Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream: Webisode #28

What's Going on Today: Picking up knives from new knife sharpener (!), library trip, fun in the sun, Mom's night out!

Naptime Goals: Make Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream, organize schedule for babysitter, clean up email inbox.

Tonight's Menu: Mom's night out! (Dad and daughter eating leftovers)

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Introduce kids to their local library early and often, it is a wonderful place!

This week I had a really fun Mom's night out. You all know that I love to cook for my family, but even the best of us need to go out with our friends once in a while. On the days when dinner plans are already made, I use the time I might have spent rolling meatballs to play in the kitchen. I'll often experiment with new ice-cream flavors, baked goods and stock the pantry with some honest-to-goodness batch cooking (5lbs of homemade granola anyone?!)

I'll get to the batch cooking later this summer, right now I am going to tell you about ice-cream. As you can see we are in full summer mode here and my cooking is beginning to reflect that. Instead of diving into my favorite cookie recipes, recently I've been breaking about my good ole' Cuisinart Ice-20. For the next three months I'll use this almost as much as I use my KitchenAid mixer, generating pint after pint of our favorite summer freezer staple.

Since we are still taking advantage of strawberry season, this week I decided to make some delicious Strawberry-Mint Ice-Cream. I love the flavor pairing of strawberry and mint, it is both refreshing and sweet. As you'll see, I was even able to finish off the batch in full cocktail dress, wedges and all.

Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream

1 c. whole milk

3 eggs

1/2 c. superfine sugar

1 t. good quality Peppermint extract

2 c. heavy whipping cream

For Strawberry Swirl:

3 T. superfine sugar

Juice of 1 small lemon

1/2 c. water

2 c. fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

Makes about 6 cups

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and peppermint extract. Ladle a small portion of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk constantly to incorporate. This will help temper the eggs. Whisk in another small ladle of milk. Then, pour in the remaining milk mixture and whisk to completely combine.

2. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove it from the heat, pour it into a fresh bowl and whisk in the heavy cream until mixture is completely smooth. Note: If you suspect lumps in your egg custard place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and pour the custard through it to catch any lumps, the whisk in the cream.

3. Place plastic wrap over glass bowl and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 1-2 hours.

4. For the ripple, pour the water, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly reduced - about 4 minutes. Place the strawberries in a blender, pour in the sugar mixture and puree until smooth. Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve to catch any seeds. Place in the fridge next to the custard.

5. To make the ice-cream, pour custard into ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. At the very end of the churn cycle drizzle in the swirl for about 1 minute so it forms a ribbon through the ice-cream, but doesn't get too distributed. Alternatively, you can fold in the ripple with a spoon or spatula. Freeze ice-cream until ready to eat.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variations and Ideas: If you just want plain strawberry ice-cream it is fine to use vanilla extract instead of peppermint. The basic vanilla base is also a great jumping off point. Instead of strawberries you could use raspberries, blueberries or even peaches for the swirl in.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making the custard takes about 20 minutes, then churning is roughly another 20 (depending on your machine).

Naptime Reviews: We are a family of ice-cream enthusiasts - we ate the entire container in 2 days! (Or, maybe I shouldn't admit that?)

Napping with Orangette: Ice-Cream #14

It is hard to believe it, but here it is. The final ice-cream post of the summer. The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of Summer 2009 has been a blast. Nicole and I have loved working with all of you, and can't thank you enough for your feedback and support. In celebration of our final ice-cream I am going to make a flavor that was requested by one of my best friends, Katie. Ever since we've known each other Katie has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that orangette's are her favorite treats of all time. In fact, when I threw her baby shower I made sure she had her own special plate to munch on while she opened her gifts.So, Katie, thanks for the great visit to Sag Harbor this summer, her is an ice-cream for you.

Orangette Ice-Cream for Katie
To Make Candied Orange Peel:
3 Valencia oranges
2 1/4 c. sugar, plus more for rolling
3/4 c. water

1. Cut tops and bottoms off oranges. Peel oranges without tearing peel. Then cut peel in 1/4-inch wide strips.
2. Put peels in a pot over medium heat and cover with water. Bring water to a boil for 2 minutes. Then pour off water. Repeat this 3 times to blanch the orange peel.
3. Remove peels from pan and reserve. Add 3/4 c. water and 2 1/4 c. sugar to pan and allow to simmer for 8 - 9 minutes. Add the peels and keep water/sugar mixture at a simmer for up to 45 minutes, or until peels get translucent.
4. Pour the syrup into a heatproof container and reserve for later use. Roll the orange peels in sugar and dry on a rack 5 hours.

