use real butter

I guess that heat wave found me! Actually, I met it part way just because it’s still tolerable up here in the mountains when it’s pushing the 90s down in Boulder. The hitch this time was that our town busted a huge leak in its water supply a few days ago and the geniuses who run the town didn’t start to tell anyone about it until today. Hot weather is one thing, but hot weather without water is something else entirely. And hot weather in the fire-prone Mountain West without water is dangerous. We got the news of the water shortage this evening at 6 pm and by 7:30 pm we heard that the leak had been found and fixed. We’re still conserving water (well, we try to in general - you shouldn’t need a shortage of something to convince you that it is ass stupid to waste it), but at least we can flush the toilets!

Well, it finally feels like summer to me because I am squinting my eyes under the blazing sun down in Boulder and wishing for two or three feet of fluffy powder to shred. As I think more about snow and powder, images of snow cones drizzled in syrupy colors and fruity flavors dance in my head. It’s the onset of delirium brought about by the heat, I tell you. Notice how the latest trend of sweets have all been refrigerator or freezer treats? It’s not just me - it’s everyone on this side of the planet. Today’s is no different.

some tea with your cream?

whisk it up

I’ve made this ice cream several times already because it is one of Jeremy’s most requested flavors. I just love to play with matcha powder. Since my aunt is coming back this weekend to retrieve my cousin from his 2-week summer program, I thought a dish of matcha ice cream would be a welcome relief after their long, hot drive from New Mexico.

milk and egg yolks

straining custard into the cream

It should be no surprise to anyone that this is a recipe from The Lebovitz (The Perfect Scoop). Perhaps one day I will move on to other ice cream recipes, but I am having too much fun (and success) with TPS this summer. As long as it doesn’t get too oppressively hot, I can stand stirring a custard over the stove top for the anticipated reward.

chill out and then churn in the ice cream maker

[I have to chill my custard on ice packs because we don’t own an ice maker. I know - a Southern-born dope (me) without an ice machine?! When we purchased our fridge/freezer years ago I knew there were two things I wanted: 1) full-width fridge and 2) no ice maker. Why? For making cakes and pastries… you need *s p a c e*.]

ready for freezing

Green tea is a truly refreshing and cleansing flavor for me. I’ve always had it as hot tea growing up - only discovering iced green teas and green tea ice creams and green tea candies when I went away to college. The beauty of a small nip of green tea ice cream is how smooth and silky the texture is, while the cool temperature and uplifting green tea flavor feel so lively and bright. It soothes and awakens at the same time, which is just what you need when the mercury is on the rise.

just a spot of (green) tea (ice cream)

Green Tea Ice Cream
from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
4 tsp matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks

Warm milk, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan. Pour cream into a large bowl and whisk in green tea powder. Set mesh strainer on top. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together and slowly pour in the warmed milk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the contents back into the pan and stir over medium heat with a heatproof spatula. Continue to stir until mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Remove from heat and pour the custard through the strainer, stirring it into the cream. Whisk vigorously to dissolve the green tea powder. Stir until cool over an ice bath (or a bunch of reusable drugstore ice packs). Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

I’ve been on puke watch all day since 4 am.

No, not for me. Chemo has done everything else to me including making me feel like I want to puke, but so far I can report no hay pukeage para mi. Let’s be thankful for the little things.

Someone in our household engaged in some Unsupervised Dietary Indiscretions… Take a guess.

huh?

I think she’s on the mend now. The interesting thing is that Kaweah is such a creature of the moment that when she pukes she’s sad and traumatized, but then after she pukes her reaction is, “w00t! Someone left food on the floor!” If only life were that simple.

Yet some things in life are almost that simple. Over ten years ago, in the little college town of Ithaca, New York, Jeremy and I acquired an ice cream maker for $30. Living just above the poverty line in the name of Science, we figured it was high time to start making our own Coffee Heath Bar Crunch ice cream instead of paying $3 for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. We even bought their recipe book. This was mostly Jeremy’s scheme since I don’t typically touch the stuff - it makes me spastic, as does all caffeine. He made a few batches. He said it was “okay”. We calculated the cost of making it ourselves and decided it was about the same as dealing through the Boys of Vermont… and their ice cream was better in quality, so we gave up.

But last summer I blew the dust off of Ye Olde Ice Cream Maker and tried some new recipes via The Lebovitz… David, that is. His custard-based ice creams really won me over. When I made his coffee ice cream recipe, Jeremy fried a circuit gushing over how rich, creamy, dense, smooth, and coffee-y it was. Good stuff, kids. Pure joy.

