It seemed only fitting to close out National Ice Cream Month with an outrageous ice cream dessert.  Enter this banana split ice cream torte.  I believe I first laid eyes on this at the tail end of last summer, and have been waiting ever since for the right time to finally give it a try.  Both playful and impressive at the same time, this dessert would be a welcome addition to any summer gathering.  You start with a Oreo cookie crumb crust and layer with sliced bananas, strawberry ice cream, hot fudge, vanilla ice cream and strawberries.  Then garnish it as you would a regular sundae with freshly whipped cream and nuts, and serve with crushed pineapple on the side.

Now, you can make this dessert as easy or as involved as you wish.  You all know me well enough now to know I prefer to do things the “hard” (homemade) way, so I used homemade strawberry ice cream, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce (recipe to come), freshly whipped cream and fresh chopped pineapple.  Of course you can just buy these things pre-made from the store and save yourself some time.  Do whatever floats your boat.  It will be delicious either way.  I will point out that one advantage to using homemade ice cream is that if you use it straight out of the ice cream maker, it is the perfect consistency for spreading smoothly.  I made this in an 8-inch springform pan because I prefer a taller cake, but you can easily use a 9-inch pan…the layers will just be a bit thinner.  Whatever way you decide, definitely do make it.  And hey, if there is one upside to this smack-you-in-the-face heat we’ve been having, it’s that desserts like this just taste that much better.

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake
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Ingredients:
15 whole Oreo cookies
3 tbsp. melted butter
3-4 ripe bananas, sliced ½-inch thick
1 pint strawberry ice cream, softened slightly
1 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
10 oz. frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed and drained
Whipped cream, for garnish
Chopped walnuts, for garnish
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Chopped or crushed pineapple, for serving

Directions:
Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with wax or parchment paper.  Place the Oreos in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until very finely ground.  Add the melted butter to the bowl with the cookie crumbs and pulse until evenly moistened.  Pour the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan and press down firmly in an even layer to cover the bottom (not the sides) of the pan.  Lay the slices of banana over the cookie crust, fitting as many as you can into a single layer.  Add the strawberry ice cream to the pan and smooth in an even layer over the banana slices.  Cover and transfer to the freezer to chill until the ice cream is very firm.

Spread the hot fudge sauce over the strawberry ice cream and smooth with a spatula.  Return to the freezer until the fudge layer is firm, about 30 minutes.  Once the fudge layer is firm, spread the vanilla ice cream in an even layer over the top.  Cover and return to the freezer until the ice cream is very firm.

When you are ready to serve the torte, soak a towel in very warm water and squeeze out all the excess water.  Wrap the towel around the sides of the springform pan for about 30 seconds to help loosen them from the torte.  Carefully remove the sides of the pan.  Top with the thawed strawberries.  Garnish as desired with whipped cream, chopped walnuts, and maraschino cherries.  Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before slicing.  Serve with crushed pineapple.

Source: adapted from Sweet Anna’s via the Tasty Kitchen Blog

Finally, the post so many have been waiting for…how to decorate Sesame Street cupcakes like the ones we served at Andrew’s birthday party this year.  Let me start out by saying there are tons of different ways you could make something similar.  This is just how I made mine based on the supplies I had on hand.

Sesame Street Cupcakes
Supplies needed:
Cupcakes, any flavor
Vanilla buttercream
Fondant (homemade or store bought)
Red, yellow, green, blue, brown, and black icing colors
Orange candies such as M&Ms
Marshmallows
Red fruit leather
Pastry tips (small star tip, V tip, grass/fur tip, and plain round tip such as #2)
Pastry bags
Mini chocolate chip cookies, halved

Directions: 
Before you start decorating, you will of course need cupcakes.  I recommend baking the cupcakes in greaseproof liners in the colors of the characters you are making for a nice appearance with continuity from wrapper to frosting.  (See the FAQ page for resources including where I purchase cupcake liners.)

Before you frost any of the cupcakes, get all your pieces together by making some sets of eyes and mouths out of fondant.  If you have never worked with fondant before, don’t be scared!  It’s really just like playing with Play-Doh.  I did a tutorial on it a while back that you can see here.  You can use store bought or homemade fondant (Now that I’ve tried a few versions, I plan to post my new go-to recipe for fondant in the near future).  I used a variety of pastry tips and round cookie cutters to make these shapes.  There is no right or wrong size, just play around with what you have and see what works best for you.  Keep in mind that you won’t need fondant mouths for the Big Bird or Cookie Monster cupcakes.

Let’s start out with the easiest 0f the four characters – Elmo.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip with red frosting.  (There are many, many tips that will work for this look.  Just use whatever you prefer.)  Cover the surface of the cupcakes in an even layer of red piped frosting.

Top each cupcake with a pair of eyes, a mouth, and an orange nose.  Depending on the size of eyeballs you use, a variety of orange candies could work.  I ended up using a plain orange M&M but an orange Runt or an orange pretzel M&M could also work well.  Check it out!  You just made Elmo.

Alright, moving on to Big Bird…the first thing you’ll want to do is cut marshmallows into beak shapes with a pair of scissors.  I used a technique similar to that used in the werewolf cupcakes, except I also cut the sides on the diagonal so that the beak would be pointy.

Line each of the beaks with red fruit leather and trim the excess.

Place a beak on each cupcake, using a small dollop of frosting to glue it on.

Cover the marshmallow in stripes of yellow frosting.  It doesn’t need to be neat yet, just enough to cover them.

Use a small offset spatula or a knife to smooth the frosting over the beak.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a “V” tip with yellow frosting.  Make a ring of yellow feathers around the perimeter of the cupcake.

Repeat this process, working from the outside in, until the surface of the cupcake has been completely covered by “feathers”.