Chocolate Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

2 c. heavy cream
3 T. unsweetened Dutch-proces cocoa powder
5 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. whole milk
3/4 c. sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 t. vanilla extract


1. Chop 6-8 lengths of orange peel into pieces and place in freezer.

2. Warm 1 cup of cream with cocoa powder in medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to boil then reduce heat and gently simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in remaining cup of cream. Pour mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as much as possible. Set mesh strainer atop the bowl.

3. Warm milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan. Stir mixture constantly over medium heat making sure the scrape the bottom and corners, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

4. Pour custard through strainer and stir it into the chocolate until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate the mixture to cool thoroughly and then freeze it in your ice cream machine per the manufacturer’s instructions. Add orange peels toward the end of churning. Yields 1 quart.

Napping with a Nutella Semifreddo: Ice-Cream #13

Nutella is staple in my pantry, right along with butter and sugar. I have been hooked on this delicious chocolate hazelnut spread since I had my first bite in Italy over a decade ago. At the time I was living with a family north of Venice for a summer home-stay and they served me Nutella on toast everyday. For breakfast. I brought back several jars with me from that trip and was thrilled when it became readily available in the States. Since then I've been cooking with it often and can't believe it has taken this long for me to post a recipe for it.

I developed this Nutella Semifreddo for my friend Bell'alimento's Nutella Challenge this month. This is right up my alley in terms of blogging food "challenges," I love anything that calls for my favorite ingredient. Enjoy!


Naptime's Nutella Semifreddo
25 Chocolate wafer cookies (I use Nabisco)
4 T. unsalted butter, melted
2/3 c. sugar
8 large egg yolks
3 T. Nutella Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 c. heavy cream

1. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Then, line the pan with plastic wrap with plenty of excess hanging over the sides and end.
2. Using a mini-chopper or food processor, grind wafer cookies into crumbs. Combine crumbs with melted butter and press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Put in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
3. In a heatproof bowl whisk 1/2 c. sugar, egg yolks, nutella and salt until fully combined. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the egg mixture continuously until it is thick and creamy. About 5-6 minutes. Set this bowl over a separate bowl of ice and stir custard until it is cooled completely.
4. Meanwhile, in a mixer whip heavy cream and remaining 1/3 c. sugar until it holds firm peaks. With a spatula, gently fold whipped cream into the custard. Pour this over the prepared crust. Cover mixture completely with the plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill for at least 10 hours, or up to 3 days.

Napping and Getting to Know Me

Wow, I am feeling pretty popular this week. First up, I was featured in an article The Naptime Chef on Cafe Mom, complete with pictures of my family and a sneak peek at my kitchen! Then, I was interviewed by Bethany's delicious Ice Cream Blog, Scoopalicious, regarding my Ice-Cream festival. Please take the time to visit her site and read my interview here:The Naptime Chef on Scoopalicious

Then, low and behold, I was given another award, this time from my friend Rebecca at Chow & Chatter. To honor her, and all the award recipients, I answered all of her questions. I think this is actually a great exercise, it will help you get to know a little more about me, Kelsey, the woman behind The Naptime Chef.


