Showing posts with label frozen desserts. Show all posts

Homemade Ice Cream with Half and Half | Ice Cream Maker | Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

For a cool summer treat, try making your own homemade ice cream or frozen yogurt. It's healthier, frugal and cost-saving too!

Homemade Ice Cream Mint Chocolate Chip with Dash Mug Ice Cream Maker

Have you seen the price of ice cream and frozen yogurt in the grocery stores? Or, have you gone to an ice cream shop to treat your family or grandkids and fallen over when going to pay? (I know, it's still worth the memories being made.)

For years I've been making homemade ice cream in the summer when the grandkids over. Always on the lookout for healthier choices, I'm now trying it with half and half rather than heavy cream. The cost of food has skyrocketed these last few years.

My favorite is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker which makes 1.5 quarts.

I recently got a Dash Mug Ice Cream Maker that comes with 2 mugs, since it's just the two of us now. I save the Cuisinart for when the kids are over, or want to send them home with a homemade treat.

Using the Dash is perfect for when you only have a hankering for a special flavor, or only want a small taste and portion control. The two mugs work out well when each person wants a separate flavor. They're small enough not to take up much room in the freezer when pre-chilling the bowls.

I picked up some Crofton ice cream containers for the freezer at Aldi. They were in sets that were cup size, pint size, and 1.5 quart size. The cup size is great for portion control and the quart size is perfect for when I have a crowd.

Check out my other recipes for Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream, Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream and Copycat Dole Pineapple Whip

Easy kitchen cleanup with Handmade Kitchen Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop !

Here's my adapted Ice Cream Recipe made with Half and Half cream:
(For the Dash Mug, follow manufacturer's directions)

Homemade Ice Cream Using Half and Half

Ingredients

2 cups half and half (chilled)

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, split) (or extract of your choice)

Pinch of salt (optional)

Steps

Whisk together half and half and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the chilled half and half and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely.

Incorporate xanthan gum: Slowly whisk in the xanthan gum, making sure there are no clumps.

Add vanilla and salt (optional): Stir in the vanilla extract (or scraped vanilla bean seeds) and a pinch of salt for extra flavor (optional).

Chill the mixture: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least a few hours, or ideally overnight. This allows the xanthan gum to fully activate and thicken the mixture.

Churn the ice cream: Once chilled, follow your ice cream maker's instructions to churn the mixture. This process can take 15 to 20 minutes depending on your machine.

Freeze and enjoy! After churning, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours before scooping.

Notes

Using good quality vanilla extract or a real vanilla bean will significantly enhance the flavor of your ice cream.

For a richer ice cream, you can substitute some of the half and half with heavy cream.

Enjoy!

Like my Recipes? Buy me a Bag of Flour

Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe | Ice Cream Maker | Homemade Ice Cream

Here's the Scoop! Set aside a family night on a budget to make homemade chocolate ice cream recipe Cuisinart style. Invite grandparents to come over and talk about the "old days".

Awhile back I purchased a Cuisinart Ice 21 Ice Cream Maker.

When I was a kid, ice cream was made using a hand cranked freezer, or rolling it around in a barrel full of ice in the yard! If your parents don't live close, think about inviting an older couple or person from your neighborhood. They will enjoy it and so will your children!

Cuisinart Ice 21 Ice Cream Maker - Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Maker

I think this is one of the best ice cream makers for a fancy electric small kitchen appliance! The ice cream maker is easy to use, and has a strong motor that freezes the ice cream mixture base within 15 to 20 minutes.

Features Include:

Easy-lock lid with wide ingredient spout

Mixing Paddle that mixes and churns automatically

Double-Insulated freezer bowl that freezes ingredients evenly

Heavy-Duty Motor that makes up to 1-1/2 quarts in 20 minutes or less

Compact Design featuring a built-in cord storage

The Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker comes with it's own recipe book. You have to plan ahead, and keep the bowl in the freezer for about 24 hours before making your ice cream.

I chose to make homemade Simple Chocolate Ice Cream Cuisinart recipe. Unlike store-bought ice cream, this is extremely rich with a nice texture. The addition of a pinch of salt always brings out the chocolate flavor when using real cocoa powder.