Add a set of eyeballs just above the beak.  Pipe a thin line of aqua and light pink frosting over the eyeballs.  Look!  It’s Big Bird!

(At this point I took a break to work on other birthday prep and the sun went down.  I apologize for the poor lighting.)

To make Oscar the Grouch cupcakes, fill a pastry bag fitted with a grass/fur piping tip with green frosting.  Cover the surface of the cupcake with fur.

Top each cupcake with a pair of eyeballs and a fondant mouth.  To make the tongues, I cut out small circles of red fondant with the base end of a pastry tip.  I cut each circle in half and then removed a small “V” in the middle with a paring knife to make the tongue shape.

Use a small star tip (many varieties will work) to pipe a brown set of eyebrows over the eyeballs.  Don’t worry about making these neat…I don’t think Oscar is really into eyebrow maintenance.  Hey!  It’s Oscar the Grouch!

By the time I got around to decorating Cookie Monster, it was pretty late and I wasn’t focused on taking pictures any more.  But don’t worry, it’s the same idea as with Oscar.  For Cookie Monster cupcakes, cover each cupcake in an even layer of blue frosting fur.  Add a pair of eyeballs on the cupcakes, orienting them so that they are looking in different directions. Place half of mini chocolate chip cookie in the location of his mouth.  Ya ya ya ya ya….Coooookie!

That’s pretty much it.  If at any time your buttercream starts melting from the heat of your hands, or a husband who leaves the thermostat too high (ahem), just pop the pastry bag into the fridge for 10-15 minutes and then proceed.  For instructions on how to make your own cupcake tower, see this post.  See you next time on The Street!

I don’t think I’ll ever tire of trying new combinations of pizza toppings.  Both in our kitchen or out at a restaurant, it keeps pizza night interesting.  This is my first time putting shrimp on a pizza at home.  I had it once in a restaurant and I really enjoyed it.  Though this pizza is really nothing like the restaurant version I had, it was wonderful.  I was sort of flying by the seat of my pants when I threw this together and honestly I was unsure if all the flavors would mesh well.  What I ended up with was a pizza so good, it rivals the chicken ranch pizza and spinoccoli for becoming my favorite.  I’m always a bit wary of dishes combining shrimp and cheese because I’ve made some that really did not work, but this more than worked…this was fabulous.  The roasted red pepper really made this, in my opinion.  You can roast your own pepper or use the jarred kind.  And as with most spicy dishes, you can easily adjust the seasonings here according to your personal preference and heat tolerance.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Cajun Shrimp Pizza
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Ingredients: 
Pizza dough
Olive oil, for brushing
1/3 cup pizza sauce
½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. olive oil
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1 oz. grated Romano cheese
2-3 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped
¼ cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Preheat the oven and a pizza stone at 500˚ F for at least 30 minutes.  Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round.  Lightly brush the surface of the dough with olive oil.  Top with a thin layer of pizza sauce leaving a clear perimeter around the edge for the crust.

Combine the shrimp, olive oil and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss until the shrimp are well coated with the seasoning.  Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the shrimp in the pan in a single layer and cook briefly, turning once, just until the shrimp are just opaque.  Remove from the heat and transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the Romano and mozzarella cheeses evenly over the pizza dough.  Top with roasted red pepper, red onion, and green onions.  Evenly distribute the cooked shrimp over the pizza.  Sprinkle the pizza with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Source: Annie original

When I was a kid, I was all about ice cream toppings.  You know, the kind that come in the jars from the grocery store?  Hot fudge, caramel, butterscotch, pineapple, etc. etc.  I would gladly use every one I could get my hands on.  My family didn’t keep them in the house too often but my nanny did and whenever I spent the night at her house, it was a special treat to have a bowl of ice cream drowned in my topping of choice.  For the past few years I’ve been so focused on making all varieties of homemade ice cream, toppings have fallen by the wayside.  This year, when the weather started warming up, I rediscovered my love of toppings through the beauty of a simple vanilla bean ice cream topped with this caramel sauce.  I’m honestly at a loss for words to describe how much I enjoy this stuff .  I guess I’ll just tell you that I ate it every night for dessert until the ice cream was gone, and then I made some more ice cream and we finished that too.  Of course you can do much more with this than put it on top of ice cream…you can mix it into frosting for some wicked caramel buttercream, dip apple slices, drizzle it over cheesecake or chocolate cake, stir it into coffee (stay tuned for that post), and the list goes on…

Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
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Yield: 1½  cups
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
¼ tsp. coarse salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Spread the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Place over medium-low heat, watching carefully.  When the sugar begins to liquefy around the edges, use a heatproof spatula to gently stir it towards the center.  Continue stirring very gently until all the sugar is melted, taking care not to over stir.  Measure out the heavy cream in a liquid measuring cup and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream.  Set aside.  Once the caramel reaches a deep amber color, immediately remove the sauce pan from the heat.  (To test the color, spoon a drop onto a white plate or bowl.)  Carefully whisk in half of the heavy cream along with the vanilla bean seeds.  The mixture will steam and bubble violently.  Stir until the cream is well incorporated, then whisk in the remaining cream.  Stir in the salt and the vanilla.  If any sugar has hardened, place the saucepan over low heat and whisk until smooth.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  If needed, it can be rewarmed in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.

Source: adapted from Cook Like a Champion, originally from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

It’s very rare that I post a recipe I don’t love, but this is one of those times.  However, in this case it is only a matter of personal preference and the fact that I don’t like tea.  If you like green tea, you will love this ice cream.  I made this at Ben’s request because he is nuts about green tea ice cream.  He often orders it when we visit our favorite ice cream joint in our hometown (Jiffy Treet – woot!) and he has been asking me to try it ever since I started making my own ice cream.  Unfortunately matcha is not an everyday ingredient and I was unable to find it in any stores in our area.  Eventually I decided to just order some online.  (Indy peeps – do you know where to buy matcha locally?)  So, after a few years of asking and asking, Ben finally got the ice cream he was hoping for.  According to him this version puts the other to shame.  He tells me the tea flavor is much stronger and the texture is creamier.  I couldn’t eat more than a bite or two of this ice cream, but I think that worked out just perfect for Ben because he had this batch of ice cream all to himself.

