Family Favorites...Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream

   This is a adaptation of some coffee ice cream recipes I have seen. I really like coffee ice  cream but have a hard time bringing myself to pay the price of Hagen-Daz or Starbucks coffee ice cream. My favorite flavor of Starbucks has the chocolate chunks in it, hence the shaved chocolate and I think the Kahlua* really adds to the flavor and keeps it from setting up so hard. If you like coffee ice creams, this really, really is good.  

It never lasts more than a day as I share it with my other coffee ice cream friends and now Lyle has decided that he likes it also. Oh, well, it is easy to make and cheaper than the store bought.  Sue says "If you are talking family favorites, I'm included...I love it when Myrna shares some of this!"

  Try shaving the chocolate with your vegetable peeler. You could chunk it, but my freezer works better with the shaved and we like it better that way.

Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream

Yield: 1 1/2  Quarts

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon instant espresso (I used instant coffee)

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 ounce semisweet chocolate shaved (use your vegetable peeler to shave)

 ½ tablespoon Kahlua, optional 

 Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

  Pour about one cup of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten egg yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla. Cool one hour, stirring occasionally.   Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours. Stir in the Kahlua before pouring into the freezer container and stir together.

  Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Last five minutes add the shaved or chunked chocolate

*You can buy small sample bottles of Kahula and try it without having to buy a large bottle.

Cooking with Chocolate...Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream

  
This is a adaptation of some coffee ice cream recipes I have seen. I really like coffee ice cream but have a hard time bringing myself to pay the price of Hagen-Daz or Starbucks coffee ice cream. My favorite flavor of Starbucks has the chocolate chunks in it, why there is shaved chocolate in this recipe and I think the Kahlua really adds to the flavor and keeps it from setting up too hard. If you like coffee ice creams, this is really, really good. The base needs to chill 8 hours or overnight, so you need to plan ahead.

 It never lasts more than a day as I share it with my other coffee ice cream friends. Oh, well, it is easy to make and much cheaper than the store bought. 

Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream. 

Yield: One Quart. 

Ingredients  

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon instant espresso (I used instant coffee)

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 ounce shaved chocolate

½ tablespoon Kahlua (optional)

Directions

 Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

  Pour about one cup of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten egg yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla. Cool one hour, stirring occasionally.   Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours. Stir in the Kahlua before pouring into the freezer container and stir together.

  Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Last five minutes add the shaved or chunked chocolate.

Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream

   This is a adaptation of some coffee ice cream recipes I have seen. I really like coffee ice  cream but have a hard time bringing myself to pay the price of Hagen-Daz or Starbucks coffee ice cream. My favorite flavor of Starbucks has the chocolate chunks in it, hence the shaved chocolate and I think the Kahlua* really adds to the flavor and keeps it from setting up so hard. If you like coffee ice creams, this really, really is good.

It never lasts more than a day as I share it with my other coffee ice cream friends and now Lyle has decided that he likes it also. Oh, well, it is easy to make and cheaper than the store bought.

  Try shaving the chocolate with your vegetable peeler. You could chunk it, but my freezer works better with the shaved and we like it better that way.

Coffee Chocolate Ice Cream

Yield: 1 1/2  Quarts

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon instant espresso (I used instant coffee)

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 ounce semisweet chocolate shaved (use your vegetable peeler to shave)

 ½ tablespoon Kahlua, optional 

 Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

  Pour about one cup of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten egg yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla. Cool one hour, stirring occasionally.   Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours. Stir in the Kahlua before pouring into the freezer container and stir together.

  Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Last five minutes add the shaved or chunked chocolate

*You can buy small sample bottles of Kahula and try it without having to buy a large bottle.

