Crazy for Coconut

Every February for the last two years, Brian and I have traveled to Hawaii to visit my sister and her husband.  They live in Kailua, on the windward side of Oahu, where the weather is always warm and the breeze always smells like coconuts and plumeria flowers.

It is truly the most visually inspiring place I have ever visited.  Breathtaking mountains arise out of the sea, white sand beaches offer unobstructed views of the bluest water you have ever seen, tropical plants like red ginger, bougainvillea and orchids grow wild.  We prefer the funky little surfer towns of the North Shore to touristy Honolulu and Waikiki, but there isn't a single place on the island that I don't wish to return.

This year, we're not going to Hawaii.  At least not this month.  We're planning another big trip for this summer so we had to forgo the annual tropical vacation, and since we saw Colleen and Ben over the Christmas holiday, we decided we should wait a little longer before our return trip.

Perhaps it's because I feel like we should be packing for our yearly Hawaiian trip, but my mind keeps returning to Oahu.  The foods, the sights, the hiking and paddle boarding.  I may not be able to go to Hawaii this month, but I decided to bring a little bit of Hawaii to me.

This recipe calls for only 5 ingredients and no eggs so it's rather quick and simple to prepare.  I chose not to strain out the shredded coconut after steeping it in the simmering milk mixture, but in retrospect I would recommend that you do, as I thought the texture was a little odd with it in.  I used an ice cream maker to churn the finished product, but if you don't have one you could try David Lebovitz's no-machine method.

This isn't too sweet, perfect for my taste buds.  It was marvelous with some toasted coconut and a drizzle of Nutella.  I absolutely recommend the toasted coconut, it adds so much.  

5-Ingredient Coconut Ice Cream
makes about 2 pints
loosely adapted from David Lebovitz

1 can coconut milk (not light)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or substitute the same amount of regular white sugar)
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (or substitute unsweetened coconut, but you may need to increase the sugar by a few tablespoons)
1 tablespoon coconut-flavored rum, I used Malibu (or substitute unflavored vodka or rum)

Toasted coconut to garnish (NOT optional.  Do it.)

Add the coconut milk, heavy cream, sugar and shredded coconut to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in the coconut-flavored rum.  At this point, if you desire strain the cooked ice cream base through a mesh strainer to remove the shredded coconut.  Chill ice cream mixture over an ice bath to cool quickly, then place in the refrigerator for several hours until thoroughly chilled.  Once completely chilled, pour ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Transfer ice cream into an air-tight container and store in the freezer.

For the toasted coconut:  heat your broiler to high and move the rack to the top-most position.  Sprinkle shredded coconut onto a foil-lined baking sheet and place on the top rack of the oven.  Broil about 1 minute, watching carefully, as it will burn very quickly.  Remove from oven and sprinkle on top of ice cream.

All Hawaii images used in today's post are courtesy of my AMAZINGLY talented sister, Colleen Cordle.  She is a photographer located in Kailua, Hawaii and specializes in infants, children, families, couples and portrait photography.  Not only is Colleen one of the most talented photographers I have ever met, she is one of the nicest and most down to earth people and will put anyone at ease.  If you ever travel to Hawaii, you have to check her out!  She loves to document the beautiful landscape and would be happy to photograph your family in the gorgeous surroundings there.  Please check out Colleen's website here for more samples of her work.  

Crazy for Coconut

Every February for the last two years, Brian and I have traveled to Hawaii to visit my sister and her husband.  They live in Kailua, on the windward side of Oahu, where the weather is always warm and the breeze always smells like coconuts and plumeria flowers.

It is truly the most visually inspiring place I have ever visited.  Breathtaking mountains arise out of the sea, white sand beaches offer unobstructed views of the bluest water you have ever seen, tropical plants like red ginger, bougainvillea and orchids grow wild.  We prefer the funky little surfer towns of the North Shore to touristy Honolulu and Waikiki, but there isn't a single place on the island that I don't wish to return.

This year, we're not going to Hawaii.  At least not this month.  We're planning another big trip for this summer so we had to forgo the annual tropical vacation, and since we saw Colleen and Ben over the Christmas holiday, we decided we should wait a little longer before our return trip.

Perhaps it's because I feel like we should be packing for our yearly Hawaiian trip, but my mind keeps returning to Oahu.  The foods, the sights, the hiking and paddle boarding.  I may not be able to go to Hawaii this month, but I decided to bring a little bit of Hawaii to me.