Thanks to everyone who entered the ice cream related giveaways last week.  You people are pretty excited about ice cream, and I love you for it!  Without further ado…
The Crate and Barrel ice cream bowls and spoons go to:
Jodi who said, “My family wants me to try mint chocolate chip next. This peach recipe sounds good to me. Just recently I made your strawberry ice cream and it was a big hit. I’d like to be eligible for all three prizes.”
Carol who said, “Coconut chip would be the first flavor I try! Eligible for all three.”

The Perfect Scoop goes to:
Katie who said, “I’m excited about peach season, so peach! I already have an ice cream maker and have plenty of bowls, but I would love a copy of “Perfect Scoop”.
Dana who said, “I LOVE Peanut Butter and Chocolate ANYTHING, so I might take a crack at that. Butter Pecan is my husbands first choice on ice cream, so I might put my wants aside and try the pecan first. I really don’t know! I’d really love to win any of the prizes! It’s really hard to choose! Thanks for all the great recipes Annie! It is the best part of my morning trying to guess what you might post and when i can fit it into my week to make it. I really enjoy the blog!”

And the grand prize, an ice cream maker, goes to:
Ann who said, “I LOVE ICE CREAM! But I have never made in at home because I don’t have an ice cream maker! (Hint, hint.) I think that the first flavor I would make if I had a maker would have to be vanilla. I know that sounds boring, but I’m a really basic girl- and you can’t beat the taste of pure vanilla! I would love to be in the drawing for all three gifts since I am an ice cream novice.”

Stay tuned next Friday for the last recipe in honor of National Ice Cream Month.  We’re going out with a bang!

Green Tea Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
4 tsp. matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks

Directions:
Combine the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until warmed through.  Meanwhile pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and whisk in the matcha.  Set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Whisking constantly, slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks.  Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly (it will register 170-175˚ F on an instant read thermometer).   Immediately remove from the heat and pour the mixture through the mesh strainer into the bowl with the cream mixture.  Whisk the mixture vigorously to dissolve the green tea powder.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, transfer it to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Summertime is a dream for this foodie.  All the fresh fruits and veggies in season just can’t be beat.  Right about now I’m enjoying the bounty so much that I keep wondering how we ever survive fall and winter.  (Then I remember chili, soups, and pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin, and I feel a little better…)  Of all the summer fruits, cherries are forever my favorite.  I buy at least one bag and maybe more every week, and we plow right through them.  Most of the time we eat them straight but this summer I’ve been making more of an effort to cook and bake with them.  And also, make drinks with them.  This particular cocktail actually helps achieve two of my summer goals at once – to do more with cherries, and to make more flavored margaritas.  It’s no surprise that the combination two of my favorites – cherries and margaritas – was a big winner with me.  The only drawback to the recipe as it is written is that it only serves one.  I never make drinks for just myself.  The version below is as written, to serve one, but if you want to multiply it just make it in a pitcher with a lid to strain out the cherries and ice cubes.  Be sure to try them before cherry season fades away!

Fresh Cherry Margaritas
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Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
12 fresh sweet cherries, pitted
2½ tbsp. tequila
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1½ tbsp. (or more) simple syrup
1 tbsp. maraschino cherry liqueur (or maraschino juice)
1 fresh cherry with stem, for garnish

Directions:
Put the cherries in a cocktail shaker.  Mash them with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon until well crushed, about 1 minute.  Add the tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and 8 large ice cubes.  Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Immediately strain into an ice-filled glass.  Garnish with the fresh cherry.

Source: adapted from Fine Cooking, June/July 2010

I don’t know about you, but for me one of the biggest challenges in trying new recipes is finding any new-to-you ingredients that are required.  This pie is a perfect example.  It calls for Sure-Jell, which I now know is a fruit pectin used in canning.  If only I had bothered to Google it sooner, I would have known where to look for it.  But instead, thanks to the “Jell” in the name, I assumed it was a relative of Jell-O, and so I searched in that aisle over and over, hoping maybe, just maybe, this time it would be there.  That went on for two years.  This spring when I saw this fresh strawberry pie which also called for Sure-Jell, I knew it was time to find the stuff even if it meant ordering it.  But brief investigation led me to find that Sure-Jell had been there all along, just a few aisles away from where I had been looking.

Well, that made me feel like a total moron but I couldn’t feel sad for too long because I was able to make some awesome pies.  This pie starts with a butter and cream cheese-based pie crust that I have often heard referred to as a cheater or no-fail pie crust.  I don’t really think it’s all that much easier than a regular pie crust, but it was absolutely delicious and is certainly something I would use again if I had extra cream cheese in the fridge to use up.  The crust is filled first with a fruit layer, then a raspberry chiffon layer, and finally topped with pillows of freshly whipped cream before serving.  After waiting two years to try this pie, I can say that it was worth the wait and definitely lived up to my expectations.  The raspberries and cream flavor combination is light, fresh and fruity, and makes this an ideal dessert for summertime.

Raspberry Chiffon Pie
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but still cool
2 oz. cream cheese, softened but still cool

For the fruit layer:
12 oz. frozen raspberries (2 cups)
3 tbsp. pectin (Sure-Jell original formula, in the yellow box)
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup fresh raspberries

For the chiffon layer:
3 tbsp. raspberry-flavored gelatin
3 tbsp. boiling water
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, chilled

For the topping:
¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

Directions: 
To make the pie crust, lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.  Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 20 seconds.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until large clumps of dough begin to form, about 30 seconds.  Reserve 3 tablespoons of the dough and set aside.