1.What is your current obsession?
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Corn
2. What are you wearing today?
Shorts and a T-Shirt, and plenty of accessories
3. What’s for dinner?
Fresh Ratatouille with Summer Vegetables, Crusty Bread, Slices of Cheese and Prosciutto
4. What’s the last thing you bought?
A toy kitchen for my daughter (no joke!)
5. What are you listening to right now?
Pandora's selections for me (via my "U2" request)
6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Delicious, Healthy, Smart
7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
The coast of Italy
8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?
JMcLaughlin white jeans, gold sandals
9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Italy (notice the theme here?)
10. Which language do you want to learn?
Italian (obviously, since I want to live there)
11. Who do you want to meet right now?
Mark Bittman
12. What is your favorite colour?
Green (notice my site design?)
13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
My JMcLaughlin Silk Henley shirts, they are my uniform
14. What is your dream job?
Cookbook author, recipe tester, food expert
15. What’s your favourite magazine?
Bon Appetit, Cookie, Vogue, Edible Vineyard, Edible Manhattan, Edible Central NY
16. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Shoes
17. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?
Squeezing into clothes that are too small - it never looks good!
18. Who are your style icons?
India Hicks, Axel Vervoordt, James Bond
19. Describe your personal style?
Modern Preppy
21. What are your favourite movies?
Thunderball (James Bond), Braveheart, Family Man
22. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
Benefit Eye Brightener - use everyday, always choose a great belt, always carry a great bag.
23. Coffee or tea?
Tea
24. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Nutella, Nutella, Nutella
25. What is the meaning of your name?
"Victorious Ship"
26. Which other blogs you love visiting?
Too many to name!
27. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Profiteroles
28. Favorite Season?
Summer/Fall
29.Which is your dream destination?
Southeast Asia, I went to Thailand once and want to go back
30. Who inspired you to start a blog?
My daughter, who takes long naps so I can cook!

In the spirit of this award I will now pass this on to the following wonderful people and their websites:
Sweet Amandine
ChowMama
Under the High Chair

Napping with Girl Scout Samoas: Ice-Cream #12

I was a member of Girl Scout Troop 73 for almost 8 years. During my time as a Brownie and, later, a Scout, I earned badges, attended Girl Scout sleep-away camp and sold cookies. I remember loving being a Girl Scout, especially the part about selling the famous cookies. Of all Girl Scout Cookies, Caramel Delights, or Samoas as they are now known, are my favorite. To honor these, as well as my cousin-in-law Kate Uber, I've created this ice-cream flavor. I think all current and former Scouts will appreciate it.

Naptime's Samoa Ice-Cream
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
3/4 c. granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt
3 squares bittersweet chocolate
8 tea cookies, broken into small pieces
1/3 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c. caramel

1. Coarsely chop tea cookies, add to a cup with shredded coconut, then place in the freezer. Place caramel sauce in the refrigerator.

2. Bring whole milk, and heavy cream to a boil in a large saucepan. In a microwave melt the chocolate squares and set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg together with the sugar and salt, until thick and well mixed. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture and mix until well incorporated. Once the liquid has come to a boil, lower light, and add a scant half a cup of liquid into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Gradually add the remaining hot liquid into the egg/sugar mixture, while continuing to stir. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

3. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and pour over a strainer into a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

4. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. By hand, add the tea cookies and coconut, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. As you remove the ice-cream from the machine layer in the caramel sauce in swirls throughout. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.

Napping with Ice-Cream Bars: Ice-Cream #11

Making ice-cream is fun, but developing ice-cream treats is even more enjoyable. It is only natural that with all the ice-cream I've been churning out this summer I've been creating delicious summer desserts as well. In June I started by making an amazing ice-cream cookie sandwich with my malted milk ice-cream between chocolate butter almond cookies. Then, last week I made these delicious ice-cream bars with a graham cracker crust, and the cookie sandwiches were blown out of the water. These ice-cream bars are the ultimate summer frozen treat. The best part is that I can make them during naptime and they can harden in the freezer until it's times for dessert.

Naptime Cookies & Cream Ice-Cream Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
For Crust:
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 T. melted butter
1/4 c. sugar

For Bars:
1/2 c. caramel sauce (store-bought is fine, or you can make your own)
2 pints Cookies & Cream
2 squares semisweet baking chocolate, melted
1/3 c. sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 325. Combine crust ingredients in a bowl until fully incorporated. Then press into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Once crust has cooled pour thin layer of caramel sauce over crust and spread evenly. Put dish in the refrigerator and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
3. When caramel is cooled work quickly to spread ice-cream over caramel. Make sure ice-cream is evenly packed and level. I like to work the ice-cream with the back of a spoon.
4. Drizzle melted chocolate on top and sprinkle with sliced almonds, or topping of your choice. 5. Cover dish with clear plastic and place in freezer for 4-6 hours, or until ice-cream is frozen solid. Cut into bars and serve.

