Gingersnap Cookie Milkshakes

Here is something a little different for a taste of Christmas. It’s not cranberries, pumpkin pie, cinnamon or peppermint, or even sugar cookies… but gingersnaps. Our Udderly Vanilla would be perfect in this recipe. 

I love this time of year when we gather at holiday festivities, share family recipes, toast the New Year and celebrate being together. Not to mention all the delicious in-season ingredients that keep me inspired to cook and bake all day! Now, let’s talk about dessert.  

When entertaining during the holidays, I like to change up the dessert course by serving these mini gingersnap cookie milkshakes. They could be in addition to or in place of the traditional cookie platter or pumpkin pie. The best part of these? They take little time to prepare, and all the ingredients are likely already in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla ice cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon molasses

Cookie Rim

• 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey
• 10-15 small gingersnap cookies, crumbled

Serve in little glasses with a cookie crumb-coated rim, drop in a colorful straw and you’ve got yourself a festive treat. I can guarantee the kids, (little and big) will go crazy…I mean, who wouldn’t want a glass of this?

Cranberry Ice Cream Pie

If you don't have time to make a cranberry pie with a traditional crust, you can try this easier, colder version. Now, you can get cranberries and ice cream in one bite without a scoop! This delicious recipe is a wonderful change from the typical holiday pies of pumpkin, apple, mincemeat, etc. 

The wonderful thing about this pie is that you can make it as involved or simple as you’d like. The recipe is written using all homemade components; however, if you’re crunched for time this week and need to throw together a quick, yet impressive dessert, you can easily adapt this to fit your needs. You can use a ready-made graham cracker pie shell, your favorite vanilla ice cream, canned whole-berry cranberry sauce, and an 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip. As much as I love baking the old-fashioned way, sometimes life gets hectic and it’s not always possible. For those times, it’s great to have a quick alternative as a backup plan! Whichever way you decide to make this pie, I guarantee it will garner the same results – impressed ooh’s and aah’s, and full, happy bellies! 

If you’re looking for a non-traditional pie to break up the parade of pumpkin, pecan and apple, look no further! 

yield: 8 servings
 prep time: 10 minutes
 cook time: 10 minutes
 total time: 4 hours 

A festive cranberry ice cream pie; a great alternative to all of the pumpkin on Thanksgiving!

INGREDIENTS: 

For the Crust:
42 gingersnap cookies (about 9 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Ice Cream Filling:
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup cranberry sauce (or canned whole-berry sauce)
1 tablespoon orange juice 

For the Whipped Cream:
1½ cups heavy cream
4½ teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extractSliced almonds, for garnish  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Make the Crust: In a food processor, pulse together the gingersnaps and sugar until they become fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse a few more times to incorporate. Press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
3. Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the ice cream, cranberry sauce and orange juice until completely combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth the top into an even layer. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
4. Make the Whipped Cream Topping: When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl at medium speed to soft peaks; add the vanilla. Continue to beat to barely stiff peaks. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled filling and garnish with sliced almonds, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: You can make this ahead of time, just cover the pie with plastic wrap if you are going to leave it in the freezer for a few days. I would make the whipped cream the same day you plan to serve, but you can whip it in the morning, refrigerate it, and then top the pie just before serving.

 Click here to read more.

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream is awesome, but how do you make it even better? You add Oreos! This cake is delicious!

This is one of those cakes, people will think that you spent hours creating.  When in fact it is so simple and very delicious!

• 1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
• 1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (4 serving) chocolate instant pudding
• 8 Oreo Cookies, chopped
• 12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour fudge topping into a medium bowl, add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir for 2 minutes  or until well blended. Gently stir in the chopped Oreos. Set aside. 

Unwrap the ice cream sandwiches. Arrange 4 of them side by side on a 24 inch long piece of tin foil.

Top with half of the whipped topping mixture.  Repeat layers. Top with the remaining 4 sandwiches. Frost the top and sides of cake with the remaining whipped topping. Bring up the foil sides. Double foil the top and ends to loosely seal packet.  