Gather the remaining dough into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch disc.  Transfer to the pie plate.  Using the heel of your hand, gently press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pie plate.  Using your fingertips, continue working the dough evenly until it covers the sides and bottom of the pie plate completely.  On a floured work surface, roll the reserved dough into a 12-inch long rope.  Split the rope into 3 equal pieces and roll each of these into an 8-inch rope.  Use the 3 8-inch ropes to edge the circumference of the pie plate and squeeze them together to join them at the ends.  Use your fingertips to mold a fluted edge.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Prick the bottom of the crust evenly with the tines of a fork.  Bake until the crust is golden brown, 35-40 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the fruit layer, add the frozen berries to a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the pectin and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.  Stir in the sugar and salt and return the mixture to a boil.  Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much of the puree as possible.  Reserve 1/3 cup of the raspberry puree for use in the chiffon layer.  Gently fold the fresh raspberries into the remaining puree and spread the mixture in the bottom of the cooled pie crust in an even layer.

To make the chiffon layer, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water in a large bowl.  Add the cream cheese and the reserved raspberry puree and beat on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the heavy cream and beat on medium low until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Scrape down the bowl.  Beat on high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.  Pour over the fruit layer in the pie crust and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe over the chilled pie.  Slice and serve.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Summer Entertaining, Summer 2009

I have a foodie confession to make.  You know those super soft, frosted sugar cookies in the plastic container at the grocery store?  The kind that come in different color schemes depending on the season or upcoming holiday?  I have never bought them myself but if someone else ever offered me one, I was all over it.  I’ll admit it…I love them.  Well, I used to love them.  That was until I found a homemade version of soft frosted sugar cookies that blows those out of the water.  Where those tasted slightly artificial, these taste buttery and delicious.

I’ve seen quite a few knock-off recipes for the store bought version but most of them involve a boxed cake mix.  I don’t really see the point in making your own if they still contain the laundry list of preservatives and flavorings included in the commercial sort.  This recipe doesn’t call for a box mix and uses just the basic ingredients you are likely to find in most sugar cookies.  Topping them with various colors of frosting and sprinkles makes them easily customized for any party or holiday.  I made them in red, yellow, green and blue for Andrew’s birthday party and they were a hit.  My only problem now?  These taste so much better than the kind from the store and I know how to make them and when I do, I end up with a whole batch at home.  That’s kind of a problem, but at least it’s a good problem to have :)

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
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Yield: about 2 dozen large cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
4½ cups all-purpose flour
4½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart.  Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set.  (Do not overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned if at all.)  Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To frost the cookies, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies.  (If the frosting begins to thicken as you decorate, just continue to whisk in small amounts of milk to keep it workable.)  Top with sprinkles if desired.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Hostess with the Mostess

Peach has long been a favorite ice cream flavor of mine.  There is just something about that winning combination of peaches and cream.  This ice cream is sweet, creamy, and reminds me of summertime.  I’ve made peach ice cream before but decided to try a different recipe this time around.  This version comes from David Lebovitz and contains sour cream (just like the best strawberry ice cream), and thanks to both of these facts, it is far superior to the first recipe.  The sour cream gives this a wonderfully creamy texture and a very slight tang to balance the sweetness of the peaches.  I kept offering Ben other dessert options so I could keep this stuff to myself :)  Since peach season is in full swing, this is the perfect time to enjoy some peach ice cream.  Next time I might add a tablespoon or two of peach schnapps because really, why not?  Yum.

Peach Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
1 1/3 lbs. ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
½ cup water
¾ cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
Combine the peaches and water in a medium nonreactive saucepan.   Cook over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until the peaches are soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, mix in the sugar, and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Add the peaches and their juices to a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients.  Pulse briefly so that the mixture is well combined.  For a smooth ice cream with no chunks of fruit, continue processing until smooth.  Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.  Once chilled, transfer to your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: barely adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Now, in honor of National Ice Cream Month (AKA the greatest themed month ever), I’m doing a series of giveaways.  Check it out!
First up, we have two sets of these adorable ice cream bowls and coordinating spoons from Crate and Barrel.  How cute are these?!  I have had my eye on them all summer and decided they needed to be shared with you all.   I have an obsession with ice cream bowls.  Ben likes to joke that even using my wide angle lens I couldn’t fit all the bowls I own in one picture :)

Second, we have two copies of The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz (AKA The Bible of Ice Cream).  If you make your own ice cream, this book is an absolute necessity.  Enough said.

And finally, one lucky reader will win an ice cream maker!  I’ve got to keep spreading the homemade ice cream love.  I’m offering the option of either the KitchenAid mixer ice cream attachment OR the Cuisinart stand alone model depending on whether or not you have a KitchenAid mixer base.

So – five opportunities to win!  Are you pumped?  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me a flavor of ice cream you’d like to try making at home.  Or, if you are new to ice cream making, what’s the first flavor you would like to try?   Also be sure to include in your comment which of these prizes you would like to be eligible for should your entry be chosen (one, two or all three – for example, if you already have an ice cream maker you only want one of the other two options, etc.)

The Rules: One entry per person, U.S. residents only.  Commenting will close on Sunday, July 17 at 10:00 pm, EST.  Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered.  Five winners will be chosen at random and announced next week.  Good luck!