More ideas for Ice-Cream Bar combinations:
Crusts: Gingersnap crumbs, Rice Krispies with chocolate chips, chocolate wafer crumbs, baked chocolate cookie dough
Layers: Butterscotch, hot fudge, strawberry sauce, raspberry jam, melted peanut butter Ice-Cream: Any flavor you can think of!
Toppings: Nuts, M&Ms, crush candy canes, peppermint bark

Napping with Cake Batter: Ice Cream #10

My friend from high school, Sarah, is an ace ice-cream maker. I've been running some of my flavor ideas by her on Facebook and she always has helpful tips. When I ran the idea for Cake Batter Ice-Cream by her last month she pointed out that there was no need to reinvent the wheel. She already had developed one. I quickly put her recipe to the test and loved it from first bite. So, Sarah, thank you for sharing your recipe with everyone. You are the best!

Sarah's Cake Batter Ice-Cream
1 3/4 c. of heavy whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
16oz of full-fat plain yogurt-strained
2/3 cup of white vanilla cake mix

1. In sauce pan heat up heavy whipping cream with vanilla bean until just before boiling point. Remove vanilla bean and scrape seeds out.

2. In separate bowl mix egg yolks and sugar. Once cream has heated add a laddle of hot cream to mixture and mix. Return mixture to sauce pan and heat until custard forms [stir constantly].

3. Let custard cool. Add the yogurt to mixture and chill in freezer for approximately 1-2 hours.

4. In separate bowl sift cake mix.

5. Add chilled mixture to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Slowly add cake mix as ice cream is mixing. Freeze ice-cream for 4-6 hours or overnight. Serve.

Napping with Peppermint Bark: Ice-Cream #9

It felt a little strange to make my Christmas peppermint bark in July, but the result was well worth it. My whole family loved the creamy mint flavor and the soft chunks of bark. It was the perfect way to enjoy one of our favorite holiday treats in delicious summer fashion.

I delighted to be submitting this recipe to my friend, Savor the Thyme's Ice-Cream Social. She and two other blogger friends, Scotty Snacks and Tangled Noodle, are hosting this social in honor of National Ice-Cream Month. Naturally, after learning about my summer-long The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival, they were excited for me to participate. Enjoy!

Naptime's Peppermint Bark Ice-Cream
Yields 1 quart

For the 2-layer Peppermint Bark:
loosely adapted from Gourmet, 1998
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 60%), finely chopped
3 candy canes OR 10 individual swirled peppermint candies, crushed
3 T. cream
1/4 t. peppermint extract

1. Line a 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl and water do NOT touch. Stir the white chocolate until it is totally melted. Working quickly, pour the melted white chocolate into the dish with aluminum foil and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan using an icing spatula. Cover with crushed candies. Place in the refrigerator to harden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom sauce-pan melt cream, bittersweet chocolate and peppermint extract. Stir until fully combined and chocolate is shiny. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

4. When the white chocolate is ready, pour the dark chocolate over the white chocolate to form a second layer. Spread evenly with an icing spatula. Place in the freezer to harden for at least 4 hours.

5. To put into ice-cream, remove peppermint bark and coarsely chop it with a knife. To give as gifts, break it into large chunks and place in gift bags.

For the Peppermint Ice-Cream:
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
1/4 t. peppermint extract
3/4 c. granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

1. Coarsely chop half of the peppermint bark and place it in the freezer.

2. Combine milk, heavy cream, salt and peppermint extract in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Add one cup of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk mixture to eggs, then pour full mixture back into sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon – about 5 minutes.

3. Pour mixture over a mesh strainer into clean glass bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, and/or up to overnight.

4. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions on time. Add peppermint bark chunks halfway through churning. Scoop into container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.

Napping with Raspberries: Ice-Cream #8

My ice-cream maker does not travel with me on vacation. Instead of packing heavy kitchen tools, I choose to travel equipped with useful recipes. For my vacation on Martha's Vineyard I brought my friend Alba's recipe for Raspberry Ice-Cream, that does not require an ice-cream maker. This recipe is summer decadence at it's best. There is no custard making involved, you just put the ingredients in a blender and freeze them before eating. We have already enjoyed several bowls this week and have plans to make more.

