Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream

Blackberry Chip Ice Cream

This is, perhaps, the BEST ice cream on the face of the planet, and I know my ice cream. It is Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip ice cream, which is a famous chain I was introduced to while living in Ohio. It’s their most popular flavor, and for good reason–it is amazing. It’s deep purple, perfectly sweet-tart and their chocolate ‘chips’ are really giant boulders that melt in your mouth despite the freezing temperature. The only recipe I’ve ever found was a recreation Pioneer Woman made and is published in her second cookbook, but not on her website. I swear, in the time it took me google and NOT find hers’ or one that someone–anyone–else had typed up already, I could have typed it up myself! I’ve made it myself twice, (read about it here) and have even experimented with tempering (or untempering) the chocolate to ensure it melts in your mouth. In fact, I have some homemade in my freezer right now. Greater’s does ship, in case anyone is interested. Now, without further ado (just take enough time to grab your ingredients), here is PW’s recipe:

2 pints blackberries

1 1/4 C sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 C half-and-half

5 egg yolks

1 1/2 C heavy cream

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1. Combine blackberries, 1/4 C sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until blackberries are syrupy.

2. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Force as much as you can through the sieve and discard the rest.

3. Heat half-and-half and remaining sugar in saucepan over med-low heat.

4. Whisk egg yolks until pale yellow and thick in a separate bowl. Temper egg yolks by splashing a small amount of the warm cream and sugar mixture in and whisking constantly.

5. Pour tempered yolks into saucepan with the rest of the sugar and cream mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, still on low heat, until thick.

6. Pour heavy cream into bowl with blackberry mixture, then add custard and stir to combine.

7. Freeze mixture according to your ice cream maker’s directions. After frozen, add chocolate chips* and incorporate. Store in freezer and let harder for four hours.

*It is preferable to buy a block of chocolate and melt it, then spread on parchment and allow to harder in freezer. Once solid, break into small pieces and use that to incorporate into ice cream. I believe this helps lower the melting point of the chocolate, thus allowing it to ‘melt in your mouth’ despite being just out of the freezer.

a tale of two bundts

I made two spice cakes last week for Andrew’s mom’s birthday. Spice cake is a favorite of hers’ and I found two different recipes. Since Andrew and I enjoy a good taste-test, he encouraged me to make both.

Well. I gladly accepted and used this as a perfect opportunity to purchase the spiral bundt pan I’ve been eyeing for like a year. (BTW it’s AMAZING.)

I made King Arthur Flour’s brown sugar spice cake in my old pan (the nondescript one without ridges) and Joy the Baker’s Araby Spice Cake in the nifty new swirl one.

The

The verdict: ???

Honestly, neither was what I expected. Both were more dense (I suppose I should have expected that) and neither were terribly flavorful. KAF’s featured nuts and ginger, while Joy’s secret ingredient was cocoa powder. Joy’s glaze was better. Overall, I think everyone preferred KAF’s version.

Bottom line: still looking for a winner!

Cinnabon (at home!)

A number of years ago–like four–I pulled one of those ‘Almost Famous’ copycat recipes out of Food Network magazine and have literally been holding on to it for years. FOR FOUR YEARS. (How, in those four years, I haven’t managed to make it I don’t know, but that’s another blog post in itself.)

They were for Cinnabon’s Cinnamon Rolls.

In an effort to show Andrew my undying devotion and love, I’ve started throwing caution to the wind and NOT making something healthy for breakfast on Saturday mornings…if I make breakfast at all on Saturday mornings. I figured that since I dictate 98% of what we eat around here (most of which are things he may not prefer, like beans or homemade salmon burgers), I could lighten up a bit on weekend breakfasts. That, and he made it clear he didn’t want ‘experimentation’ recipes on Saturday mornings…

ANYWAY.

I recently whipped out the very worn magazine page and–despite having to stay up until 1 a.m. that night to prep them–I was able to present Andrew with these around 9 a.m. Saturday morning.

They were, in a word, delicious.

Of course they were. They were loaded with butter and sugar and eggs. In order to make them a bit more calorically manageable, I made 12 smaller rolls instead of the 6 large rolls the recipe called for. I baked 6 that morning and wrapped the other 6 in plastic for another time. I mean, who is really going to eat just one ooey-gooey cinnamon roll, straight from the oven?? Might as well make them smaller rather than larger, I say.

Overall, I can’t say these were exactly like Cinnabon’s treats, mostly because it’s been so long since I’ve had one I don’t even remember what they taste like! I seem to recall Cinnabon’s rolls having a cream cheese frosting, while the one in the recipe was a traditional butter/sugar/cream mixture.

Can’t wait to enjoy the second half of the batch sometime soon!