All giveaways brought to you by yours truly :)
(Product photos from Crate and Barrel and Amazon)

As some of you know from reading my Facebook page, we just returned from a week long beach vacation.  Oh, was it fun.  Sun, sand, bike rides, reading, and more fruity tropical drinks than I can count.  My family has been vacationing on Kiawah Island since I was a kid, and it is without a doubt my favorite place in the world.  We have so many great memories there and every year we make more.  It is such a blessing that we are all able to carve time out of our busy schedules and enjoy a week of fun and relaxation together.  Though vacation is a great time to enjoy eating out and trying new restaurants, feeding 10 very hungry adults plus one kid in a restaurant for every meal would break the bank.  Ben and I did enjoy two date nights out, but the other nights I cooked for the whole group.  While I was busy in the kitchen, I started thinking that a post about my approach to vacation cooking might be of use to some readers, so here you go.

Plan, plan, plan – I approach vacation menu planning just as I do my normal weekly menu planning.  Going in with a game plan saves you valuable time.  Instead of wandering grocery store aisles trying to throw together a meal, you already know what you need and what you’re going to do with it, so you can focus your mental efforts on more important things like reading by the pool (yes!) or staying up late doing jigsaw puzzles (yes!  I’m a dork, and I love puzzles.)

Meal choice – When choosing the meals I make on vacation, I try to make sure they meet a few criteria.  First, they need to be relatively simple, both in time and effort required and the dishes/utensils/equipment you might need.  Second, they should be things that everyone will enjoy.  As much as I love experimenting with new flavors and techniques, I don’t think vacation with nine others is the time to do it.  I rely on tried and true crowd-pleasers.  Also be sure to consider any dietary restrictions or preferences of your family and friends.  Third, since we have such a large crowd, I make sure to choose recipes that can be easily doubled without too much additional work.  I should also note that if it were allowed, I would probably have planned meals on the grill every single night but unfortunately grills are prohibited where we stayed.

Enjoy the local offerings – Another thing to consider when planning your menu is what produce and other ingredients are local specialties in the area you are visiting.  Going to the coast means I’m definitely planning at least a few meals involving the fresh local seafood.  (If I were visiting Maine, you can bet I’d be making lobster every night.)  If you can, find farm stands with local produce.  Not only is it cheaper than the grocery store, it tastes much better!

Bring pantry staples - Don’t waste money buying spices and other staples in the often overpriced area grocery stores.  Instead, read through the recipes you plan to make and bring the necessary spices, etc.  I took all the spices called for in my recipes as well as a few others I cook with most frequently.  I also brought garlic, flour, sugar, baking powder, and chocolate bars from my pantry.

Bring a few of your favorite (small) tools - In my experience, you can make do in a rental kitchen as long as you prepare meals that don’t require special tools.  That said, the equipment provided is usually not great.  (They don’t want you to be tempted to take it home, right?)  The knives in particular are usually the thing I find most frustrating but I live with it since I don’t love the idea of traveling with knives.  However, a few tools that I wish I had taken and will take in the future are a garlic press, an extra spatula (if you plan on baking), and a pair of scissors.  As tempting as it might be to take along a food processor or stand mixer (I seriously considered both), those seem too involved for a casual beach vacation.  As a bonus,  I appreciated my beloved appliances even more after I returned home :)

Stay flexible and be prepared to improvise – Wait, didn’t I just say planning is great?  Yes, I do still think planning is the first step to a stress free vacation cooking experience, but it’s pretty much guaranteed that not everything will go according to plan.  The rental kitchen may not have equipment you counted on, the grocery store may have a limited selection of ingredients, you may have already sent your brother to the store twice today and can’t possibly ask him to go again, etc. etc.  Just roll with the punches and don’t worry too much.  Remember, you’re on vacation!

Share the load - I am perfectly content to spend an hour or two each day making dinner for everyone.  I can’t stand the heat and the sun that long anyway.  But, if you have other talented cooks in the family you can have everyone split up the work so that different people are responsible for the meals each night.  Even if you do decide to tackle the majority of the cooking yourself, don’t be afraid to delegate some small tasks to make things easier.  People are usually more than happy to shuck corn, wash or chop veggies, etc. and you can have fun in the kitchen while you work together.

Our menu from this vacation was as follows:
Pasta with shrimp and oven dried tomatoes (recipe to come), salad
Pork tenderloin with peach salsa (recipe to come), corn on the cob, garlic rice pilaf
Shrimp enchiladas, black beans, chips, salsa and bean dip
Classic mac and cheese, salad and corn on the cob
(I also planned one night with chicken parmesan, pasta, and a green veggie but we ended up arriving too late to cook on our first night due to traffic, so this one got nixed.)

Here are a few snapshots from our vacation.  We all had a great time, the kids in particular.

As I mentioned, Ben and I had two nights out for dinner.  One was at The Atlantic Room on Kiawah.  The other was at Magnolias in Charleston, SC.  I generally don’t take pictures in restaurants because I find it rude, so I don’t have any shots of my meals, but both were phenomenal and deserve mention here.

I can’t say enough good things about The Atlantic Room. Ben and I always make it a point to dine there when we are on Kiawah. This time I had grilled wahoo with eggplant puree and tomato jam.  Ben and I split a side of truffle mac and cheese – ooooohhhh my goodness, loved it.  We also split a sticky toffee pudding for dessert.  The whole meal was wonderful, and you can’t beat that view!

After a little bit of shopping on King Street, we headed to Magnolias for dinner.  I wish we had had more time to try all of the amazing restaurants in Charleston but we only had the time for one.  After a lot of research and reading, this was what I decided on and I have to say we were very pleased with the decision.  At Magnolias we tried the pimiento cheese and fried green tomato appetizers.  Both were great but the tomatoes were definitely my favorite.  My brother and I both had the shellfish over grits for dinner and it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.  Ben, my other brother, and his girlfriend all had the buttermilk fried chicken with collard greens, creamed corn and biscuits with gravy.   For dessert we had the peach blackberry crisp.  I enjoyed it all so much that I ended up buying the cookbook before we left, and I am very excited to try making some of these Southern dishes in my own kitchen.