Freeze at least 4 hours before serving. 

Ice Cream Yule Logs

Most of us have grown up hearing about the Yule Log. Typically, it was an actual log that families lit around Christmastime, and then used its remnants to light the next year’s log, and so on. But did you know that it had a delicious, ice cream variety? “…people started making the Bûche de Noël, or cakes shaped like logs, at Christmas. To create the bark-like texture on the cake, a fork is dragged through the icing.” Often, these were just cakes and mousse and icing and other tantalizing sweets. But sometimes, people created an ice cream version. Check out a few examples below to enjoy during the holidays.

To see more examples of Yule Logs, read the full article here.

Honey and Toasted Nutmeg Ice Cream

Are you looking for something festive that can apply to both holidays? This recipe is great for those days when you just feel like baking something, though obviously it wouldn’t apply to ice cream. It will fill your home with wonderful scents and provide a tasty snack or dessert. Your friends and family will marvel at your ingenuity with the flavors!

I have made this ice cream once with egg yolks alone and again with whole eggs. The batch with whole eggs had a clearer, brighter flavour of honey and spice. As one would expect, the egg yolks afforded a silkier custard, which had its own merit.  

In the dead of winter, in need of a cold-weather-worthy ice cream and feeling particularly blithe, I might try it with 8 egg yolks for kicks. Go with what works for you.

Ingredients

• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35%), divided
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup liquid honey
• 6 egg yolks or 4 whole eggs, see head note
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Grate 2 teaspoons of nutmeg into a small skillet. Toast the ground nutmeg over medium heat until aromatic, around 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Add the rest of the (whole) nutmeg to the pot with the milk mixture and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes.  

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks (or whole eggs, if using) with the sugar, honey and salt. Pouring in a thin, steady stream, whisk in the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Tansfer the mixture back to the pan and cook, stirring, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Pour custard through a fine-meshed sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and toasted nutmeg; cover custard lightly and chill.  

Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's direction then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until set. 

Makes 1 quart.

Read the full entry here: http://bit.ly/riCKFd

Vintage Ice Cream Ads

Remember the popularity of ice cream parlors in the 50s and 60s? Whatever happened to those awesomely bad magazine ads for ice cream?

Take a stroll with us down memory lane, back to the golden years, with all the vintage ads below. You'll be surprised at what you see.

Does anyone else still have one of these Dairy Queens in your neighborhoods? They're great, aren't they? Its like driving into the past and parking there. It wasn't summer without at least one evening spent in its parking lot with the car windows rolled down, the radio on, and ice cream sundaes or cones wrapped with a few paper napkins in our hands. 

Guilt-free, Dairy-free Thanksgiving Ice Cream

We can’t all handle milk products. For those who can't, they usually miss out on the deliciousness that is ice cream. But no worries! This holiday, try an “ice cream” recipe that doesn’t include cream but still incorporates the best spices and flavors of Thanksgiving. This recipe is soy-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.

Allow yourself a bit of extra time before beginning the bulk of this recipe. Peel the bananas and cut them into fourths before you freeze them, just to make the job easier. Freeze them for at least a day (more days is better). Pumpkin pie spice can be used instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a little ground ginger might do wonders. You can adjust the measurements to your taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana (per person)
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2-1 tbsp almond butter (optional)
• Less than a splash of almond milk to help blend (optional)

Directions:
Put the frozen banana into a food processor or blender and blend until it reaches the consistency of ice cream. You may need to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Add more spices to taste. Sprinkle spices on top of “ice cream” to finish it off. Serve and enjoy!

Follow the link for more information: http://bit.ly/UCOyEi

Pumpkin-Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches

How long has it been since you last had an ice cream sandwich? What about one that isn’t vanilla ice cream atop a chocolate cookie? If you’re looking for something a little more creative, or for a way to wow your friends and family during the holidays, give this recipe a try.

