Homemade S'Mores Ice Cream (National Ice Cream Day)

Tomorrow is National Ice Cream Day and we always try something new in celebration. So this year we decided to combine both our Saturday Cooking School challenge and National Ice Cream Day to bring you... Homemade S'Mores Ice Cream.

First you will need to make your custard base...

For 4 QUARTS:

4 eggs
2 1/4 c. sugar
2 cans evaporated milk
5 c. Heavy cream
4 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can Eagle Brand milk (optional) 

Beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar and evaporated milk, stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook on medium heat until thick like pudding. Cool to at least room tempeture, not less than two hours, we try to make ours the night before and chill overnight in the fridge. 

Next, stir in remaining ingredients and mix extremely well. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow manifactures instructions, using the rock salt and ice method. While ice cream is freezing you can get the S'More toppings ready for the fun.

For Individual Servings... (We prep this ahead of time if we are serving a lot of guests or friends)

1 graham cracker (crumbs)

1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips

6-8 mini marshmallows

Serve with cracker crumbs, chocolate chip and marshmallows.

"TBHD" - Pistachio Chip Ice Cream

National Ice Cream Day is in a couple of days, so we decided that we would feature a couple of our favorite ice creams and we were so excited to discover that Pistachio Chip was one of the Desserts among our challenge recipes.

We loved this recipe... The butter roasted Pistachio nuts were a big part of the yummy flavor for us.


Pantry Sidenote Tip: 
When roasting Nuts Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss nuts in 2 - 3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil and any sugars or spices that you desire. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven, and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the oven, transfer to a plate, and cool.

 For hazelnuts, roast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the skins are lightly browned and start to crack. Remove from the oven and immediately wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Leave for 1 minute to steam, then rub the hazelnuts in the towel to loosen and remove the skins. (It's fine if some of the skins don't rub off.) Cool completely before using.

Tour of Italy ~ Day 26... Detour for Desserts

Happy Birthday to the Momma of the Pantry! and because it is my birthday it is time for Dessert and a couple of my favorite Italian desserts are Cornmeal Cakes and Gelatos. Cornmeal Cakes come mainly from the Piedmont and Vento areas and Gelato's are known all over italy. Today we will feature two of my favorites...

Cornmeal Cakes with Honey and Walnuts

"Cornmeal replace flour in this dense, moist cake. The center falls a bit as it cooks. From Lo Scoiattolo Restaurant in the small town of Carcoforo, Italy."

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 10 walnut halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan. Wrap outside of pan with foil.
2. Mix cornmeal, chopped walnuts, baking powder and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in honey, then 3/4 cup sugar. Stir in cornmeal mixture (batter will be very stiff).
4. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 2 T sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place walnut halves around top edge of cake, spacing evenly.
5. Bake until cake is deep golden on top, pulls away from sides of pan and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall in center as it cools). (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover adn let stand at room temperature.).
6. Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve.
7. We like our cornmeal cakes glazed with a light lemon glaze.  Lemon Glaze: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon Lemon zest,  mix together and pour over cooled cakes.