Even though my family can get ice cream on sale at Aldi for about $2.59 per container, I find that the extra money I might be spending on real cream, whole milk and Dutch Chocolate cocoa powder is worth the flavor. Plus, I know what's going into my ice cream! There's no corn syrup in the recipes I used. Also, if I can't pronounce the ingredients, such as carrageenan, then maybe I don't want to serve it to my grandchildren!

Of course, being from New England, my family has always been a big fan of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, which we do enjoy. My charming son-in-law is from Vermont, and while on vacation, the grandkids and I went on the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory Tour in Waterbury, Vermont. If you're planning a New England vacation, put this fun tour on your day trip agenda!

I ordered their Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book. I'm going to be trying out ice cream recipes from both the Cuisinart and Ben & Jerry's Homemade cookbooks along with recipes I find on Pinterest.

I'll be making not only old favorites such as Old Fashioned Vanilla, Rhubarb Ice Cream or Fresh Strawberry ice cream, but we can't wait to try Heath Bar Crunch, New York Super Fudge Chunk and come Fall, some Pumpkin Ice Cream.

I'd really like to try to duplicate my personal Ben & Jerry's favorite, White Russian, which has been retired to the Graveyard of Flavors!

The Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker ICE-21 would make a great gift for mom, grandmother, or even dad or grandfather for Father's Day!

I'm sure you get the idea by now. What you do on family night may not be as important as just doing it! Keep it simple and fun!

Good character, like good ice cream, is usually homemade! For anyone dieting, be sure to check out my diet-friendly recipe for no-bake Cool Whip Peanut Butter Frozen Treats

Also try my Dash Mug ice cream recipes single serving size using Half and Half

Easy kitchen clean-up with my handmade crochet Dish Cloths from my Moomettes Crochet shop !

Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cups heavy cream
1/2 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars and salt. Add the milk and using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat to combine until the cocoa, sugars and salt are dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.
Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.
Follow your ice cream maker's directions for freezing.

Like my Recipes? Buy me a Bag of Flour

Source: Cuisinart Recipe Booklet

Personal Review. Opinions are my own.

Cool Whip Peanut Butter Treat | No Bake Dessert | Diet Frozen Dessert

I learned about this delicious diet-friendly no-bake frozen dessert made from Cool Whip and Peanut Butter Treats on a recent trip to visit my friend in New Hampshire. Made from only two ingredients, it's Weight-Watcher friendly, low in points!

This head cook in the Frugal New England Kitchen has decided it was nigh time to loose a few pounds, hence, not too many homemade ice cream recipes appearing on the blog at the moment. Last year I was giving you my recipe for homemade Chocolate ice cream and Heath Bar Crunch ice cream. I still may do that. What you will start to see are healthy food choice alternatives that are diet friendly.

Diet Friendly Desserts

I've started up again on the Weight Watchers Online program. Since April I've lost about 12 pounds.

I've been making these satisfying, sweet treats almost every other night, they are THAT good! They're like crack for dieters!

On my mini-vacation, my best friend and I took a side trip to King Arthur Flour in Vermont - but that's another blog post!

We both have an interest in crafts and like to crochet. We shared patterns, discussed our Pinterest Boards, and talked about our crochet projects.

Here's a few of my recent handmade crafts - I make crochet soap saver bags, spa wash cloths for baby and bath, along with crochet dish cloths

Now here's that yummy frozen dessert treat recipe I was telling you about that my friend gave me and turned me on to!

Cool Whip Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert Treats

1. 25 serving(s) Cool Whip Lite (I use an 8 oz. container of Fat Free store brand dairy whipped topping)
2. 1/3 c. Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter
3. 3 Tbsp Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

Either by hand, or with a mixer, mix entire tub of Cool Whip Lite and 1/3 cup of reduced fat peanut butter until smooth.
Spoon into 12 lined muffin baking sheet.
Drizzle with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup (sugar-free would cut down points, but hard to find).
Freeze, ideally overnight.

Like my Recipes? Buy me a Bag of Flour