Exquisite Almond Truffles

   At least once a year I make Truffles for a young friend of ours. He is a chocolate lover except he really likes milk chocolate better. As Almond is also a favorite of his, this recipe seemed to hit on all accounts. Almonds, Amaretto (which is almond flavored) and chocolate, had to be a winner. The recipe from The Better Homes & Gardens Our Best Recipes says that it lets you turn out professional looking truffles time after time. Well, I can’t say that was true, but they were very good tasting. 

  Quite simple to make, they were more time consuming than hard to make. Even then the time was mostly waiting time. 

The recipe calls for Cream of Coconut which I was not willing to buy for just a fourth of a cup, so I added that much liquid with whipping cream (½ cup altogether) and added about a scant ½ teaspoon of coconut flavoring. You can taste the mixture for the amount you want to add. If you like truffles, this is a good recipe to make.

  Exquisite Almond Truffles

Prep: 2 hr.  Freeze: 2 hr. + 15 + 15 min.

20 ounces white baking pieces (go for the best white chocolate you can find, I used Lindt)

¼ cup whipping cream

¼ cup cream of coconut 

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted and chopped

2 Tbsp. Amaretto or use almond flavoring and 2 more tablespoons cream

18 oz. Semisweet chocolate pieces (3 cups) (I used milk chocolate)

3 Tbsp. shortening

2 Tbsp. shortening 

  For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine 16 ounces of the white baking pieces, the whipping cream, and cream of coconut; heat and stir over low heat just until baking pieces are melted. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds and amaretto. Cover; freeze about 2 hours or until firm. 

  Divide filling into 48 pieces; shape each portion into a ball. Place balls on baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.

  Meanwhile, in a 4 cup glass measure, combine the shortening and the semisweet chocolate pieces, In a large glass bowl, pour very warm tap water to a depth of 1 inch. Place measure with semisweet chocolate inside large bowl. (water should cover bottom half of the glass measure.) Stir semisweet chocolate constantly with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. This takes about 20 minutes; be patient. If water cools, discard cool water; add warm water and return glass measure to bowl. 

  Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a fork, dip frozen balls, one at a time, into melted semisweet chocolate place on baking sheet.  Try using a wooden skewer instead of a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.

  Meanwhile melt remaining 4 ounces white baking pieces and the remaining shortening; melt over hot water. Drizzle over truffles ** Chill a few minutes until set. Makes 48

 ** If you like, skip the white chocolate drizzle and roll in finely chopped almonds.

Family Favorites Exquisite Almond Truffles

   At least once a year I make Truffles for a young friend of ours. He is a chocolate lover except he really likes milk chocolate better. As Almond is also a favorite of his, this recipe seemed to hit on all counts. Almonds, Amaretto (which is almond flavored) and chocolate, has to be a winner. The recipe from 1989 says that it lets you turn out professional looking truffles time after time. Well, I can’t say that was true, but they were very good tasting.  Quite simple to make, they are more time consuming than hard to make. Even then the time is mostly waiting time. 

The recipe calls for Cream of Coconut or replace liquid with whipping cream (½ cup altogether) and add about a scant ½ teaspoon of coconut flavoring. You can taste the mixture for the amount you want to add. If you like truffles, this is a good recipe to make.

  Exquisite Almond Truffles

Prep: 2 hr.  Freeze: 2 hr. + 15 + 15 min.

20 ounces white baking pieces (go for the best white chocolate you can find, I used Lindt) divided

¼ cup whipping cream

¼ cup cream of coconut 

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted and chopped

2 Tbsp. Amaretto or use almond flavoring and 2 additional tablespoons cream

18 oz. Semisweet chocolate pieces (3 cups) (I used milk chocolate)

3 Tbsp. shortening

2 Tbsp. shortening 

  For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine 16 ounces of the white baking pieces, the whipping cream, and cream of coconut; heat and stir over low heat just until baking pieces are melted. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds and amaretto. Cover; freeze about 2 hours or until firm. 

  Divide filling into 48 pieces; shape each portion into a ball. Place balls on baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.

