There’s growing excitement in Kerry about the big match on Sunday and we’ve decided that anyone wearing county colours is welcome to a free size upgrade on coffee or ice cream in our Wicklow St. shop. So, if you’re in supporter mode, please come in to us in Dublin and say “hi!”
Balsamic Ice Cream
One of the nicest food products I’ve come across this year is a Balsamic Cider Vinegar, made from apples by Llewellyn’s. It’s a product that everyone should have in their kitchen, because the apple flavour comes through nicely, and it’s beautiful on strawberries or in a salad.
We’ve had it in our shops over the summer, and since we’re reaching the end of our stocks now, I thought I’d post a recipe for anyone who hasn’t been able to taste it.
It’s not been the most popular ice cream we ever made, but I really love it, and I think it makes a great match for a caramel pudding or strawberries. The acidity of the vinegar cuts the sweetness, and it has a rich, mysterious flavour.
Murphys Balsamic Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 50 ml balsamic vinegar
- 130g + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 240 ml cream
- 200 ml milk
What to do:
- In a small saucepan, warm the balsamic and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Beat remaining sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow.
- Bring the milk to a low simmer.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stir in the balsamic and sugar mixture.
- Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks – don’t over-whip).
- Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
- Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals.
- 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:
- If you use a different vinegar, you might need slightly more or less, depending on the strength of the flavour.
- 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: balsamic, vinegar, apple, ice cream, recipe
We’re Getting Greener!
Ice Cream Scones (Easiest Scone Recipe Ever!)
It seems to me that some Australians have an under-appreciated talent for using prepared foods as an ingredient in their cooking. I base this statement upon a few Australians I know, books such as this, and finally a great concept I came across on an Australian website – ice cream scones. The idea is to use simply ice cream and self-raising flour to make scones.
Could anything so simple to prepare actually taste good? The answer is yes. Absolutely.
The recipe below makes wonderfully light and fluffy scones, and it could be a starting point for any novice baker. I’ve only tested it with our ice cream, so I don’t know how much of a difference the brand (i.e. the quality or ingredients in the ice cream) would make.
One note – The flavour of the ice cream doesn’t come through as strongly as one might think (and I’ve tested it with chocolate, vanilla, honeycomb, etc.) That’s why I’ve added extra vanilla as an optional ingredient. However, the scones are delicious either way!
Murphys Mini Vanilla Ice Cream Scones
Ingredients:
– 500 ml tub of Murphys vanilla ice cream
– 200 gm self-raising flour (I used Odlums)
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)
What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 180C (200C if it’s not a convection oven).
2. Let the ice cream soften outside the freezer for about 10 minutes.
3. Put the ice cream and the flour in a bowl (add the optional vanilla, if you’re using it).
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a dough that sticks together.
5. Sprinkle a generous amount flour on the counter top to stop the dough sticking. Sprinkle some more flour over the dough.
6. Roll the dough into a tube shape, 3 cm in diameter. If the dough is too wet, sprinkle on a little more flour, but don’t overwork it!
7. Cut the dough into 3 cm segments.
8. Place the segments on a baking sheet, leaving about 2 cm distance between the scones.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, until they turn golden brown.
10. Enjoy!
Yield:
1 dozen mini scones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUZc3vug7soSeems Ice Cream is Going Nitro
First there was Chin Chin in London, now it looks like a former basketball player is opening shops in New York. Good idea or gimmick? Anyone been?
I’m Glad I’m Not ‘Le Burger’ Kind of Guy
I’m just back from France, where I mixed a little business and pleasure. Well, for me France is always a pleasure.
One thing that struck me is that for all the talk of Ireland being expensive, I think it’s a bargain compared to France. Hotels, meals, ice cream – everything cost more, especially on the higher end.
For example here’s a lunch menu from Le Château de La Chèvre d’Or in Eze, France.
Mon dieu!
Eze is a beautiful town, perched on top of a hill that overlooks the sea, and no doubt the Château is a great place, but for those of you who might be wondering, no I didn’t order the €65 burger with avocado, prawns, and lobster. In fact, I didn’t even go inside.
My tastes were running on the simpler side that brunch time.
A baguette with butter and jam, fresh orange juice, cafe au lait in a little cafe around the corner did me just fine, thank you. 😉
As always, for all of the gourmet experience to be had in France (and I had some great meals), the things that make me the happiest are often the simplest things – a great loaf, an amazing piece of cheese, a surprising chocolate truffle or ice cream flavour, a delicious glass of wine.
Often, those are the tastes I remember…