This recipe calls for only 5 ingredients and no eggs so it's rather quick and simple to prepare.  I chose not to strain out the shredded coconut after steeping it in the simmering milk mixture, but in retrospect I would recommend that you do, as I thought the texture was a little odd with it in.  I used an ice cream maker to churn the finished product, but if you don't have one you could try David Lebovitz's no-machine method.

This isn't too sweet, perfect for my taste buds.  It was marvelous with some toasted coconut and a drizzle of Nutella.  I absolutely recommend the toasted coconut, it adds so much.  

5-Ingredient Coconut Ice Cream
makes about 2 pints
loosely adapted from David Lebovitz

1 can coconut milk (not light)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or substitute the same amount of regular white sugar)
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (or substitute unsweetened coconut, but you may need to increase the sugar by a few tablespoons)
1 tablespoon coconut-flavored rum, I used Malibu (or substitute unflavored vodka or rum)

Toasted coconut to garnish (NOT optional.  Do it.)

Add the coconut milk, heavy cream, sugar and shredded coconut to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in the coconut-flavored rum.  At this point, if you desire strain the cooked ice cream base through a mesh strainer to remove the shredded coconut.  Chill ice cream mixture over an ice bath to cool quickly, then place in the refrigerator for several hours until thoroughly chilled.  Once completely chilled, pour ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Transfer ice cream into an air-tight container and store in the freezer.

For the toasted coconut:  heat your broiler to high and move the rack to the top-most position.  Sprinkle shredded coconut onto a foil-lined baking sheet and place on the top rack of the oven.  Broil about 1 minute, watching carefully, as it will burn very quickly.  Remove from oven and sprinkle on top of ice cream.

All Hawaii images used in today's post are courtesy of my AMAZINGLY talented sister, Colleen Cordle.  She is a photographer located in Kailua, Hawaii and specializes in infants, children, families, couples and portrait photography.  Not only is Colleen one of the most talented photographers I have ever met, she is one of the nicest and most down to earth people and will put anyone at ease.  If you ever travel to Hawaii, you have to check her out!  She loves to document the beautiful landscape and would be happy to photograph your family in the gorgeous surroundings there.  Please check out Colleen's website here for more samples of her work.  

My Take on One-Ingredient "Ice Cream"

Creamy Chocolatey Goodness

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen and (hopefully) tried the infamous "One-Ingredient Ice Cream."  You know: the seemingly magical process whereby you take chunks of frozen bananas, pulse them in your food processor for a few minutes, scraping down the sides every once in a while, and with a little patience you are rewarded with a luscious soft-serve-like frozen treat?  Yup, that's the one I'm talking about:  Magic Banana Ice Cream is what I call it.   


Well, it's a staple in our house.  Just ask Brian, he'll tell you:  if I'm not hoarding bananas for my banana bread, I'm hoarding them for this banana ice cream.  

This is your ticket to magic banana ice cream town.

I have to admit taking a few liberties with the original recipe so mine isn't usually made with only one ingredient.  Still, it's about as quick a dessert as I've ever seen and I almost always have everything I need on hand!  Way easier (and healthier) than making the trip to the Fro-Yo place around the corner.  I usually add about a teaspoon of regular or dark cocoa powder in the food processor with the frozen banana since I am a self-admitted chocoholic.  I also really enjoy adding a teaspoon of natural peanut butter or almond butter too on occasion.  And I find that a teensy pinch of salt helps round out the sweetness, and about 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract adds some depth of flavor.  And let's not forget the toppings!  They're not necessary but come on, when you're eating a frozen banana for dessert, you can splurge a little on toppings.  Some of my favorite combinations are:  


*a dollop of fresh, homemade, lightly-sweetened whipped cream with a teaspoon of chocolate jimmies   
*a tablespoon of Reece's Pieces
*some chopped salted peanuts and chocolate chips (about 1 tablespoon of each)
*dark chocolate chips (about 1 tablespoon) , mini marshmallows (1 tablespoon) and crumbled graham crackers (1/2 of a cracker) - S'mores!!!
*a tablespoon each of dried blueberries and dark chocolate chips
*Nutella (you can never use too much)


I also think it would be fantastic with some caramel sauce drizzled on top but there's a reason I don't keep that in the house.....(total lack of self-control).

S'mores!