Gingerbread Sugar Cookies

• 250 grams butter
• 125 grams powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 370 grams flour
• 3 grams salt
• 2 grams baking powder
• 3 grams ground ginger
• 2 grams ground cloves
• 1 gram ground cinnamon
• Egg wash
• Sanding sugar

Cream the butter and the powdered sugar with the paddle attachment. Scrape the bowl and add the egg. Mix until combined. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and spices and add to the mixing bowl. Mix until combined. 

Turn the dough on to your work surface and shape it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it some more. Refrigerate overnight. 

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll to 1/8″ thickness. Cut with a square cookie cutter that is about 3″ and place them on a sheetpan lined with a silicon mat or a piece of parchment paper. Brush the tops of the cookies with egg wash and sprinkle sanding sugar on top. Bake at 350F for about 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool before assembling the ice cream sandwiches.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

• 450 grams whole milk
• 100 grams heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 170 grams sugar
• 70 grams egg yolks
• 200 grams fresh pumpkin puree

Cut a medium size pumpkin in half. Place on a sheet pan cut side down and bake at 375F for about 30 minutes or until flesh soft and scoopable. Measure 200 grams of the pumpkin flesh, puree and set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, heavy cream, half of the sugar and the spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar. When the milk mixture comes to a boil, temper into the egg yolks and whisk. Return this base to the pan and cook to 82C or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. 

Strain this custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Mix the pumpkin puree into it and place the bowl over an ice bath to cool it quickly. Let the ice cream base rest in the refrigerator overnight. 

Churn in ice cream machine and when done, pour into a frozen quarter sheet pan. Freeze until solid. 

Cut ice cream with the same size square cookie cutter used to cut the gingerbread sugar cookies. Place the ice cream squares between cookies and serve.

View the full recipe here. 

 

Pumpkin ice cream recipe

This is the month of pumpkin-flavored everything! Some dishes will actually use pureed or mashed pumpkin, and ice cream is no different. Here is a tasty recipe for all you pumpkin (and pumpkin pie) lovers out there!

Smooth, cold, creamy, spicy, just slightly boozy, and tasting like a cold piece of pumpkin pie. So basically, it’s totally delicious and a perfect addition to your fall-inspired ice cream recipes.

... being able to offer guests some pumpkin ice cream seems like a great option. The hardcore eaters can throw a scoop on top of their pumpkin pies, and if someone is already stuffed but still craving some of those classic Thanksgiving dessert flavors, they can have a cup of ice cream and still feel satisfied.

yield: 1 quart  prep time: 30 minutes  cook time: 20 minutes   total time: 9 hours 

INGREDIENTS:
1½ cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5 large egg yolks
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier, rum or brandy (optional)
¾ cup canned pumpkin

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make an ice bath by putting some ice and a little water in a large bowl and nest a smaller metal bowl (one that will hold at least 2 quarts) inside it. Set a mesh strainer over the top. 

2. In a medium saucepan mix the milk, cream, granulated sugar, ginger, ground cinnamon, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and salt. 

3. Warm the mixture until hot and the edges begin to bubble and foam. 

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and gradually whisk in about half of the warm spiced milk mixture, stirring constantly. 

5. Scrape the warmed yolks back in to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read between 160º-170ºF (71º-76ºC). 

6. Immediately pour the mixture through the strainer into the bowl nested in the ice bath. Mix in the brown sugar, add the cinnamon stick back in, then stir until cool, then chill thoroughly, preferably overnight. 

7. Whisk in the vanilla, liquor (if using), and pumpkin. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

You can read the full recipe with commentary here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/11/11/pumpkin-ice-cream-recipe/ 

Brownie Batter Milkshakes

This is a simple recipe that will satisfy your cravings for brownies and ice cream without using your oven.