Fast forward to last week when Jeremy and I were cruising the aisle for after-Easter sale candy. I mentioned that I had some egg yolks to use up after the Daring Bakers Challenge and what flavor ice cream would he like me to make? He replied coffee (because he already had chocolate in the freezer that I made earlier). Sure, coffee. Why not put some Heath Bar in there while we’re at it?

why not?

Take care when smashing up the toffee because it can become powder in no time flat. Or maybe it’s that my superhuman strength turns a simple rolling pin into…

the pulverizer

That was fun. I was sure to leave plenty of large chunks of toffee for Jeremy’s snacking pleasure. So once the ice cream custard was cooled and I ran it through our ice cream machine for 30 minutes, it was the right consistency for adding the goods.

mix quickly

The yield is a quart and some change. I don’t actually know how much it costs to make - probably comparable to B&J’s prices… The difference is that this version is way the hell better than Ben and Jerry’s. The coffee flavor is stronger (I use dark roast beans) and the ice cream is richer and creamier. Jeremy friggin’ loves this stuff. It’s his new best friend. I had to pry the tupperware from his arms when he went to bed the other night, he loves it so much… Shazaam!

mission accomplished

You can get the recipe for the coffee ice cream here and mix in 4 crushed Heath Bar candy bars after turning in the ice cream maker, but before freezing.

I wanted to post on the first day of spring, but my workout kicked my ass and I nodded off on the couch last night instead - drool and all. I didn’t snore. That’s the dog’s job. She performed to expectation, snoring her little brains out with her furry self stretched on the futon next to me… much like she’s doing this morning.

it’s a full time job

Jeremy was out of town for a meeting in Puerto Rico this week. While most folks who live where there is more winter than summer might be ecstatic to take a trip to a tropical locale, he isn’t one of them. [You honestly think I’d shack up with someone who loves the tropics more than the mountains? Come on!] Some people get bent out of shape when their partner goes out of town, but it doesn’t phase me much unless something shitty happens like a car accident or someone dying. However, I did have an itch to make a dessert, but decided to wait until Jeremy got home because it is one of his favorites.

can you guess? gelatin and milk…

The first time I ever had panna cotta was at The Kitchen in Boulder about two years ago. It was Community Night and we were *stuffed* when this trough of creamy goodness was set on the table in front of us. Yogurt panna cotta with drunken prunes. Never had it before. Never heard of it for that matter. I said I’d take a taste. I had two servings. It is now one of my favorite desserts.

add sugar and cream to the warmed gelatin and milk

Panna cotta means cooked cream in Italian (oh, I love those Italians). It is a versatile and simple dessert. Easy to prepare and elegant to serve up. I’ve had versions ranging from tangy yogurt panna cotta to sinfully creamy cinnamon panna cotta with full cream. This one is half whole milk and half cream - still pretty rich and delightful.

flavored with vanilla

My favorite way to serve panna cotta is in little servings. I’ve made them in molds before and it made me swear a lot. That’s probably just me, but these tiny servings are perfect little pick-me-ups or pre-desserts or even chaser desserts! Jeremy had one for brekkie this morning.

just a shot

Okay, but Jeremy wouldn’t be sold on panna cotta alone. The reason he loves this panna cotta is because I add a little something extra to it. Something that caffiends like him cannae resist.

more gelatin and some water

…and enough espresso powder to fuel your rocket

When the panna cotta sets, I pour a cooled layer of espresso-flavored gelatin on top. Espresso to Jeremy is like chum to sharks. It’s good stuff, I just try not to eat too much of it (Ass Reduction Plan is in full swing).

a tasty way to get hopped up

Espresso Panna Cotta

panna cotta
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 envelope powdered gelatin (1/8 oz)
1 tsp vanilla extract

espresso jello
4 tsp instant espresso powder
1/2 envelope powdered gelatin (1/8 oz)
10 oz water
2 oz brown sugar

Panna cotta: sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup milk in a pan for 3 minutes or until dissolved. Add sugar and remaining milk. Heat over medium flame until sugar and gelatin are dissolved, but take care not to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and the vanilla. Pour into vessels and refrigerate until set (a few hours depending on volume).

Espresso jello: Heat water to a boil. Remove from heat and sprinkle gelatin over the water. Stir until dissolved. Add espresso powder and brown sugar. Stir until dissolved and let cool. Pour over set panna cotta and refrigerate until jello layer is set.