Ice Cream Ireland

 OK - gentle readers - before you throw a tantrum, and yell “What???? Blue cheese ice cream?” I will tell you a story. A couple of weeks ago, my brother and I were discussing the book launch, when he suggested we support Irish cheesemakers by serving up some of the excellent cheeses that Ireland increasingly has to offer. I have to admit I lost the head a bit, since the idea of serving something savoury at the launch of an ice cream and dessert book simply struck me as wrong. I departed in a huff.

The next day, however, I began thinking some more about what Sean said, especially since he usually is right. The idea of highlighting an Irish cheese or two was certainly appealing. Sean and I talked some more and decided that a cheese ice cream would make us both happy. Blue cheese, Sean suggested, might be the most interesting. I had heard about blue cheese ice cream being made in the UK, but had never tried it, and a chef we know had once suggested a cheese and caramelised shallot ice cream. So… I started playing.

I like the result, but the rest of production is split 50-50. I think it’s not something for everyone, but if you want to try something different, it might be for you.

And if you want to taste it without making it, come along to Murphys Ice Cream Killarney tomorrow evening for the book launch, or head to Dingle on Thursday. It will certainly give people something to talk about!

Murphys Blue Cheese and Caramelised Shallot Ice Cream

• • 125g sugar (for custard)
• • 2 tablespoons sugar (for shallots)
• • 5 egg yolks
• • 210 ml cream
• • 200 ml milk
• • 150 g mild blue cheese (I used Wicklow Blue)
• • 2 “banana” shallots, peeled
• • 1 tablespoon butter or oil

Yield: 6 Servings 

What to do: 

1. Quarter the shallots lengthwise and then chop into fine pieces.
2. Fry over medium-high heat with the butter, stirring constantly until the are golden.
3. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to fry until the sugar has melted and the shallots have turned a dark golden brown.
4. Spread on a tray to cool.
5. Beat the rest of the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
6. Bring the milk to a low simmer.
7. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
8. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
9. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs!
10. Immediately remove from the heat.
11. Allow to cool completely.
12. Break up or chop the blue cheese and put in a blender with half of the custard - pulsing until smooth.
13. Stir the blue cheese/custard mix back into the rest of the custard, cover, return to the refrigerator and allow to sit for at least two hours.
14. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
15. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
16. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the carmelised shallots when the ice cream is already quite solid.
17. Otherwise, cover and place in the freezer, again adding the shallots when it has become semi-solid.
18. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

6 Servings.

Notes:

1. This ice cream will only be as good as the blue cheese you use. Find one you like! 
2. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and keep at that temperature for three minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: blue cheese, shallots, caramel, ice cream, recipe

 This is one of the best flavours I think we have ever made. We’ve tried chocolate truffle ice creams before, but the question has always been what is the best base to support them? A vanilla base can be a bit bland, and a chocolate base can over-power.

This base, designed by JP and Christophe in our production, has just a whisper of chocolate - so light and delicate that it has amazed the customers in our shops over the last month or so. It complements the dark chocolate truffles perfectly.

We used vanilla ganache truffles from the Skelligs Chocolate Company, which is based right here in Kerry. We found that using mixed-flavour truffles can confuse the palate, so we ordered 7 kilos of the one kind of truffle and started chopping. They thought we were nuts, but last week Sean received a phone call of thanks from the perplexed chocolatiers. Apparently quite a few people who tasted this ice cream in our Dingle or Killarney shops, jumped in their cars and drove out to Ballinskelligs to visit the factory shop (which is now also home to Cocoa Bean) for even more indulgence!

Murphys Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream

• • 125g sugar
• • 5 egg yolks
• • 1/4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1/4 teaspoon natural vanilla essence  
• • 230 ml cream
• • 200 ml milk
• • 20 g bittersweet (70% chocolate)
• • 100 g chopped chocolate truffles

Yield: 6 Servings 

What to do: 

1. Melt the 70% chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water or a microwave. Take care – chocolate burns easily!
2. Beat sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow.
3. Add the vanilla bean to the milk and bring to a simmer.
4. Turn off the heat and remove the vanilla bean.
5. Add the milk to the melted chocolate in small parts, mixing thoroughly until fully combined. 
6. Immediately beat the milk/chocolate into the egg and sugar mixture in a slow stream. Pour the mixture back into pan and place over low heat.  Stir until the custard thickens (around 60C). 
7. Allow the chocolate custard to cool.
8. Whip the cream and fold into the mix.
9. Chop the chocolate truffles into small pieces, making sure you handle them as little as possible (to avoid them melting).
10. Freeze the ice cream using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the chopped truffles once the ice cream has become semi-solid.
11. Otherwise, cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals. Again, add the chocolate truffles once it’s semi-solid (or they will sink to the bottom).