  Meanwhile, in a 4 cup glass measure, combine the 3 TBs shortening and the semisweet chocolate pieces, In a large glass bowl, pour very warm tap water to a depth of 1 inch. Place measure with semisweet chocolate inside large bowl. (water should cover bottom half of the glass measure.) Stir semisweet chocolate constantly with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. This takes about 20 minutes; be patient. If water cools, discard cool water; add warm water and return glass measure to bowl. 

  Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a fork, dip frozen balls, one at a time, into melted semisweet chocolate place on baking sheet.  Try using a wooden skewer instead of a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.

  Meanwhile melt remaining 4 ounces white baking pieces and the remaining shortening over hot water. Drizzle over truffles  Chill a few minutes until set. Makes 48

Lime and Lemon Ice Cream

  One of our favorite recipes from the Better Homes and Gardens Fresh Summer Desserts is the Lime and Lemon ice cream. Both Lyle and I are fond of it and I made it often this summer and will make it through the year. 

  The recipe is called Lime and Lemon for a reason. The flavor is primarily lime and is just tart and tangy and the perfect summer treat. To make it even better, make a ice cream float with it and a lemon lime soft drink, (Seven up or something like that).

  Like all ice creams, it should be put in the freezer and left to ripen for a few hours. This is truly a great ice cream and I hope some of you give it a try.

Lime and Lemon Ice Cream

Makes about 2 quarts

Prep 15 minutes

Ripen 4 hours

Freezer time will vary with your type of ice cream freezer

 4 cups whole milk

1 ½ cups sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

⅓ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel

3 tablespoons lime juice

Several drops yellow food coloring (optional) 

  In large bowl stir together milk, sugar, whipping cream, shredded lemon peel, lemon juice, shredded lime peel, lime juice and if desired food coloring. (Mixture may apper curdled.) Freeze in your ice cream freezer according to the instructions. I always chill the mixture in the refrigerator or freezer before putting it into the machine. It will set up much faster that way.

Our Spring Header Recipe

The beautiful tulips were in front of the cabin at the historical village in Pella, Iowa.  Tulip Time there starts May 5th. 
The terrific cheesecake is from Myrna...
Read the recipe all the way through and have everything ready before you start.  This makes a good cheesecake for warm weather. Any citrus flavor will work. You can save part of a lime, slice thin and use the slices with a small amount of whipped cream to garnish the cake. Using a spring form pan will allow you to remove the sides without marring the cake and it will be much easier to slice

Tropical Cheesecake

1 cup shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs separated

2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/4 cup lime juice

few drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup whipping cream whipped

Combine coconut, flour, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.

Bake at 350°, 15 minutes. Cool. 

If you beat the egg whites first, transfer to a different bowl. Rinse and then put the bowl and beater in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Then beat the whipping cream in the same bowl you did the egg whites in and put cream in another bowl. Now you can mix the cream cheese to soften it. Since you are going to combine all of this you can keep using the same mixer bowl without washing it.

Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. In saucepan, combine remaining water, sugar and egg yolks: cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly*. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Gradually add to softened cream cheese, mixing with electric mixer until well blended. Blend in lime juice, rind and food coloring (if using). Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream, pour over crust; chill until firm.

*I use a double boiler so I don’t take a chance on scorching it or have to stir every second
Myrna

Our Spring Header Recipes

The horses made from barrels and milk cans are west of South Amana near Highway 6.

Here are our Spring Header recipes:

This makes a lovely Spring cheesecake.  Any citrus flavor will work though the lime is very good.  You can save part of a lime, slice thin and use the slices with a small amount of whipped cream to garnish the cake. Using a spring form pan will allow you to remove the sides without marring the cake and it will be much easier to slice. Read the recipe all the way through and have everything ready before you start.

Tropical Cheesecake

1 cup shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs separated

2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/4 cup lime juice

few drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup whipping cream whipped

Combine coconut, flour, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.

Bake at 360°, 15 minutes. Cool.

