I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for ICE CREAM!

   

I love living on the East coast. There are so many little things that are totally different than things back home in Utah. For instance, the way people just stick a sign out on their front yard and sell things. Every time I drive somewhere I have the opportunity to pull off the side of the road and pick up a few lettuces, or a dozen eggs, or a loaf of bread, or mmmmmmmm, strawberries!!! I was on my way to take Amelia to the doctor when I saw a great big strawberry shaped sign. I had a carful of whiney kids in need of distraction, so I pulled over. It was a really cute farm stand lined with rows of punnets full of tender, juicy, ruby colored strawberries. *sigh* I kind of didn’t want to get back in the car, I just wanted to plop down there on the lawn and stuff myself full of berries until I could get the screaming/whining ringing buzz from the kids out of my head! We’ve gone through half a dozen punnets (yes, I just really like to use that word!) of berries so far. Most of them we’ve just munched through, but I did make this cake of my mom’s. It’s so very, very, very good! Then I made this ice cream which is perfectly ideal for a warm afternoon lounging in the backyard. It is, as the title suggests, old fashioned. Not the smoothest, creamiest ice cream like, say, this one, but a quick, yummy, rustic ice cream that I think you’ll love too.

 

Old Fashioned Strawberry Ice Cream

2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved

3/4 cup of sugar, divided

ice water

1 pint half and half

2 large egg yolks

 

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the strawberries and 1/4 cup of the sugar.

Mash those puppies up really, really with a fork or potato masher. You really don’t want big chunks of strawberries left because they will freeze solid and aren’t much fun to encounter in a nice dish of ice cream. Set the strawberry bowl in a bowl of ice water.

In a medium saucepan, bring the half-and-half and 1/2 cup sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally over medium heat.

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and then gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup of the milk mixture.

Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until steaming hot and frothy, about 3 minutes.

Strain the custard into the bowl of strawberries. Let stand, whisking occasionally until cool.

Pour the cooled custard into the bowl of your ice cream maker. Process for about 20 minutes. If you absolutely can’t wait any longer you can go ahead and eat it now, it will be soft-serve consistency.

For regular ice cream, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

 

 

 

So, I have a quick Works For Me Wednesday tip for you. I used to freeze my ice cream in tupperware containers, which works fine, except that the ice cream tends to get freezer burned around the edges fairly quickly. I’m not sure why, but if you clean out a store-bought ice cream container and freeze your homemade ice cream in it, it tends not to get freezer burn! Sweet!

 

P.S. Please stop by We Are THAT Family to see all the other great tips!

P.P.S. This is my very favorite store-bought ice cream. Oh my goodness.

P.P.P.S. I’m sure if you had the time and inclination you could mod podge your container up all cute-like. I didn’t have the time or inclination :)

P.P.P.P.S. I recently had to replenish my stash of pressed sugar eyeballs. I bought them in bulk and got a great deal, so you can probably expect to see more of them around these parts. We’ve been ‘eyeballing’ everything lately! I do have to say that a mound of scrambled eggs are somewhat disconcerting when they are looking back at you though. On most foods the eyeballs look cute or startled. On scrambled eggs they look insane and horrified. Just thought you should know ;)

Strawberry Shortcake

 

This recipe is one my great-grandmother used to make. I may just be fanciful, but I feel close to her when I make these strawberry shortcakes. I know this is one of my grandpa’s favorite recipes, so I’m sure she made it often for him when he was a little boy. I work up a whole mental picture of her in her kitchen, probably void of useful appliances (given the time period).  I feel like I’m cheating when I use my food processor to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. She probably used a fork or a pastry cutter. She didn’t bother with a pastry brush to apply the egg whites to the cakes, she just used her fingers. (Which really is quicker!) The rustic little cakes themselves are formed by hand. I am so lazy in the kitchen, I have never in my life whipped cream by hand!

I did add one little element to this recipe. I hope she would have approved! But after listening to Nigella Lawson go on and on about her strawberries in their ruby liquid, I just had to splash some balsamic vinegar into mine as well. And I’m glad I did, mmmmmm!

Grandma Johnson’s Strawberry Shortcakes

1 pint of strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash of nutmeg

½ cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled

½ cup milk

2 eggs, separated (the whites will be used for an egg wash)

Additional sugar for garnish

1 cup of heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

 

Pop your mixer bowl and whisk into the freezer to chill.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, 2 teaspoons of sugar and balsamic vinegar.

Mix well and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Pulse to combine.

Add the butter to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the milk and egg yolks and pulse until the dough forms a ball.

Turn the ball out onto a very lightly floured surface and pat it into a circle.

Divide the circle into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place it on the sheet pan.

Using your hand, flatten the ball. Then, using your fingers, brush the egg whites on to each cake.

Sprinkle the tops of each cake liberally with sugar. (This gives it a really nice, crunchy crust.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown.

Remove the cakes to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, remove the mixer bowl and whisk from the freezer.

Add the cream to the bowl of the mixer and sift the powdered sugar into the bowl.

Mix on medium until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Turn the speed up a bit and keep an eye on it until you get firm peaks.

With a serrated knife, carefully slice the cakes in half.

Set the bottom half on a plate and heap some of the strawberries on it. Add some whipped cream. Set the top on top (haha) and dollop another bit of cream on it. Crown with a strawberry and serve!

Enjoy!