6 Servings.

Notes:

1. This ice cream will only be as good as the chocolate you use. Find the best you can! 
2. The boiler or container in which you melt the chocolate must be completely dry or the chocolate can clump.
3. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and keep at that temperature for three minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: chocolate, Skelligs, truffle, ice cream, recipe

 I grew up with toffees of various kinds - English toffees in white wrappers, salt water taffy, and toffee apples at farm fairs. Toffee is different from caramel in that it uses dark brown sugar or molasses along with butter. When put in ice cream, it makes for an unbelievably rich and sweet experience.

I like leaving big chunks of the cooled candy in the ice cream, although I have also experimented with adding the toffee while it is still warm and letting it melt into the freezing ice cream mix. It turns the finished product toffee-coloured and gives it a uniform texture and flavour that is great if you like a smooth ice cream. This recipe uses cold toffee. Just be ready - it does stick to the teeth!

MURPHYS TOFFEE (TAIFÍ) ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 240 ml cream
• 200 ml milk
• 100 grams of toffee candy

What to do:

1. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
2. Bring the milk to a low simmer.
3. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
4. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
5. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs!
6. Immediately remove from the heat.
7. Allow to cool completely.
8. Break up the toffee candy into small pieces. (This might be easier if the toffee is cold!)
9. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
10. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
11. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the toffee when the ice cream is already quite solid.
12. Otherwise, cover and place in the freezer, again adding the toffee when it has become semi-solid.
13. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Note:

To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and maintain that temperature for at least 5 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though, and keep stirring! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Yield: 8 servings

Technorati tags: caramel, recipe, toffee, ice cream, candy

 A reader of this blog emailed me asking for a green tea ice cream recipe, so here it is! It’s a recipe that will be in the upcoming book, and it’s one I love.

In New York, where I grew up, Asian food was part of the staple diet. Whether Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, or Korean, the standard was high and the variety amazing. Some of the best meals I have ever eaten were Asian cooking, and my dessert of choice, when available, was green tea ice cream.

Here in Ireland, I have also come across green tea ice cream in some of the ever-proliferating Asian restaurants, so perhaps you have tried it as well. If so, just be aware that since we don’t believe in food colouring, we use green tea leaves (see photo right) and not the matcha (green tea powder) that is usually used for ice cream. This means that it will not be bright green and will have a slightly different taste, but I think it’s even more delicious.

For this recipe, I like to add crystallised ginger, a real favourite of mine. I love the spicy sweetness and intriguing consistency of the ginger, and since it’s coated in sugar it stays soft in the ice cream.

Murphys Green Tea and Ginger Ice Cream 

Ingredients:

• • 130g sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 240 ml cream
  • 250 ml milk
  • 2 tablespoon green tea leaves (4 bags)
  • 60 g crystallised ginger
  • 1 tablespoon honey

What to do:

1. Heat the milk to a low simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the tea and honey and maintain at a simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and remove the tea bags.
4. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
5. Beat the milky tea into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
6. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
7. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs!
8. Immediately remove from the heat.
9. Transfer the custard into a small container, cover, and refrigerate until cool (5C).
10. Chop the crystallised ginger into small pieces.
11. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
12. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
13. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals.
14. Add the ginger once the ice cream has become semi-solid.
15. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Yield: 8 servings

Note:

To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and maintain that temperature for at least 5 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though, and keep stirring! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: green tea, ginger, Asian, ice cream, recipe

 This was one of our very first ice cream formulations and has proven very popular of the the years. In fact, there is a certain little girl whose first word was reportedly “Jaffa” when demanding this flavour from her parents. It’s a crowd-pleaser, with shredded bits of Jaffa cakes as well as another British invention - marmalade.

Marmalade goes way back (the Oxford English Dictionary cites 1480 as the first usage of the word) and is generally made with citrus fruits - orange being the most popular option. As citrus fruits became more available in Britain in the 16th century, marmalade became a choice sweet. In fact, anyone who has travelled in the UK will be hard put upon to remember a traditional breakfast without the option of these preserves and toast.