Some other notes on the original recipe:  I've never just frozen the bananas for an hour or two so I cannot vouch for how it will turn out.  I usually slice up a few ripe bananas and place them on a plate covered with parchment paper, then freeze overnight.  Once they're frozen solid, I toss them all into a freezer-safe ziploc bag or plastic container and keep them in the freezer until the need for something sweet and creamy strikes.  Then I whip them out and toss them in my mini food-processor and go to town!  Just be forewarned, you will have to scrape down the sides of your food processor many times during the process.  I also find that letting the mixture sit for a few seconds (5-10) in between pulses with the food processor helps allow the bananas to melt a little which allows it to come together into that creamy texture you're looking for.  

Yup, that's a plastic spoon.  I was fresh-out of real spoons...but that couldn't stop me from gettin' my ice cream fix.

Let me hear how you make your One-Ingredient Magic Banana Ice Cream!  What toppings do you like to use?

My Take on One-Ingredient "Ice Cream"

Creamy Chocolatey Goodness

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen and (hopefully) tried the infamous "One-Ingredient Ice Cream."  You know: the seemingly magical process whereby you take chunks of frozen bananas, pulse them in your food processor for a few minutes, scraping down the sides every once in a while, and with a little patience you are rewarded with a luscious soft-serve-like frozen treat?  Yup, that's the one I'm talking about:  Magic Banana Ice Cream is what I call it.   


Well, it's a staple in our house.  Just ask Brian, he'll tell you:  if I'm not hoarding bananas for my banana bread, I'm hoarding them for this banana ice cream.  

This is your ticket to magic banana ice cream town.

I have to admit taking a few liberties with the original recipe so mine isn't usually made with only one ingredient.  Still, it's about as quick a dessert as I've ever seen and I almost always have everything I need on hand!  Way easier (and healthier) than making the trip to the Fro-Yo place around the corner.  I usually add about a teaspoon of regular or dark cocoa powder in the food processor with the frozen banana since I am a self-admitted chocoholic.  I also really enjoy adding a teaspoon of natural peanut butter or almond butter too on occasion.  And I find that a teensy pinch of salt helps round out the sweetness, and about 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract adds some depth of flavor.  And let's not forget the toppings!  They're not necessary but come on, when you're eating a frozen banana for dessert, you can splurge a little on toppings.  Some of my favorite combinations are:  


*a dollop of fresh, homemade, lightly-sweetened whipped cream with a teaspoon of chocolate jimmies   
*a tablespoon of Reece's Pieces
*some chopped salted peanuts and chocolate chips (about 1 tablespoon of each)
*dark chocolate chips (about 1 tablespoon) , mini marshmallows (1 tablespoon) and crumbled graham crackers (1/2 of a cracker) - S'mores!!!
*a tablespoon each of dried blueberries and dark chocolate chips
*Nutella (you can never use too much)


I also think it would be fantastic with some caramel sauce drizzled on top but there's a reason I don't keep that in the house.....(total lack of self-control).

S'mores!

Some other notes on the original recipe:  I've never just frozen the bananas for an hour or two so I cannot vouch for how it will turn out.  I usually slice up a few ripe bananas and place them on a plate covered with parchment paper, then freeze overnight.  Once they're frozen solid, I toss them all into a freezer-safe ziploc bag or plastic container and keep them in the freezer until the need for something sweet and creamy strikes.  Then I whip them out and toss them in my mini food-processor and go to town!  Just be forewarned, you will have to scrape down the sides of your food processor many times during the process.  I also find that letting the mixture sit for a few seconds (5-10) in between pulses with the food processor helps allow the bananas to melt a little which allows it to come together into that creamy texture you're looking for.  

Yup, that's a plastic spoon.  I was fresh-out of real spoons...but that couldn't stop me from gettin' my ice cream fix.

Let me hear how you make your One-Ingredient Magic Banana Ice Cream!  What toppings do you like to use?

Bourbon and Brown Sugar and Peaches - Oh My!

As the summer winds down and peaches are in full swing, I've been eyeballing desserts to use up these glorious sweet juicy fruits.  One of my ultimate favorites is The Barefoot Contessa's Peach and Blueberry Crumbles, as seen here on Ezra Poundcake.  These are so indulgent and really put you into a sugar-coma, especially if you top the whole thing with some vanilla ice cream.  I also like to add chopped pecans just beneath the crumble layer before baking them, I absolutely love the extra crunch and the buttery, nutty flavor they impart.  I highly recommend this recipe, please try it before the blueberries and peaches are all gone for the summer (although, I'm sure it would work great with frozen fruit too.)