Alba's Raspberry Ice-Cream
20 oz. fresh raspberries
2 c. sugar
4 c. full-fat sour cream, well stirred
1 t. vanilla

1. Wash and dry raspberries, remove any stems or leaves from the bunch.
2. Pour all ingredients into a food processor and puree until completely smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a freezer-friendly bowl and freeze for 4-6 hours.
4. Remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving to allow ice-cream to soften.

Napping with Peaches: Ice-Cream #7 for July 4th!

Happy Fourth of July! For this all-American holiday I am giving you an all-American ice-cream flavor. Peach ice-cream is a favorite of almost every person I know. My father claims it was the best flavor served at his neighborhood soda fountain when he was growing up. My friend Barbara has memories of making peach ice-cream with her family's hand-crank ice-cream maker, each sibling taking turns churning by hand. These days I am happy to rely on my ice-cream maker for the heavy lifting, but I will only make this with fresh summer peaches. It makes all the difference with the flavor.

Naptime's Homestyle Peach Ice-Cream
3 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1 t. good vanilla extract
4 ripe peaches

1. Peel and slice peaches into small, thin pieces and place in a bowl. Put 2 t. of sugar in with peaches and let sit for 10 minutes. If you want your ice-cream smooth, after 10 minutes place peaches in a blender and puree until smooth. If you prefer the ice-cream chunky, leave them as is.

2. Combine milk and heavy cream in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar. Add one cup of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk mixture to eggs, then pour full mixture back into sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon – about 5 minutes.

3. Pour mixture into clean glass bowl and add peaches. Mix to incorporate peaches in the custard. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, and/or up to overnight.

4. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions on time. Scoop into container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.

Napping with Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk & Cashews: Ice Cream #6

Happy National Ice-Cream Month! It is no secret that I am a chocolate addict. I love chocolate in just about any form, especially ice-cream. So, when I found this recipe in the New York Times last spring, I knew it was meant for me. I immediately clipped it out and placed it in my permanent recipe binder. In the past year I have probably made this recipe at least a dozen times. It is a snap to make and always satisfies even my most intense chocolate cravings.

Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Ice Cream with Salted Cashews
Adapted from the New York Times, April 2008
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate: 5 oz. roughly chopped, 5 oz. finely chopped
3 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D'Oro)
8 large egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. roasted salted cashews, chopped (I have used roasted salted almonds instead, and they taste great, too)
Yields 2 quarts

1. Coarsely chop 5 oz. of bittersweet chocolate and 1 c. roasted salted cashews. Place in the freezer.

3. Pour 5 oz. of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate into a heatproof bowl, set next to stove.

2. Bring whole milk, heavy cream and espresso powder to a boil in a large saucepan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes and make sure the espresso powder is completely dissolved. Then, pour milk mixture over finely chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and salt, until thick and well mixed. Slowly, add the chocolate mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

3. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and pour over a strainer into a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

4. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. By hand, add the chopped chocolate and cashews, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.

Napping with a Gingersnap: Ice-Cream #5

Christmas in June? I hope not - though with the weather in NYC lately anything is possible. Either way, this sweet and spicy Gingersnap Ice Cream is the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of the holidays in summer style. After making this you will agree, there is no reason the classic flavor of gingersnaps needs to be confined to the winter months. Simply crank up the ice-cream maker and enjoy! Like your ice-cream extra spicy? Be sure to read the notes at the bottom, they indicate how to turn up the heat. If you think you can handle it.

Nicole's Gingersnap Ice Cream
(makes 1 pint)
2 egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons molasses
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 dashes of nutmeg

1. Combine milk and heavy cream in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add molasses, and stir to incorporate. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and spices. Add one cup of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk mixture to eggs, then pour full mixture back into sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon – about 5 minutes.

2. Pour mixture into clean glass bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, and/or up to overnight.

3. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions on time. Scoop into container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.

Note: This recipe has an intense ginger flavor at first taste. If left up to one day in freezer, the taste mellows slightly. You can adjust ginger ratio down to make it more mild – or, if you are like my husband and like your gingersnaps as spicy as possible, you can add crystallized ginger or crushed gingersnap cookies to the mixture - after the ice cream maker, before the freezer!