What you will need:
- Vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream
- Brownie batter mix
- Milk
- A blender

Optional for pizzazz:
- Whipped cream
- Corn syrup
- Chocolate syrup
- Chocolate sprinkles

Take your ice cream, milk and brownie batter and dump them into your blender. Blend until smooth. You get something resembling this:

Of course, this picture is rather fancy. To achieve it, dip the glass rim in a miniscule amount of corn syrup and then a small pile of chocolate sprinkles. Pour in your milkshake, top with whipped cream and drizzle on some chocolate sauce. If you have already-made brownies (or one of those small packets you can buy at a convenience/grocery store), tear them up and plop them on. Voila. 

Follow the link for more information: http://cookiesandcups.com/brownie-batter-milkshake/

Ice cream trucks from the good 'ole days

Check out all these vintage ice cream trucks! They have a colorful history that comes in all shapes and sizes--from motorcycles, vans, and long trucks.

Typically, these vans traveled throughout urban and suburban neighborhoods where many children lived. How many of us are still taken back to our childhood summers when we hear “The Entertainer” or a bell version of “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”

The original idea of the ice cream truck was relatively simple, that the delicious tasty treats of the ice cream parlor are coming directly to you. We still see them during the summer months at public events, parks, beaches anywhere where crowds of people are likely to gather, as well as driving down residential streets hoping to entice customers. 

In the early 1920’s, before ice cream trucks and vans, the first ice cream bicycles appeared in London. The Walls ice cream company expanded their manufacturing facilities in 1924 and invested in a fleet of tricycles. Annual sales in 1927 are said to have been over £440,000, or $US 700,000 at today’s exchange rate, but still a huge sum at the time.  

During World War II, ice cream in the UK was considered to be a luxury and the country’s resources were devoted to the war effort. Manufacturing resumed after the war and ice cream trucks became a familiar sight in the UK and North America in the 1950’s and into the 1960’s. 

Early ice cream trucks weren’t as sophisticated as they are today. Back then most families didn’t own a freezer and the trucks sold simple ice cream. Once freezers became common household items, ice cream trucks began selling more specialized novelty ice cream items, such as ice cream bars and popsicles. The vehicle’s refrigeration system consisted of large blocks of dry ice. This entailed the engine being turned off when customers were actually buying their ice cream. A hand-driven crank was usually employed to operate the truck’s familiar chimes or music. 

(images credit: I Love Lucies, Thomas Ackroyd, 3, 4)

(1954 "Good Humor" ice cream truck, image credit: Jack Snell)

Fully restored British 1962 Commer Karrier BF van (more info):

(image via)



(images via 1, 2)

Walker Electric Vehicle Co. built electric and gasoline-electric hybrid trucks in Chicago from around 1918 until at least 1942. This Walker Electric Truck, had a top speed of 12 mph when empty and 9 mph when fully loaded, even with ice cream:

(see the full-size image here, via Shorpy)

This Good Humor truck (left image below) dates from the 1920’s and may have guaranteed a slightly faster delivery of your ice cream treats:

 


(images via) 

A few of 1920s ice cream trucks from the Ken Goudy Collection:

(images via)

This is an interesting streamlined truck "Clipper" for Peters Ice Cream, 1953, from Australia:

(image via)

How about this little three-wheeled one? (left image) ...Italy is famous for its ice cream and there are still a few scooters making the deliveries there (right):

(images via 1, 2)

We mentioned at the beginning of the article about the bikes and tricycles that were used as the first ice cream distribution vehicles. Today, in some parts of Southeast Asia, ice cream is still frequently often sold from modified motorcycles with attached freezer sidecars. This one’s from Cambodia:

(image via)

Follow the link to see more vintage ice cream trucks: http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/01/cute-vintage-ice-cream-trucks.html

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

This recipe looks deliciously decadent and filled with comfort food. If you're planning a party, or attending a potluck gathering, try this recipe and wow your friends. The ice cream on top pulls the whole thing together.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (9.9 oz) pkg white chocolate candy corn M&Ms or 1 cup Reese’s Pieces
1 pkg Halloween or Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and beat until dough is light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then slowly add to the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in M&Ms. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, line with wax paper, and spray with cooking spray again. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted 2″ from the edge comes out with moist pieces clinging to it.

Read More here: http://bit.ly/TwCVy5