But that's not why I'm writing.  Today's blog post is to share with you another wonderful recipe to make the most of your surplus of summer peaches.  Surprisingly, B picked up some less than stellar peaches at the market last week - they were a little mushy and not the bite-down-and-juice-runs-down-your-chin kind we've been bringing home for the last 3 or 4 weeks.  I didn't want to throw them out but we really didn't feel like eating them as-is in our morning oatmeal or chopped up on top of our greek yogurt either.  That's when I got the idea to roast them!

I've always heard that you can roast fruit and vegetables to bring out or deepen their flavor, an especially useful trick when the fruit in question isn't the best-tasting (maybe it's out of season or a little over-ripe even). It's a great technique to keep in mind with tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, carrots and as I found out today - with peaches!  Here's a great guide from the Pitchfork Diaries to roasting fruit and vegetables, no matter what season or what kind of produce you're working with.  (Note:  I didn't toss the peaches in any oil before roasting, just lightly oiled the baking sheet and dusted them with a touch of brown sugar to help them caramelize).

Once the peaches were roasted, all of their past flaws were completely forgotten!  It was a great way to rejuvenate some less-than-perfect fruit for a delicious late-summer dessert.  You could certainly skip the roasting step if you have nice, juicy, firm peaches.  Just simmer them in the cream/milk mixture, chopped into cubes, for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Then puree and follow the rest of the directions as written.

I adapted this recipe from ones found at Annie's Eats and Smells Like Home, using what I had on hand.

Bourbon Brown Sugar & Roasted Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

4 medium peaches, halved and pitted (about 1 1/3 lbs).
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
scant 1/4 cup unsweetned vanilla almond milk (it's what I had on hand, you could certainly substitute skim milk)
scant 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus a little extra to sprinkle on peaches during roasting
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
generous splash of bourbon (about 2 TBSP but I didn't measure)

Method:

Preaheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place peaches, cut side down onto foil lined pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar.  Roast about 30 minutes or until peaches are caramelized and soft.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool 10 minutes.  Once cool enough to handle, peel skins off peaches and roughly chop into 2 inch cubes.

Warm the condensed milk, almond milk, heavy cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt over medium heat until simmering.  Add chopped peaches and stir.  Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

Pour peaches and milk mixture into blender or food processor.  Add sour cream, lemon juice and bourbon and puree until smooth (alternately, you could leave some of the peaches out of the blender if you want some chunks of fruit in your finished ice cream, just add them back in once you've pureed everything else together).  Chill mixture in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours, until fully cooled.  Then pour into your ice cream maker and churn about 25 minutes, or according to manufacturer's instructions.  Eat right away or freeze in an air-tight container.  Enjoy!

Note:  If you don't have an ice cream maker don't worry!  Here is a tutorial from David Lebovitz (the ice-cream guru) for how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker.

This ice cream is luscious and creamy!  It's absolutely perfect on its own but I think it would be fabulous on top of vanilla pound cake or melting all over this warm blueberry galette.  If you're an ice-cream sandwich lover (and who isn't?!!) wouldn't this be phenomenal in between some homemade ginger snaps or brown sugar cookies?!  And just in case you don't have enough ideas, how about topping it with some toasted pecans and homemade caramel sauce...I know what I'm having for dessert tomorrow!

What's your favorite ice cream flavor of all time?  It's Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato for me!

Bourbon and Brown Sugar and Peaches - Oh My!

As the summer winds down and peaches are in full swing, I've been eyeballing desserts to use up these glorious sweet juicy fruits.  One of my ultimate favorites is The Barefoot Contessa's Peach and Blueberry Crumbles, as seen here on Ezra Poundcake.  These are so indulgent and really put you into a sugar-coma, especially if you top the whole thing with some vanilla ice cream.  I also like to add chopped pecans just beneath the crumble layer before baking them, I absolutely love the extra crunch and the buttery, nutty flavor they impart.  I highly recommend this recipe, please try it before the blueberries and peaches are all gone for the summer (although, I'm sure it would work great with frozen fruit too.)

But that's not why I'm writing.  Today's blog post is to share with you another wonderful recipe to make the most of your surplus of summer peaches.  Surprisingly, B picked up some less than stellar peaches at the market last week - they were a little mushy and not the bite-down-and-juice-runs-down-your-chin kind we've been bringing home for the last 3 or 4 weeks.  I didn't want to throw them out but we really didn't feel like eating them as-is in our morning oatmeal or chopped up on top of our greek yogurt either.  That's when I got the idea to roast them!

