Monday, January 23, 2012

I scream, You Scream, We all scream for Ice Cream

We are in the final run up to the finish of school holidays, and I've scored a virus with a nasty cough.  I kept soldiering on all week last week.  I had work two days and social outings the other 3 days.  By the time I reached Friday afternoon I had to admit defeat, and I will admit that I've exposed all of my friends and coworkers.  I don't get this sick very often, and even then sometimes these things creep up on me because of my asthmatic lungs.

So enough of my whinging.   We've been having an ice cream fest going on here.  Yesterday I made some sorbet.  It was the Influenza RX Sorbet from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.   Awesome book!  I also made vanilla bean and salty caramel.   You might ask yourself why am I making all of this ice cream?  Well, I bought myself an ice cream maker with a built in compressor.


the ice cream maker
I've wanted an ice cream maker with a built in compressor for ages.  I could never justify the expense plus I had one of those freeze the bowl machines.   So when I got my Thermomix, I was excited by the idea of how easy it would be to make custard based ice creams in the Thermomix.  I pulled out my freezer bowl from the cupboard to find that it had leaked coolant.  It was no good.   About a month later I was at the Castle Hill Homemaker Centre and walked past a shop that was advertising the machine at the cheapest price that I'd seen in Australia (it's even cheaper now!). Even then I dithered, so that when I went back, they were out of stock.  They took my name and promised to call when more came in.  They did, and I bought my machine a few days before Christmas.

Upon buying the machine I decided I needed some good ice cream books so I bought The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer, and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.


new books
I know a few of the books are missing from the photo.  I also bought Paletas because I figured the Thermomix would be perfect for making up frozen treat bases!  And well, I've been meaning to buy The Homesick Texan book for ages.

I started using Jeni's bases before her booked arrived.  I just found recipes on the net.  I've really fallen in love with her method, and the funny thing is that I can't use the Thermomix to make her bases.   Her ice cream base does not use egg.  I highly recommend her book, and also David Lebovitz's book.  David's book is worth its weight in gold for all of the sauce and mix-in recipes.

I've made salty caramel, vanilla bean, darkest chocolate, milkiest chocolate, vanilla fudge swirl, lemon yogurt with blueberry swirl and roasted strawberry buttermilk from Jeni's book.  From David's book I made Vietnamese Coffee.  Next flavour planned is Black Coffee from Jeni's book.

4 comments:

Cass said...

Wow Sara they all sound fantastic

Tanya said...

Hold it right there Sara- enough about the salty caramel and vanilla bean- remember some of your reading audience are 50km from a shop and are said shop closes at 10pm so are unable to go and indulge those taste buds woken up by your amazing descriptions! Now- what's it mean that it has a compressor in it? Also- how are you going with your 'thermie'? I've had one on the 'wish list' for nearly 5 years, this year I'm 40 and think I will spoil myself- I just need to hear about a few more people loving theirs. Also- I saw you and Lisa talking about coca nibs- I've had some in my cupboard for a couple of months and not sure what to do with them- what do you do with them? Hope you are going well x

Tas said...

There you go enabling again (not that I am planning to get a Thermomix but those recipe books...well, one is already in the post on its way)

toadstooldots said...

Hm, sounds all so yummy! Congrats to that new toy! Hope we will get some more real summer days so you can more enjoy your home made treats :-)