKIN PIE MILKSHAKE
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground nutmeg
2 T brown sugar
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 graham cracker, crushed
 

Combine everything but graham cracker in a blender until smooth.

(Add more milk to desired consistency and thickness)
Pour in glasses and top with crushed graham cracker.

 

Recipe source: very slightly adapted from our best bites
 
 
 
 
Filed Under: Drinks, Ice cream, Pumpkin

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

September 7, 2011 by
 
It’s been hot around here.  Like, real actual over 90 degrees weather. 
(And no rain to boot!)
I find it humorous that so many people in the Northwest complain about our dreary cloudy and rainy weather we get a lot of, and then go absolutely crazy about how hot it is when we have a week of heat.
I have to admit I prefer the fall and winter, when I have more reasons (and excuses) to bake, make soup, and curl up with my girls and read.
So what to do in this heat? Make ice cream of course!
(What, did you think I was going to say, hiking?)  : )
 
This is so far the best ice cream recipe I’ve ever made. Ever.  But I suspect I’ll be equally impressed by other recipes out of The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.  The recipes all look amazing.
I did change it, making 1 1/2 quarts instead of 1 (If I’m making ice cream, you can bet I’m making the maximum amount that will fit in my ice cream maker!)  I also never have whole milk in the house (yet I have cream, ironic, I know.)  Since we always just have fat free I always adjust ice cream recipes by adding extra cream and a little less milk.  If you are using whole milk, just use 2 1/4 cups each milk and cream. 
So to sum it up: this ice cream is super creamy, silky, and pretty much perfect.  If you don’t like it then you’re probably one of those people who lie and say they don’t like chocolate. ; )
 
I left out the optional cocoa nibs but I grabbed some I saw in the store the other day and can’t wait to try it with them.  I think they’ll add a great dark crunch.
 
MILK CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
Makes 1 1/2 quarts
 
12 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped or use chips
2 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 3/4 cups fat free milk
1 cup sugar
large pinch salt
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup cocoa nibs or semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, optional
Combine milk chocolate and cream in a bowl and microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes (or until melted), stirring every 30 seconds.  Put in a large bowl and set a fine strainer over it.  Set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the milk, sugar, and salt and heat over medium heat.
Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl and as soon as the milk mixture is warm, slowly pour it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
Pour back into saucepan and heat over medium heat until it thickens slightly and coats the spatula.
Pour through the strainer into the melted chocolate.
Set over an ice bath and stir until cooled.
Chill in the fridge until well chilled, then freeze in an ice cream maker.  Add the cocoa nibs the last few minutes of churning if using.
 
Recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
 
Filed Under: Ice cream

Clementine Sorbet

August 17, 2011 by
 
This time of year, we always seem to have more produce on hand then we can use.
So I go through our fridge often and make a list of things that need used, and decide what I’ll make with them, so they don’t get wasted.
I saw a big bowl of clementines staring back at me the other day, and while they were delicious, we just weren’t going to be able to eat them all before some went bad.  And then I was flipping thru The Perfect Scoop, and saw a recipe for Tangerine Sorbet.  I figured it was worth the experiment to try it with clementines.  I don’t know how good the tangerine sorbet is but this is now one of my favorite desserts ever!  Sweet, but still refreshing, and the citrus flavor really comes through well.  I had thought about serving it with vanilla ice cream for a creamsicle effect, but it was so good by itself I left well enough alone. : )
 
 
CLEMENTINE SORBET
3 c clementine juice (from about 4 lbs)
3/4 c sugar
 
Mix 1/2 cup of the juice with the sugar in a small saucepan.
Warm over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
Add remaining juice, then pour into a bowl and chill until cold.
Prepare according to your ice cream makers directions.
 
Recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Filed Under: Ice cream

Spumoni Cookie Sandwiches

September 29, 2010 by
 
This recipe has been sitting in “to post” pile for awhile now, I’m not sure how I forgot to post it right away!   I made these this summer, and since fresh cherries are harder to come by I thought about waiting until next summer to post this, but I couldn’t wait that long! If you can’t find fresh cherries, I would substitute maraschino cherries, or even leave them out completely and just have the chocolate and pistachio. They would still be quite delicious!  These cookies are so easy to throw together, and are great on their own, but when I saw pistachio gelato for sale at Costco, how could I resist?!  And since I had fresh cherries on the counter, they naturally got thrown in the mix.  If you don’t have gelato available where you are, no worries- just substitute ice cream.  I guess this is a good way to say farewell to summer in my book! 
 
SPUMONI COOKIE SANDWICHES
 
To assemble:
Chewy Chocolate cookies (recipe below)
pistachio gelato (I bought mine at Costco)
Fresh Cherries
chopped pistachios
 
CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES:
1 1/4 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa or carob powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts, optional (I usually use walnuts, but I used pistachios for this purpose)
 
Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend well. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Blend well. Add nuts if using.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I use my silicone baking mat for best results).  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.  Don’t overbake- they will be soft.  They puff during baking and flatten upon cooling. 
Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute.  Cool on a wire rack.
 
TO ASSEMBLE SANDWICHES:
Place a scoop of pistachio gelato (I used my small cookie scooper) on half of the cookies.
Place half of a pitted cherry in the middle of gelato, then top with another cookie, pressing slightly.
Serve as is or roll sides of cookie sandwiches in chopped pistachios.  If you aren’t serving immediately, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in freezer.
Filed Under: Cookies, Ice cream

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

June 30, 2010 by
 
 
 
 
 
 
I’m just going to say it now.  I’m sorry.  And maybe you should just turn your computer off right now and walk away.  Yes, that would be best.  Because once you try this cake, there is no hope.  But it really isn’t my fault. Blame my sister-in-law.  She asked for an ice cream cake. So really, it’s her fault.
 
PEANUT BUTTER CUP ICE CREAM CAKE

One 9 inch round chocolate cake
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup quartered miniature Reese’s PB Cups (about 12)
2 cups chocolate ice cream
GANACHE:
1 1/2 cups cream
1 T butter
1 lb milk chocolate
 
Scald cream and butter in a small saucepan.
Pout over chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
Let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
Cut cake in half
Line cake pan with plastic wrap, place half of cake back in pan.
Spread with chocolate ice cream (microwave for 30-60 seconds at 50% power to soften if needed, or you can mix with hand mixer to soften as well).
Distribute PB Cups on ice cream.  Place in freezer for an hour or 2.
Mix vanilla ice cream with peanut butter with a hand mixer until incorporated.
Spread on top of PB Cups.
Place remaining half of cake on top, place in freezer to harden.
Turn out onto wire rack set over a plate.
Pour ganache over cake
Use a ladle or spoon to push ganache over the edge.
Place in freezer for a couple of hour to harden.
(You can do a second coat of ganache if desired)
As you can see, total failure.  We didn’t like it. At all.
Filed Under: Cake / Cake Pops, Ice cream

Honey Blackberry Ice Cream

April 23, 2010 by
There is a local ice cream shop here that uses Honey Ice Cream as their base flavor. I thought I would try to recreate it at home and we loved the results. If you’re not sure if you’d like the honey flavor, you could put less honey in and more sugar.  I used some frozen blackberries and chopped them up, but we thought it would be better if they were mashed in next time. And this would be really good with raspberries, strawberries, or even just plain without any berries.
 
HONEY BLACKBERRY ICE CREAM
 
1 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 T vanilla
2 cups mashed blackberries, optional*
 
Whisk milk, honey, and sugar for 1 or 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved and honey is incorporated.
Stir in cream and vanilla.
Process in your ice cream machine according to directions.
Add the blackberries in the last 5 minutes.
*Try without any berries as well, or with raspberries, strawberries, etc. If you use frozen, just thaw and mash.
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Filed Under: Ice cream