Additional note: this mixture makes a softer, creamier ice cream than some of the others, so does not require any time out of the freezer before serving.

Napping with Pineapple Mint Sorbet: Ice-Cream #4

Nicole and I believe that variety is the spice of life, which is why we agree it is a good idea to include sorbet recipes in TNCGICF. I mean, almost everyone we know loves sorbet just as much as ice-cream, and sometimes even more. This recipe for pineapple mint sorbet was inspired by the fresh mint in Nicole's garden. We love this combination of flavors, the cool mint with the sweet pineapple makes for a refreshing summer dessert any day of the week.

Nicole's Pineapple Mint Sorbet
1 fresh, whole pineapple
¾ c. sugar
2 T. corn syrup
2 c. water
10-14 Peppermint Leaves, torn

1. Cut and core pineapple into chunks. Mix pineapple pieces with ½ cup of sugar, and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (3 hours is preferable).
2. In a medium saucepan, bring water and corn syrup to a slow boil. Add remaining ¼ cup of sugar, and the mint leaves. Stir while sugar dissolves, then turn off light, cover, and let the syrup mixture sit on stove for 1 hour. After one hour, pour mixture through a sieve to remove mint leaves, and chill syrup in refrigerator for the remaining 2 hours.
3. Remove pineapple and pulse in blender until smooth (can be left somewhat chunky, if this is your preference). Mix pureed pineapple and syrup together to combine well, then mix in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.
4. Chill in freezer for 4 hours, or overnight.

Napping with Malted Milk: Ice-Cream #3

Malted milk is a classic flavor which conjures up images of ice-cream parlors and poodle skirts for many. While malt powder is somewhat out of vogue these days, my family still adores it. We always have a container of it in the cupboard, Ovaltine being our preferred brand of choice. This ice-cream flavor brings me straight back to the days of ordering chocolate malt shakes with my Dad at Red Nugget Ice-Cream in Cooperstown. I hope it brings back happy memories for you, as well.

Naptime's Chocolate Malted Milk Ice-Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Leibovitz
1 c. half and half
2 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2/3 c. malt powder (Carnation, Ovaltine & Horlick's are all popular brands)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate* (I use Ghiradelli)
5 large egg yolks
1 3/4 c. malted milk balls, coarsely chopped
*Note: If you want regular malted milk ice-cream, do not add the melted chocolate.

1. Coarsely chop malted milk balls, then place in the freezer.

2. Bring half and half, and heavy cream to a boil in a large saucepan. In a microwave melt the chocolate squares and set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg together with the sugar and salt, until thick and well mixed. Add melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. Once the liquid has come to a boil, lower light, and add a scant half a cup of liquid into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Gradually add the remaining hot liquid into the egg/sugar mixture, while continuing to stir. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

3. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and pour over a strainer into a heatproof bowl. Mix in vanilla extract. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

4. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. By hand, add the chopped milk balls, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.

Napping with Chocolate Butter Almond: Ice Cream #2

My husband's Uncle Kevin is a really cool guy, and this is his favorite ice-cream. Kevin's wife, Barbara, is an accomplished cook and has been making this for their family since she found the original recipe in the instruction booklet for their Procter-Silex Ice Cream maker, in 1982. Barbara has tweaked the recipe since then, and now I have adapted it even further. My favorite part about this ice-cream is the perfect flavor contrast between the sweet chocolate and salty buttered almonds. It is the ideal balance of savory and sweet, with a nice crunch at the end. I hope you enjoy it as much as Kevin does, maybe it will even become a birthday tradition in your house someday soon!

Uncle Kevin's Chocolate Butter Almond Ice Cream
adapted from Barbara's recipe from an old Procter-Silex Ice Cream Maker Instruction booklet, circa 1982.
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (I use Ghiradelli)
1 1/4 c. whole milk
3/4 c. sugar
1 T. flour
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 egg
1 1/4 c. cream
1/4 t. vanilla

For Buttered Almonds
1/2 c. almonds, roughly chopped (or you can buy pre-sliced almonds)
1 T. butter
Kosher Salt

1. Toast almonds in skillet with butter until almonds are fragrant and toasted, sprinkle salt over almonds to taste. Cool them, then place in the freezer.