I've always heard that you can roast fruit and vegetables to bring out or deepen their flavor, an especially useful trick when the fruit in question isn't the best-tasting (maybe it's out of season or a little over-ripe even). It's a great technique to keep in mind with tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, carrots and as I found out today - with peaches!  Here's a great guide from the Pitchfork Diaries to roasting fruit and vegetables, no matter what season or what kind of produce you're working with.  (Note:  I didn't toss the peaches in any oil before roasting, just lightly oiled the baking sheet and dusted them with a touch of brown sugar to help them caramelize).

Once the peaches were roasted, all of their past flaws were completely forgotten!  It was a great way to rejuvenate some less-than-perfect fruit for a delicious late-summer dessert.  You could certainly skip the roasting step if you have nice, juicy, firm peaches.  Just simmer them in the cream/milk mixture, chopped into cubes, for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Then puree and follow the rest of the directions as written.

I adapted this recipe from ones found at Annie's Eats and Smells Like Home, using what I had on hand.

Bourbon Brown Sugar & Roasted Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

4 medium peaches, halved and pitted (about 1 1/3 lbs).
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
scant 1/4 cup unsweetned vanilla almond milk (it's what I had on hand, you could certainly substitute skim milk)
scant 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus a little extra to sprinkle on peaches during roasting
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
generous splash of bourbon (about 2 TBSP but I didn't measure)

Method:

Preaheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place peaches, cut side down onto foil lined pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar.  Roast about 30 minutes or until peaches are caramelized and soft.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool 10 minutes.  Once cool enough to handle, peel skins off peaches and roughly chop into 2 inch cubes.

Warm the condensed milk, almond milk, heavy cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt over medium heat until simmering.  Add chopped peaches and stir.  Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

Pour peaches and milk mixture into blender or food processor.  Add sour cream, lemon juice and bourbon and puree until smooth (alternately, you could leave some of the peaches out of the blender if you want some chunks of fruit in your finished ice cream, just add them back in once you've pureed everything else together).  Chill mixture in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours, until fully cooled.  Then pour into your ice cream maker and churn about 25 minutes, or according to manufacturer's instructions.  Eat right away or freeze in an air-tight container.  Enjoy!

Note:  If you don't have an ice cream maker don't worry!  Here is a tutorial from David Lebovitz (the ice-cream guru) for how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker.

This ice cream is luscious and creamy!  It's absolutely perfect on its own but I think it would be fabulous on top of vanilla pound cake or melting all over this warm blueberry galette.  If you're an ice-cream sandwich lover (and who isn't?!!) wouldn't this be phenomenal in between some homemade ginger snaps or brown sugar cookies?!  And just in case you don't have enough ideas, how about topping it with some toasted pecans and homemade caramel sauce...I know what I'm having for dessert tomorrow!

What's your favorite ice cream flavor of all time?  It's Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato for me!

And I'm back!

First of all I have to apologize that I've been MIA for the past, oh I don't know, month or so. I know all of you, my dear readers, have been pining away for my mouthwatering recipes and inspiring dialogue. But I promise that over the next few blog posts I will be filling your minds (and gullets) with even more of the sensational cuisine and hilarious ramblings that you have come to know and love.

Actually, my absence did have a reason behind it. I was studying for my boards, you see I'm a physical therapist but in order to (legally) practice my craft, I have to be licenced in North Carolina, my current state of residence. Well, I guess all of my studying paid off because last Thursday I took my boards and this past Saturday I found out that I PASSED them! I received the packet in the mail WAAAY faster than I thought I would (and I suspect my husband was behind expediting the scores but he won't admit it). So it's not that I didn't want to blog, I just didn't have TIME!

Well, now that a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders I am back and oh boy, do I have a treat for you! To celebrate my parents being in town for the weekend and my passing the boards, I made chocolate ice cream and homemade profiteroles. What do you get when you combine the two?? In a word, heaven. On a plate.

But I have made you wait so long, I shall dally no more. Without further ado, the recipes:

Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream

recipe adapted from The Nesting Project

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (I used a combination because it's what I had on hand)

1 TBSP instant coffee granules

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the milk and cream together in a saucepan set on medium heat. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and sugar. When milk is hot but not boiling take off the burner and SLOWLY pour into the eggs in a small stream while whisking the eggs. Make sure you REALLY take your time with this step otherwise you WILL wind up with scrambled eggs in your ice cream (and trust me, that is pretty disgusting)

Return the mixture into the saucepan set on medium-low and heat, stirring, until it thickens and mixture can coat the back of a spoon (I use a candy thermometer set into the pan and heat the custard to 170 degrees). Take off the burner and mix in the bittersweet chocolate, vanilla extract and coffee granules. Mix until it melts. Place in a bowl and chill completely. Once completely chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the instructions.