I hope this post on vacation cooking is helpful to those of you planning trips this year, and in the future!

Scallops have not always been a favorite of mine.  In fact, for a long time I thought I hated them.  That was due primarily to a dish my mom used to make where she routinely overcooked the scallops so much that I felt like I was gnawing on little balls of rubber.  My mom was a great cook but apparently that meal was not one of her best because, man, the memories of those scallops are vivid.  I have since learned to appreciate how truly wonderful scallops can be when they are fresh and cooked properly.  The best preparations are very simplistic allowing the flavor of the scallop to shine and are cooked just right so that they practically melt in your mouth when you eat them.  This version, my friends, is scallops done right.

I have been so, so excited to share this dish with you.  This meal was knock-your-socks-off good.  So good that the whole time I was eating it, I felt a degree of disbelief that it had come from my own kitchen instead of a fancy restaurant.  The scallops are dipped in sugar and sautéed in clarified butter, literally creating a caramel coating on the outside.  The sweet caramel flavor is subtle and with the white wine pan sauce, it is a wonderful compliment to the scallops.  This is a recipe I’ll be glad to have in my pocket when I’m looking for a special occasion meal or a dish to impress.

Caramelized Scallops
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Yield: 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
12 large sea scallops
Pinch of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons clarified butter
½ cup white sugar, spread on a flat plate
½ cup dry white wine
Juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp. finely chopped flat parsley
8 chives
1 tbsp. lemon zest

Directions:
Rinse and dry the scallops well.  Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.

Heat a skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes.  Add the clarified butter and swirl to coat the pan.  When the butter begins to foam, prepare the scallops quickly.  Working efficiently, coat one side of each scallop in sugar, grasping the sides and using a gentle twisting motion to help the sugar adhere.  Place the scallops sugar side down in the skillet and sauté for 2½ minutes.  If the sugar starts to brown too quickly, reduce the heat.  Flip the scallops over and cook for 1 minute more.  Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan and reduce by half, about 1½ minutes.  Transfer the scallops to a platter or serving dishes.  Pour the pan juices over the top and garnish with chopped parsley, chives and lemon zest.  Serve immediately.

Source: Big Bowl of Love by Christina Ferrare

Sometimes I’m lucky and a recipe idea works out the first time I try it.  That was not the case with strawberry cheesecake truffles.  Back when I made an assortment of truffles for Kelsey’s virtual bridal shower, strawberry cheesecake was the first flavor that came to mind and I knew I had to make them.  I wasn’t totally sure where to start, but I’ve seen cheesecake pops all over the place so I thought I could adapt that recipe by adding strawberry puree and go from there.  Though it seemed like a good idea, the execution did not translate well at all.  The fruit puree must have added too much liquid and the mixture was next to impossible to form and dip.  I did manage a few but suffice it to say, that recipe was not blog-ready.

The frustration was enough to make me put the idea aside for a while.  When I finally revisited the concept, I decided to start from scratch.  As much as I love the idea of using actual cheesecake for the center of the truffles, it didn’t go well and truth be told, that method was more complicated than I typically like truffles to be.  This time around I opted for a mixture of cream cheese, graham cracker crumbs and finely chopped strawberries to provide the same flavors of strawberry cheesecake while being simpler and easier to work with.  Bingo!  This worked like a charm and I was very happy with the final product.  Because of the juices in the berries, I recommend making these within a day of when you plan to serve them.

Oh, also a quick housekeeping note – I never announced the winner of the Jessie Steele apron giveaway last week.  I was out of town and it totally slipped my mind.  Sorry for the delay!  The winner is Ferreh who said, “My favorite apron is the EVA-Coated Summer Lemons Gigi Apron. Would totally match my kitchen!”  Congratulations Ferreh!   Stay tuned for another giveaway coming up this Friday :)

Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles
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Yield: about 2-3 dozen, depending on size
Ingredients:
For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Splash of vanilla extract
6 tbsp. finely chopped strawberries

For the coating:
16 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For decoration (optional):
Melted milk chocolate
Melted white chocolate, tinted pink with candy coloring

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Gently fold in the chopped strawberries until evenly distributed.  Cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator until firm enough to scoop and mold.  Scoop about 2 teaspoons of the filling and roll into a ball.  Place on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining filling.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer to chill until very firm.

To coat the truffles, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  When completely melted and smooth, dip the filling balls one at a time in the chocolate, gently shaking off the excess before returning to the baking sheet.  Once all of the truffles have been dipped, drizzle with melted milk chocolate and tinted white chocolate for decoration, if desired.  Return the pan to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

Source: Annie original

It seems only right to start out National Ice Cream Month by discussing the ever popular, mother of all classic flavors – vanilla ice cream.  As much as I do enjoy rich, over the top flavors of ice cream, I think it’s tough to beat a scoop of really good vanilla bean ice cream.  It is creamy and delicious all on its own, but also makes a wonderful base for fun toppings such as caramel or hot fudge sauces (both recipes to come), and is equally welcome aside a slice of pie or cake.  Since investing in my ice cream maker four years ago, I have not bought a single container of ice cream from the store.  Making your own is easy, fun and the results are so much better, you won’t be tempted to return to store-bought.

If you are new to ice cream making, these two recipes will help you learn some of the basics.  Varieties of ice cream generally fall into two main categories: Philadelphia-style or French-style.  Philadelphia style ice creams are quicker and simpler, with a heavy cream/milk mixture for the base.  French-style ice creams have a custard base, with cooked egg yolks to help achieve a creamy texture and rich flavor.  I recommend Philadelphia-style recipes for first-timers if you are unfamiliar with making custards.  It really isn’t complicated but I think it’s good to start out simple and build from there.  I’ll be completely honest and tell you that I don’t have a favorite between these two versions.  Every time I make one of them I think, “This one is definitely my favorite!” and then I make the other variety and, surprise, I think the same thing about that one too.  I usually decide which one to make based on whether or not I have leftover egg yolks in my fridge and whether or not I have any time constraints.

