Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet

A kitchen confession: Our ice cream maker is not being used to it's potential. Every time I use it I think, "Why don't I do this more often?" The answer usually has something do with lack of planning because I haven't frozen the inner canister ahead of time. But I'm hoping to change that. That silly canister is in the freezer right now, because next time I want to be ready. In fact, did you know you can use your ice cream maker just to make Slurpee-type drinks? Just pour in some soda or juice or whatever you'd like and get it spinning. Who doesn't love a cool little something (that's EASY to make) in the hot summer? Get out your ice cream maker. I know you don't use it as much as you should.

I'm sticking with strawberries for another post or two and sharing a truly yummy one with you.

This recipe is very similar to one I did last year with blackberries. It's good, really good, and a lot lighter than ice cream, which usually uses cream and whole milk. Give it a try. And, let me know if you've got any other suggestions for my ice cream maker!Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet
adapted from Southern Living Magazine

2 cups fresh strawberries*
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (or more!) chopped strawberries (optional)

Process strawberries in a food processor or blender 30 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour strawberry puree through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing with back of a spoon. Discard solids.

Add buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla to puree; stir until well blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Pour strawberry mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.) Fold in the half cup of strawberries if desired.

*You could also use 1 (16-oz.) package frozen strawberries, thawed if you can't get to some fresh picked, local berries.

Blackberry Buttermilk Sherbet

Alright Sistas, it's been a while, but here's something truly sweet and not ridiculously unhealthy! Despite what you may think, buttermilk is NOT full of the fat that actual butter has. It's pretty good for you. Love that!

Blackberry Buttermilk Sherbet
Originally from Cooking Light

Straining the blackberry mixture is optional but worth the effort for the smoothest, creamiest texture.

2 1/2 cups blackberries (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk

Combine blackberries and sugar in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Strain blackberry mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Stir in buttermilk.

Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions (mine took about 20 minutes). Spoon sherbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 4 hours (or one if you're like me and just couldn't wait any longer!) or until firm.

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

It's starting to get warm again. It's supposed to be about 90 degrees on Sunday, but today is absolutely beautiful. So warmer weather means...HOMEMADE ICE CREAM! I love homemade ice cream because it gets all melty really fast. Some require making a custard first, but the reason that I love this recipe is that you can have homemade ice cream in literally minutes. There is no cooking and no eggs involved. It isn't as rich and creamy as a custard based treat, but this is a great alternative. My husband actually likes this ice cream recipe better than those made with a custard because he likes that it isn't as rich.
Growing up we always had strawberry-banana homemade ice cream and we didn't have it very often. I always thought ice cream was hard to make until I got an ice cream maker that doesn't use rock salt and ice. It has been the best thing ever. You just throw everything in and click "on."
One of my favorite ice cream flavors is chocolate chip, but I'm sort of picky about it. I don't like huge chunks of chocolate but I like it when the chocolate is shaved. It has a very delicate texture and you don't have to bite the chocolate. It really just melts in your mouth. I used a Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar and shaved it. Dark tastes better to me than milk chocolate in this ice cream. Milk chocolate makes it way too sweet.

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream
Makes 1 1/2 quarts

1 1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup of mix-ins (optional)

Combine milk, sugar, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk until sugar is dissolved. Stir in half and half, whipping cream, and vanilla.
Pour into ice cream maker canister and freeze according to directions.
Stir in mix-ins during the last few minutes of mixing.
You can eat it immediately, or you can freeze it in the freezer for a couple of hours so it will set even more and the flavor develops a little stronger.

Note: Last time I made this ice cream I did not have any half and half or whole milk. Instead I used 1 1/2 cups 1% milk and 1 1/2 cups whipping cream. I didn't use any half and half and it turned out great. So you can really mix it up if you wanted.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This cake looks richer than it actually tasted. It was very good and perfect for a Fourth of July celebration. It requires no baking, one of those semi-homemade tricks, which is a major plus for the summertime. It went together fast, the ingredients are simple, and when it was all done it had a certain "wow" factor about it. I impressed people with something that required absolutely no effort. You could really use any sort of sauces that you want and fill it with any type of candy. This is how I made it this time, but I'm sure I will try it other ways too.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

about 20 ice cream sandwiches

1 20oz container Cool Whip

1/2 jar caramel topping

chocolate sauce

2 Butterfinger Bars-crushed

Layer the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with 10 ice cream sandwiches and cut any to fit. Layer about 1/2 jar of caramel sauce over the sandwiches. Layer 1/2 the container of Cool Whip. Sprinkle one crushed Butterfinger on the Cool Whip. Layer more ice cream sandwiches to fit. Cover them with the chocolate sauce. Layer the rest of the Cool Whip. Top with the other crushed Butterfinger Bar. You can top with additional sauce if you would like. Cover and freeze until firm.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

With summer here it is most definitely ice cream season. Especially since we have already had some 100 degree days. Yikes! This recipe is so good, but be patient when making a custard based ice cream. Eventually it will be ready. The trick is tempering the eggs so that they do not curdle. A few weeks ago I was impatient and not paying attention and, oops, I had srambled eggs. This recipe tastes like strawberry cheesecake, but it's ice cream. I had this brilliant idea of putting the soft ice cream in a graham cracker crust to make an ice cream cheesecake pie. I didn't do it, but doesn't it sound so good?

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

from joyof baking.com

2 c half and half

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3 lrg egg yolks

2/3 c sugar

2/3 c strawberry puree (recipe below)

1 c fresh strawberries, chopped

Scald half and half over medium high heat in a saucepan. This means to heat the half and half until it is just bubbling a little on the edges. DO NOT let it boil.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, egg yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy. It should be about the color of butter and takes about 2-4 min if done briskly by hand.

Gradually pour 1/4 c at a time, the scalded mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk constantly so that the eggs do not curdle. Once the two mixtures have been mixed together, pour back into the sauce pan and cook at medium low. Stir it constantly with a wooden spoon. The mixture should start to thicken and will take about 15 min. Be patient. If you use an instant read thermometer it should read 170F. They way to describe the thickness is that it will coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Not done yet...

Done!

Immediately remove from heat still stirring until it cools slightly.

Add the vanilla and strawberry puree. Cover and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Stir in 1 c strawberries at the end of the freezing. Pour into a container and cover and freeze until firm. This really allows the flavors to develop and make it scoopable.

Strawberry Sauce

This is a really simple sauce and only takes a few minutes. Extra sauce tastes great on pancakes, in plain yogurt, on top of cake...whatever you can think of.

1 - 20 ounce bag (570 grams) of frozen unsweetened strawberries or 20 ounces of fresh strawberries
1/4 - 1/3 cup (50 - 65 grams) granulated white sugar, or to taste
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional


If using frozen berries (like I did) let thaw completely. This will take a few hours. In a food processor, pulse the strawberries until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the sugar. Start with a smaller amount and add more if necessary. This will make about 1 1/4 cups of the sauce.