Note: You really need to cool the cooked custard COMPLETELY before you put it in the ice cream maker. I usually refrigerate it overnight but if you're in a hurry you can set the bowl over an ice bath and that cools it quicker. (For my mom, who says she doesn't know what an ice bath is - its a bigger bowl containing ice and water, and then you set the smaller bowl containing the custard down into the icy cold water).

Profiteroles

adapted from the Barefoot Contessa - this version is adapted to make 9 puffs, the recipe can be doubled...because you never know when you're going to need 18 cream puffs ;)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 stick unsalted butter

pinch kosher salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 extra large eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan.

Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 11/2 inches wide and 1 inch high onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (You can also use two spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers, as I do). You should have about 9 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 5-10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape and set aside to cool.

To assemble the Ice Cream Profiteroles:

Cut the top off the (cooled) profiteroles and place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom half and replace the top. Garnish with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and chocolate sauce drizzled ALL OVER everything :)

I've made these profiteroles with strawberry ice cream and swimming in hot fudge, as well as brown sugar ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. Really, you cannot go wrong. Use your imagination and come up with any combination of ice cream and sauce. I prefer homemade ice cream, but if you use store-bought I won't tell anyone.

Now go get cooking, you know you want to.

And I'm back!

First of all I have to apologize that I've been MIA for the past, oh I don't know, month or so. I know all of you, my dear readers, have been pining away for my mouthwatering recipes and inspiring dialogue. But I promise that over the next few blog posts I will be filling your minds (and gullets) with even more of the sensational cuisine and hilarious ramblings that you have come to know and love.

Actually, my absence did have a reason behind it. I was studying for my boards, you see I'm a physical therapist but in order to (legally) practice my craft, I have to be licenced in North Carolina, my current state of residence. Well, I guess all of my studying paid off because last Thursday I took my boards and this past Saturday I found out that I PASSED them! I received the packet in the mail WAAAY faster than I thought I would (and I suspect my husband was behind expediting the scores but he won't admit it). So it's not that I didn't want to blog, I just didn't have TIME!

Well, now that a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders I am back and oh boy, do I have a treat for you! To celebrate my parents being in town for the weekend and my passing the boards, I made chocolate ice cream and homemade profiteroles. What do you get when you combine the two?? In a word, heaven. On a plate.

But I have made you wait so long, I shall dally no more. Without further ado, the recipes:

Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream

recipe adapted from The Nesting Project

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (I used a combination because it's what I had on hand)

1 TBSP instant coffee granules

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the milk and cream together in a saucepan set on medium heat. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and sugar. When milk is hot but not boiling take off the burner and SLOWLY pour into the eggs in a small stream while whisking the eggs. Make sure you REALLY take your time with this step otherwise you WILL wind up with scrambled eggs in your ice cream (and trust me, that is pretty disgusting)

Return the mixture into the saucepan set on medium-low and heat, stirring, until it thickens and mixture can coat the back of a spoon (I use a candy thermometer set into the pan and heat the custard to 170 degrees). Take off the burner and mix in the bittersweet chocolate, vanilla extract and coffee granules. Mix until it melts. Place in a bowl and chill completely. Once completely chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the instructions.

Note: You really need to cool the cooked custard COMPLETELY before you put it in the ice cream maker. I usually refrigerate it overnight but if you're in a hurry you can set the bowl over an ice bath and that cools it quicker. (For my mom, who says she doesn't know what an ice bath is - its a bigger bowl containing ice and water, and then you set the smaller bowl containing the custard down into the icy cold water).

Profiteroles

adapted from the Barefoot Contessa - this version is adapted to make 9 puffs, the recipe can be doubled...because you never know when you're going to need 18 cream puffs ;)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 stick unsalted butter

pinch kosher salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 extra large eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan.

Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 11/2 inches wide and 1 inch high onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (You can also use two spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers, as I do). You should have about 9 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 5-10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape and set aside to cool.

To assemble the Ice Cream Profiteroles:

Cut the top off the (cooled) profiteroles and place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom half and replace the top. Garnish with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and chocolate sauce drizzled ALL OVER everything :)

I've made these profiteroles with strawberry ice cream and swimming in hot fudge, as well as brown sugar ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. Really, you cannot go wrong. Use your imagination and come up with any combination of ice cream and sauce. I prefer homemade ice cream, but if you use store-bought I won't tell anyone.

Now go get cooking, you know you want to.