If you opt for the French-style version, the most important thing is to use an instant-read thermometer while you make the custard base.  It takes all the guesswork out of ice cream making.  Be sure to add the hot cream mixture to the eggs slowly, whisking constantly the whole time.  This is known as tempering the eggs and will prevent them from curdling when you stir in the hot liquid.  The other key point is that the eggs will scramble at about 180˚ F, so you want to aim for 170-175˚ F and then remove the mixture from the heat.  If you overshoot a bit and have a few bits of scrambled eggs, don’t worry – this is why you pour the mixture through a mesh strainer and ensure that it stays completely smooth.

I’m on vacation this week but stay tuned next week for an ice cream-related giveaway as part of our continuing celebration of National Ice Cream Month!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Philadelphia-Style)
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Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine 1 cup of the cream with the sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and drop in the vanilla pod.  Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream, the milk and the vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is well chilled.  Remove the vanilla bean before churning.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (French-Style)
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Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and the salt in a medium saucepan.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and drop in the vanilla pod.  Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warmed through.  Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining cup of cream into a bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the top.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 170˚-175˚ F).  Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl with the cream.  Stir in the vanilla.  Let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.  Remove the vanilla bean before churning.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

A few more notes on homemade ice cream:
Storage - You can store your ice cream any way you like as long as it is an airtight method in your freezer.  I like to use tupperware-type containers but have also used loaf pans with plastic wrap over the top.

Fat content – Don’t be tempted to substitute a lower-fat component such as reduced fat or skim milk rather than what is called for.  The higher fat content of heavy cream, half-and-half, and whole milk provide a creamy texture and also prevent ice creams from freezing too hard.  A lower-fat substitute will result in a very icy texture because it has more water and less fat.

Hard freezing – Some homemade ice creams may freeze a bit harder than the store bought variety.  David Lebovitz has an excellent and informative post on this topic with good explanations and troubleshooting tips.

Vanilla beans - Buying vanilla beans in ones or twos at the grocery store is very expensive.  Buy vanilla beans in bulk.  It is much more economical, not to mention you’ll have them around for all sorts of other wonderful things like vanilla bean cupcakes, cookies, vanilla extract (recipe to come) and more.  I buy them on Amazon and they last me quite a long time, even with the amount of baking I do.

Ice cream makers – People frequently ask me for ice cream maker recommendations.  I’ve only tried one version so it is the only one I can speak to.  I have the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment and I absolutely love it.  I think if you already have a KitchenAid mixer base, this is the way to go.  If not, I know a lot of people really love the Cuisinart freestanding model.  To me the KitchenAid attachment makes the most sense if you already have a mixer base because it is not an additional piece of equipment taking up valuable real estate in your cabinets (my bowl lives in the freezer so it is ready to go any time the ice cream making mood strikes).

Egg whites – Went with the French-style ice cream and now you have left over egg whites?  Some of my favorite ways to use egg whites include French macarons, Swiss meringue buttercream, semifreddo, or marshmallow frosting.  You can also use them as egg wash for baking bread or as coating for chicken Parmesan.

Source: both recipes barely adapted from The Perfect Scoop (AKA the ice cream bible) by David Lebovitz

Less is more, or so the saying goes, and this tomato sauce is a perfect example of that.  Three ingredients: tomatoes, onion, and butter.  Put in a pot, brought to a simmer, and occasionally stirred.  I honestly can’t think of a more low maintenance recipe than this, and certainly not one with such wonderful results.  I have read about this recipe on several of my favorite blogs but I was skeptical.  I finally got around to trying it myself and now I can say that I agree with all the hype.  Aside from the sheer ease and convenience of the recipe itself, the sauce smells incredible while it is simmering.  (I half-joked with Ben that I wanted to skip yoga that night so I could just stand with my face over the pot, inhaling all the yummy smells.  Om, indeed.)  And of course once you get past the quick prep and the drool-worthy cooking smells, there is the actual taste of the sauce when it is finished.  Somehow rich and light at the same time, the butter adds just the right something – a sort of smoothness that just makes it work.

I’ve tried many homemade sauce recipes.  Most have been good, some were forgettable, but this my friends – this is the one.  As much as I would love to make sauce from fresh tomatoes, they aren’t in season year-round, and now having found this recipe I am totally okay with that.  I know, you’re wary.  Can it really be that good?  Made from canned tomatoes?  No garlic, no basil?  Well, just give it a try.  I’m pretty sure you’ll love it.  And hey, if you don’t?  You’ve only wasted a couple minutes of your time and three ingredients.  Don’t be tempted to dress it up with additional spices or fancy ingredients.  The simplicity is what makes this work so well.

The Simplest Tomato Sauce
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Ingredients:
1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juices
1 onion, peeled and halved
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, onion, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to keep the sauce at a low, steady simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.  Remove from the heat, discard the onion, and add salt to taste.  (I didn’t add any salt.)  Serve warm with pasta.

Source: Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan via Smitten Kitchen

It’s here!  It’s here!  In case you didn’t know, July is National Ice Cream Month.  I enjoy ice cream all year long, even in the dead of winter, but I certainly indulge more frequently in the summertime.  It’s no secret that I have a major sweet tooth, but if I were forced to choose a single category of dessert that I like best above all others, it wouldn’t be cake or cookies or pie – without a doubt, it would be ice cream.  It makes perfect sense to me, then, to have an entire month dedicated to ice cream.  Not just a single day like other food holidays – doughnut day, chocolate chip cookie day, etc.  This deserves a full month to celebrate.