We like to use the marmalade as a base flavour and freshen it with orange zest. The great thing about orange zest (besides its magnificent taste) is that it uses a part of the fruit one would normally just throw away or compost, and that always is a pleasure.

ORANGE JAFFA (ORÁISTE) ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 240 ml cream
• 200 ml milk
• Zest (grated peel) of half an orange
• 50 g marmalade
• 4 Jaffa cakes

What to do:

1. Add the orange zest to the milk and bring to a simmer.
2. Remove from the heat.
3. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
4. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
5. Pour the mixture back into the pan, and place over low heat.
6. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs!
7. Immediately remove from the heat. Sieve if you want to remove the orange zest.
8. Stir in the marmalade.
9. Transfer the custard into a small container, cover, and refrigerate until cool (5C).
10. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
11. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
12. Shred the jaffa cakes into small pieces.
13. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the jaffa cakes when it’s semi-solid. You can also just cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours, and again, add the jaffa cakes when it’s semi-solid.
14. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Note: To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and maintain that temperature for at least 5 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: orange, jaffa, biscuit, ice cream, recipe

 Here in Kerry, there are some fruits that are hard to get in the depth of Winter, but you can always find bananas. They might not always be ripe, and most of the time I will pass them by when in the supermarket, discouraged at the green peel. For, as bananas ripen, the starches turn to sugar, and once they do so, this sweet, complex, rich, and velvety fruit can boost energy and give any occasion a lift, especially when it’s in ice cream.

Customers in our shops often taste our banana ice cream and say, accusingly, “This tastes like real banana!” Yes, indeed. If the only banana ice cream you have ever eaten was bright yellow and tasted only of flavouring, you will be surprised by the decadence of this recipe. Needless to say, there’s no food colouring (and why would there be? Not only do we never touch the stuff, but yellow banana ice cream doesn’t even make sense. Banana peels are yellow, not the fruit!)

All fruits in ice cream should be ripe, and with bananas there is hardly such a thing as too ripe. If you have bananas left over with brown spots on the skin, perhaps ones that the kids won’t touch or that even strike you as too soft, then they are perfect for ice cream. We have used bananas when the skin had turned completely brown, and the result was delicious. Bananas, oddly enough, ripen best off the vine, and if all you can find are greenish bananas, please wait to make this ice cream and let them ripen.

I have added some chocolate shavings because I love the bitter bite of dark chocolate with banana.

MURPHYS BANANA ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS  

Ingredients:

• 130g sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 240 ml cream
• 200 ml milk
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• 3 ripe bananas
• 20 g good quality, dark chocolate

What to do:

1. Combine the bananas with the lemon juice and blend or mash until smooth.
2. Place in a small saucepan, add 30 g (two tablespoons) sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring all the time.
3. Don’t over-cook. Once it has warmed, it should release a strong banana aroma, and that’s enough!
4. Beat the rest of the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
5. Bring the milk to a low simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat.
6. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
7. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
8. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs!
9. Immediately remove from the heat.
10. Mix in the bananas.
11. Transfer the custard into a small container, cover, and refrigerate until cool (5C). 12. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
12. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
13. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine until it has a semi-solid consistency, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring occasionally to break up the ice crystals. 
14. Use a vegetable peeler to create the chocolate shavings, and add them to the ice cream once it is reasonably solid, or they will all sink to the bottom.
15. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Yield: 8 servings

Notes:

1. Of course, you don’t have to add chocolate shavings if it’s not to your taste.
2. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and maintain that temperature for at least 5 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, and keep stirring! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: chocolate, banana, dessert, ice cream, recipe

 There seems to be some disagreement as to whether the Irish or the Scots invented whiskey, although the first written account (in 1405) is Irish - a monk happily distilling away. It’s very likely that whiskey pre-dates this record, and there are even some who say that none other than St. Patrick brought the method of distilling when he arrived on this island.

We’re happy to claim it, and there are few better uses than with chocolate. The earthy flavour and alcoholic tang of a strong whiskey add a great deal to chocolate, whether it be in truffles, in a sauce or in ice cream. We call this flavour “Fuisce.”

I think it is especially great at this time of year, when the weather is cold and the body craves comfort. This is my brother’s favourite flavour, and I do hope you enjoy it as well, especially over the holidays.

Ingredients:

• 100 g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 220 ml milk
• 200 ml cream
• 150 g dark (70%) chocolate
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) whiskey (we use Paddy because it has a strong flavour)

What to do:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water or a in a microwave. Take care – chocolate melts at a low temperature (ca. 37C) and it burns easily, so once it’s melted, remove from the heat!
2. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow.
3. Bring the milk to a low simmer.
4. Remove from the heat and beat the milk into the egg and sugar mixture in a slow stream. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
5. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don’t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs! Immediately remove from the heat.
6. Add to the melted chocolate in small parts and mix thoroughly until smooth and velvety.
7. Cover the chocolate custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
8. Stir in the whiskey.
9. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks - don’t over-whip).
10. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
11. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals.
12. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Yield: 8 servings.

Notes:

1. The chocolate and the custard must both be warm when you mix them, or you won’t get a good emulsion. It’s also important to add the custard to the chocolate in small parts, incorporating it each time by stirring.
2. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and maintain that temperature for at least 5 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: chocolate, whiskey, Irish, ice cream, recipe

 O.K. I’ve already given you the recipe for making honeycomb pieces. Now here’s one for the ice cream! It’s a bit complicated, but if you’re feeling up for the task, please go ahead and test it as part of my ice cream party!

Over the years, this has been our best-selling ice cream in the shop, and I hope it makes you as happy as the thousands upon thousands who have enjoyed it in Dingle and Killarney!

MURPHYS HONEYCOMB ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g Sugar
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 220ml Cream
• 200ml Milk
• 200ml volume honeycomb pieces
• 1 tablespoon caramel sauce

What to do:

1. Make the honeycomb pieces, and break then into small pieces. You will need 200ml volume, more or less (depending on your tastes!)
2. Make the caramel sauce.
3. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
4. Bring the milk to a simmer. 
5. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
6. Pour the mixture back into pan, and place over low heat.
7. Stir until the custard thickens (around 60C).
8. Allow the custard to cool.
9. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (don’t over-whip!) and fold into the custard.
10. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the honeycomb pieces and caramel sauce when it’s fairly solid.
11. You can also just cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours, and again, add the honeycomb and caramel when it’s reasonably solid.

Notes:

1. Beware adding any more caramel sauce or the ice cream will get soggy.
2. The part about adding the honeycomb at the end is important, as you don’t want the pieces melting in the ice cream.  
3. You will have extra caramel sauce left over, and you can always use it as a topping for the ice cream or to make a caramel sundae.

Technorati tags: caramel, honeycomb, recipe, hokey pokey, ice cream, candy

 Here’s one of our favourite flavours that’s delighted people in our shops over the last 7 years. We use Oreos, but honestly, it could work well with any cookies that you like!

If you want to try making it, look at my last post

MURPHYS COOKIES ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g Sugar
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 220ml Cream
• 200ml Milk
• 1/4 Vanilla Bean
• 4 Cookies

What to do:

1. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and put in a saucepan with the milk.
2. Bring the milk to a simmer.
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
5. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk.
6. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
7. Pour the mixture back into pan, and place over low heat.
8. Stir until the custard thickens (around 60C).
9. Allow the custard to cool.
10. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (don’t over-whip!) and fold into the custard.
11. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, adding the cookies when it’s fairly solid.
12. You can also just cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours, and again, add the cookies when it’s reasonably solid.

Notes:

1. The reason not to add the cookies to early, is that they can turn the ice cream an awful grey colour if they are mixed in too early!

2. The vanilla is optional, but we like a base flavour of vanilla for this ice cream…

Technorati tags: cookies, ice cream, recipe, oreos

 Cinnamon ice cream is a great flavour as we come into winter. It’s a warming spice that counteracts the cold. This ice cream also complements so many desserts. Try it on a warm apple pie!

MURPHYS CINNAMON ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g Sugar
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 220ml Cream
• 200ml Milk
• 1 Cinnamon Stick (see note below)

What to do:

1. Put the cinnamon stick in a saucepan with the milk.
2. Bring the milk to a simmer.
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
5. Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk.
6. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
7. Pour the mixture back into pan, and place over low heat.
8. If you want a strong cinnamon flavour, add the cinnamon stick back in.
9. Stir until the custard thickens (around 60C).
10. Remove the cinnamon stick.
11. Allow the custard to cool.
12. Whip the cream and fold into the custard.
13. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer.

Notes:

1. You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the stick. If you do so, mix it into the sugar before beating in the eggs.

2. You can re-use the cinnamon stick, but make sure you rinse it carefully and let it dry!

Technorati tags: cinnamon, ice cream, recipe, Irish