If you beat the egg whites first, transfer to a different bowl. Rinse and then put the bowl and beater in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Then beat the whipping cream in the same bowl you did the egg whites in and put cream in another bowl. Now you can mix the cream cheese to soften it. Since you are going to combine all of this you can keep using the same mixer bowl without washing it.

Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. In saucepan, combine remaining water, sugar and egg yolks: cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly*. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Gradually add to softened cream cheese, mixing with electric mixer until well blended. Blend in lime juice, rind and food coloring (if using). Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream, pour over crust; chill until firm.

*I use a double boiler so I don’t take a chance on scorching it or have to stir every second.

Want to use those great hard cooked eggs?  Here is our favorite recipe... classic, ever-popular Deviled Eggs.

Myrna and I agree, this is the recipe for deviled eggs – from our mother’s Better Homes and Gardens 1946 cook book.  They disappear quickly at any meal, potluck or picnic.  To prepare them ahead, store the filling separately and fill them just before serving.  We like the center of the plate filled with Home Canned Three Bean Salad.

  

Mom's Deviled Eggs

  6           Large  Eggs -- hard cooked, halved

  2 -3      Tablespoons  Mayonnaise -- or cooked dressing or miracle whip

  1           Teaspoon  Vinegar

     1/2    Teaspoon  Salt

               Dash  Pepper

     1/4    Teaspoon  Paprika

     1/2    Teaspoon  Dry Mustard -- or 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

Halve hard cooked eggs lengthwise; remove yolks and mash with remaining ingredients.  (The amount of dressing depends on the size of the egg yolks - start with the smaller amount.)  Refill egg whites.

This fills most "egg plates".

"Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book 1946 section L, page 5"

Yield:  "12 Egg Halves"

Tropical Cheesecake

Read the recipe all the way through and have everything ready before you start.

This makes a good cheesecake for warm weather as you do not have to turn your oven on. The microwave will work to bake the crust. Needless to say, do not use a metal pan in your microwave. About 4 minutes and then check for firmness. Any citrus flavor will work. You can save part of a lime, slice thin and use the slices with a small amount of whipped cream to garnish the cake. Using a spring form pan will allow you to remove the sides without marring the cake and it will be much easier to slice

Tropical Cheesecake

1 cup shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs separated

2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/4 cup lime juice

few drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup whipping cream whipped

Combine coconut, flour, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.

Bake at 360°, 15 minutes. Cool.

If you beat the egg whites first, transfer to a different bowl. Rinse and then put the bowl and beater in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Then beat the whipping cream in the same bowl you did the egg whites in and put cream in another bowl. Now you can mix the cream cheese to soften it. Since you are going to combine all of this you can keep using the same mixer bowl without washing it.

Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. In saucepan, combine remaining water, sugar and egg yolks: cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly*. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Gradually add to softened cream cheese, mixing with electric mixer until well blended. Blend in lime juice, rind and food coloring (if using). Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream, pour over crust; chill until firm.

*I use a double boiler so I don’t take a chance on scorching it or have to stir every second.

Family Favorites - Tropical Cheesecake

  Read the recipe all the way through and have everything ready before you start.

  This makes a good cheesecake for warm weather as you do not have to turn your oven on. The microwave will work to bake the crust. Needless to say, do not use a metal pan in your microwave. About 4 minutes if using a microwave and then check for firmness. 
 You can save part of a lime, slice thin and use the slices with a small amount of whipped cream to garnish the cake. Using a spring form pan will allow you to remove the sides without marring the cake and it will be much easier to slice

Tropical Cheesecake

1 cup shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs separated

2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/4 cup lime juice

few drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup whipping cream whipped

  Combine coconut, flour, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.

Bake at 360°, 15 minutes. Cool.