I found these ice cream-themed cookie cutters a few months ago and grabbed them off the shelf faster than you can say, “OMG so cute!!!”  It seemed only fitting to decorate some cookies for the start of National Ice Cream Month.  These were such fun to make and I loved the way they turned out.  I have a major thing for sprinkles these days so I couldn’t resist using some on at least one of the cookies.  The pink ice cream cones were looking a little bit too plain to me, and I knew I needed to do something to jazz them up.  I ended up just piping on a few squiggles near the bottom of the ice cream scoop and sprinkling with pink sanding sugar.  This was my favorite detail of all.  I love the sparkle it provided, and how it is reminiscent of the ice crystals in real ice cream.  New to the site and want to decorate cookies?  See my favorite sugar cookie recipe and my tutorial on decorating with royal icing.

This month I’ll be sharing some new ice cream recipes as well as some ice cream toppings and other ice cream desserts.  There will also be a themed giveaway, so keep your eye out for that!

Bless his heart, Andrew sees countless cookies that I make for various events covering our countertops only to be told that they are not for us and that he cannot eat them.  After seeing these cookies progress, he was more than a little excited that he got to taste one!

Looking for a festive, show-stopping dessert for the Fourth?  Look no further.  The concept of this cake has been developing in my mind for a long, long time.  At first it was just a vague idea – some kind of patriotic ice cream cake.  Then it was going to be a very simple ice cream cake with red, white and blue frosting detailing on the outside.   Along the way, it transformed into what you see here: two layers of vanilla bean cake sandwiching a thick layer of vanilla bean ice cream with fresh strawberry and blueberry sauces mixed in.  The whole thing is frosted in freshly whipped cream, and garnished with additional fresh berries.  Because this came together so haphazardly in my head, I was completely unsure of how well it would turn out.  I’m happy to say it was a complete success.  It is so, so much better than I could have imagined.  This is a great example of the the expression, ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  This cake takes the classic pairing of berries and cream and elevates it to a whole new level.

I realize that this cake may seem involved because of the multiple components but I assure you, it is actually quite simple and you can streamline your work to be more efficient.  While the cake layers are baking you can make the blueberry and strawberry sauces.  Once the cake is assembled, pop it into the freezer so it sets completely.  As far as the timing of the frosting goes, you have options.  You can frost and garnish the cake just before serving, you can frost the cake, freeze and garnish just before serving, or you can frost, garnish, and freeze all at once and serve whenever you like.  Just keep in mind that if you garnish and then freeze, the berries on top will be frozen when served and have a kind of frosty sheen on them.  I think they look neat that way but for the look seen in these pictures, you’ll want to add the berries just before serving.  Whatever way you choose to serve it, I do hope you try it!  This is bound to be a hit with kids and adults alike.  Have a wonderful Independence Day (and long weekend!)

Berry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake
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Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the blueberry sauce:
1 cup blueberries
3 tbsp. sugar
1¼ tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the strawberry sauce:
4 oz. strawberries, hulled, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1½ tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

2½ cups vanilla bean ice cream, slightly softened (homemade or store-bought)

For the whipped cream frosting:
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fresh strawberries and blueberries, for garnish

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.  Grease and flour the sides of the pan, shaking out the excess.

In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.  Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of the mixer with the butter and discard the pod (or reserve for another use.)  Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

Add the sugar to the butter mixture, about ¼ cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.  Mix in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge of the cake and turn the layers out onto a wire rack.  Remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill the cake layers until you are ready to assemble the cake.

To make the blueberry sauce, combine the blueberries and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to release their juices.  In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the water and lemon juice and whisk until smooth.  Stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberry mixture.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute more.  Remove from the heat.  Cover and chill.

To make the strawberry sauce, combine the strawberries and sugar in a bowl.  Toss well to combine.  Mash the berries slightly with the tines of a fork.  Stir in the lemon juice, cover and chill.  Let the berries macerate at least one hour and if needed, mash once more to achieve your desired texture.

To assemble the cake, level the cake layers if necessary.  Place one of the chilled cake rounds in the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan.  Place a piece of parchment or wax paper around the circumference of the cake to act as a tight collar for the ice cream layer.*  Be sure the ice cream is soft enough to spread smoothly and easily before proceeding.  Spread the vanilla ice cream in an even layer over the bottom cake layer.

Spoon the blueberry and strawberry fillings on top of the ice cream in whatever pattern you prefer.  (You may have a bit of each type of filling left over.  I dare you to not eat it with a spoon!)  Place the remaining cake layer on top of the ice cream and fruit filling.  Ensure that the parchment collar is pulled tight around the cake and ice cream to keep the layers evenly in place.  Close the sides of the springform around the assembled cake and transfer to the freezer to set.  (Covering the cake at this point is not really necessary but if you plan to wait a long time before finishing the cake, I recommend covering it.)

When you are ready to frost the cake, place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed, gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar, until stiff peaks form.  (Be careful not to overbeat!)  Blend in the vanilla.  Remove the sides of the springform pan carefully and peel away the parchment collar.  Frost the top and side of the cake with an offset or straight spatula.  Place the remaining whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and add additional accents as desired. (I used an unlabeled large fine star tip, similar to an Ateco #864 tip.)  Garnish with fresh strawberries and blueberries.  (The cake can be served at this point if desired.)

Store the cake covered in the freezer until ready to serve.  Set the cake out and let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before slicing.  Run a long, thin knife until hot water to warm the blade.  Wipe the blade completely dry and slice the cake, wiping the blade clean between slices and rewarming as needed.

*The parchment collar is not a necessity but I prefer it for cleaner edges of the ice cream layer.  It also helps in the situation that your cake rounds are not exactly the same size as your springform pan, and if your entire cake is taller than your springform (it likely will be).

Source: blueberry sauce adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, vanilla bean cake adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride