Creamy CHOCOLATE Heaven!

I love this picture.  What is it?  Just about one of the best tasting and creamiest ice creams I have ever had.  It's definitely the best one I've ever made!  Where did this recipe come from?  Dorie Greenspan, of course!  I've been having so much fun with my new ice cream maker (and have probably been eating too much ice cream also!)  Well, this one is NOT the low fat/fat free kind of ice cream I eat, but man it was good!

Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream, adapted very slightly from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1  1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl.  Bring 3/4 cup of the cream to a boil.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then, with a rubber spatula, stir the cream into the chocolate until smooth.  Set it aside.

Bring the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened.  Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid to temper the eggs so they won't curdle.  Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid.  Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.  If you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track.  The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer.  Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

You know you want a lick.  This is GOOD and would be great with any mix-ins that go with chocolate.  I am interested to try it with a semi sweet chocolate and maybe even a milk chocolate.  But you'd be proud of me, I used a 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate and it's really good.

While I was careful not to eat too much of this, I needed to make a frozen treat that I didn't feel quite so guilty about eating.  I went in search of a frozen yogurt recipe and after finding what seemed like thousands of different recipes online, I ended up making up my own with things I already had and guess what this was/is darn good.

Vanilla Fro Yo by Katrina

14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup fat free half and half

3/4 cup 2% milk

1 cup light cream

2 cups fat free vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.  Chill for a couple hours  or eat it soft serve. 

All of the vanilla mixture was a little too much to fit in my ice cream maker at one time, so I kept out about 2 cups and after finishing the churning of the vanilla one, I refroze the ice cream maker for a while and then made this Cherry Chocolate Chip Pecan Fro Yo.

I added about 1/2 cup fresh sweet cherries, pits removed and chopped, then mashed with 1 tablespoon sugar, a couple tablespoons toasted, chopped pecans and about 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips.  While I don't really care for fruit in my ice cream, this was pretty darn good.  The boys ate it up!

I have made  a couple other ice creams as well and am really having fun with it.  The heat and humidity continues outside and I continue to find these to do without the oven.  The boys have continued to make forts all over the house with as many blankets as they can find.

Lunch in the fort.

A couple of shots of my beautiful roses Kevin gave me for our anniversary.