  If you beat the egg whites first, transfer to a different bowl. Rinse and then put the bowl and beater in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Then beat the whipping cream in the same bowl you did the egg whites in and put cream in another bowl. Now you can mix the cream cheese to soften it. Since you are going to combine all of this you can keep using the same mixer bowl without washing it.

  Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. In saucepan, combine remaining water, sugar and egg yolks: cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly*. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Gradually add to softened cream cheese, mixing with electric mixer until well blended. Blend in lime juice, rind and food coloring (if using). Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream, pour over crust; chill until firm.

*I use a double boiler so I don’t take a chance on scorching it or have to stir every second.

Saturday Thoughts...Coffee Ice Cream

 This recipe for Coffee ice cream, was an attempt to see if I could make as good an ice cream without an ice cream freezer as the coffee ice cream I usually make. Both Sue and I thought it was very good and a lot less work. Even my daughter who does not like coffee or coffee ice cream thought it was excellent.   The recipe from Eagle Brand calls for 2 egg yolks, (this is an older recipe) I did beat the egg yolks with a fork and then set the dish in a pan of hot water on the stove till the eggs were warm. If you are going to do this be sure they have cooled down before adding to the ice cream base. If you are iffy about using uncooked eggs, try using egg beaters or just go without any eggs. Most of the Eagle Brand ice creams do not call them.
 This worked out well as I had yolks in the fridge from the chocolate cookies I made just a few days before. That left me with one egg
yolk and I just made a fried egg with two yolks for breakfast. 
 I added more coffee than the recipe calls for just because I thought it needed it but that is a matter of personal taste and added some chopped semi-sweet baking chocolate at the end. 

 These chocolate cookies were good with the ice cream!

Eagle Brand Coffee Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

1 Tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 2 Tablespoons warm water

2 beaten egg yolks

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream whipped

chopped chocolate optional 

Directions:

If heating egg yolks do first so they have a chance to cool down. Don’t cook just warm.

In a large bowl combine Eagle Brand, the coffee and water mixture, 2 beaten egg yolks and 4 teaspoons vanilla. Fold in whipped cream.               

Pour into a 9x5 loaf pan lined with foil or plastic wrap. (the plastic wrap worked better). Freeze for at least 6 hours. Makes about 1 ½ quarts.

Family Favorites...Pineapple Parfait Pie

  This is one of the pies that was popular when I was a young housewife. I made several different versions of it when it was my turn to host the Ladies group I belonged to. Simple to make, and so tasty. It was an easy dessert.

  The Better Homes and Gardens Golden Treasury cookbook has this to say about it...“Parfait pies, a trendsetter of the 50’s originated in the US as a promotion by a flour miller and a manufacturer of fruit flavored gelatins. Single crust concoctions with fruit, gelatin, and ice cream filling, these pies were very popular because they were so easy to make and there were so many combinations of fruit, ice cream and gelatins to try”. The term Parfait means perfect. So fitting for this type of pie.

  Use a good ice cream when making this. It is the main ingredient so you want it to be a good quality. The cheaper ice creams have a lot of air whipped into them, and will not work as well. How about trying raspberries, vanilla ice cream and raspberry jello or Orange jello, orange juice for the liquid, vanilla ice cream and adding some flaked coconut. Use your own favorite flavors just use the same quantities. I added a Maraschino cherry to each piece when serving. Not before so it won’t soak into the whipping cream. This would work equally well in pretty dessert dishes topped with cream and a cherry for those not wanting the pie crust.

  Pineapple Parfait Pie

1 8 -¼ can crushed pineapple

1 3 ounce package lemon flavored gelatin

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 baked 8 inch pie shell

Whipped cream

Drain pineapple; reserve syrup. Add water to syrup to make 1 ¼ cups. Combine gelatin and syrup; bring to boiling. Stir till gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add ice cream by spoonfuls to hot liquid; stir till melted. Chill till partially set; fold in pineapple. Pile filling into pastry shell. Chill till firm. Garnish with whipped cream and cherry if desired.