2. Bring milk and heavy cream to a boil in a large saucepan. In a microwave melt the chocolate squares and set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg together with the sugar, flour and salt until thick and well mixed. Add chocolate and mix until well incorporated. Once the liquid has come to a boil, lower light, and add a scant half a cup of liquid into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Gradually add the remaining hot liquid into the egg/sugar mixture, while continuing to stir. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

4. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and strain into a heatproof bowl. Mix in vanilla extract. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

5. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. By hand, add in the almonds, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.

Napping with Almonds, Cherries & Chocolate: Ice-Cream #1

Welcome to the first flavor of "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009." Nicole brilliantly wrote this recipe at the behest of a good friend. We loved the idea of almond flavored ice cream studded with sweet cherries and chocolate chunks. It sounded like an ideal trifecta of flavors with the perfect balance of creamy and crunch. We hope you enjoy this as much as Nicole's dinner guest's did last week! (Remember, this is the first of many ice-cream recipes to come this summer, we will posting them at least once a week. The next one will be up very shortly...) Enjoy!

Nicole's Almond Ice Cream with Cherries & Chocolate Chunks
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
¾ Cup sugar
2 T. of almond extract
½ cup of almond slivers, toasted and cooled
½ cup mixture of dried cherries and bittersweet chocolate*
*(I like more cherries and a little less chocolate, but the ratio is up to your tastebuds! For the bittersweet, I cut into bite size chunks)

1. Toast almond slivers, cool them, then place in the freezer.

2. Combine dried cherries and chocolate in a bowl, and freeze (freezing helps to keep your mixed ingredients from becoming “gummy” in the ice cream). For the cherries, Nicole did not need to reconstitute them, because they were quite moist, and the freezing helped to keep their texture.

3. Bring milk and heavy cream to a boil in a large saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk the six egg yolks together with the sugar until thick and well mixed. Once the liquid has come to a boil, lower light, and add a scant half a cup of liquid into the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Gradually add the remaining hot liquid into the egg/sugar mixture, while continuing to stir. Once all liquid has been added, mix well. Pour the incorporated mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a medium low heat, stirring continuously. Do not let mixture come to a boil!

4. Once custard thickens (enough to coat the back of the spoon), remove pan from heat and strain into a heatproof bowl. Mix in almond extract. Refrigerate the custard for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

5. Scrape the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions (Nicole always finds between 15-18 minutes is best). Mixture will resemble a coarse “slushy.” By hand, add in the almond slivers, cherries and chocolate pieces, and mix to incorporate throughout frozen custard. Pack ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Note: if you freeze the ice cream for a night before use, ice cream will be very dense. Remove 10-15 minutes before you wish to serve.

Napping with "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009"

I am giddy with excitement as we commence "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009." Nicole and I have been sifting through all the delicious flavor suggestions you sent us and can't wait to get to work. Below you will see a list of the delectable flavors we plan to tackle first. We are going to work on these flavors and post the recipes weekly, over the course of the summer, in no particular order. (Don't panic though, I will continue my regular Tuesday & Thursday posts with recipes as well.)

If you don't see something you would like us to try, there is still time. Simply leave your suggestion in the "comments" section below and we will add it to our pile for consideration. This Festival is meant to be easy and enjoyable, we hope everyone will tune in, have fun, and give us helpful feedback while our ice-cream makers whir away for the next three months. Stay tuned for the first recipe next week. Happy Summer!

Naptime Chef Ice-Cream Festival Flavor Ideas (in no particular order):
Sticky Bun
Gingerbread
Pomegranate Blueberry
Mango Mint
Vanilla with Crunchy Peanut Swirl
Almond with Dark Cherries and Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Butter Almond
Samoa Ice Cream (named after the popular Girl Scout Cookie)
Peach
Peppermint Bark
Orangette (chocolate dipped orange peel flavor)
Persimmon
Lemon Rum
Carrot Cake
Cherry Beer (A Belgian Beer Ice-Cream recipe, can't wait to try it!)
Dorie Greenspan's Vanilla
David Leibovitz's Malted Milk (I think I'll add cocoa nibs)
Chocolate Chunk with Salted Cashews (from the NY Times last summer)
Root Beer Float
Brown Butter with Sea Salt