[The Ice Cream Scoop] A Double Feature

KitKat Caramel Crunch Ice Cream

I have two flavors for you today.  The first one, we dubbed "KitKat Caramel Crunch".  Follow the recipe for vanilla ice cream found at the bottom of this post.  As your ice cream begins to firm up, add some chopped KitKat bars (about three large candy bars) and two roughly chopped Skor or Heath bars.  Finish processing your ice cream.  When it has completed churning, scoop it into a freezer safe container.  At this point you will want to layer your ice cream with caramel.  So, scoop a layer of ice cream into the container.  Top with a thin layer of caramel syrup (homemade or caramel ice cream topping).  Continue layering until your container is full.  Place your container of ice cream in the freezer until firm.  When you scoop out the ice cream there will be a gorgeous ribbon of caramel distributed throughout.  This flavor is my favorite to date!

Mint Chocolate Chip

My husband's favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.  So, in honor of Father's Day I made up a batch just for him.  (Although we are all secretly hoping that he will share!)

Again, follow the recipe for vanilla ice cream found at the bottom of this post.  Add several drops of green food coloring if you want and 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint oil to the ice cream mix before turning on the ice cream maker.  Pack your container with ice and rock salt and let it churn for a while.  Add 1 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips when the ice cream begins to firm up.  When the ice cream has reached perfection, scoop it into a freezer safe container and let it firm up in the freezer for a couple of hours.  You know how I told you KitKat Caramel Crunch was my favorite?  I lied.  Mint Chocolate Chip is my new love.

You will want to whip up a chocolate cake or a batch of delicious brownies while you wait.  It's meant to be.  Your ice cream will be lonely if you don't.

And no one wants to deal with a lonely bowl of ice cream.

[The Ice Cream Scoop] Strawberry

I have been on the biggest ice cream kick lately.  I think I've made four batches in two weeks.  Yeah.  It's a problem.  Actually it's no problem at all!  It's absolutely wonderful!  My favorite flavor so far has been this homemade fresh strawberry Philadelphia style ice cream.  "Philadelphia" style just means that it is not a custard base (as in no eggs).  Just your basic cream and sugar.  After you mix up your vanilla base using the recipe below, you will want to add your strawberries.  I tried this a couple of ways, and finally landed on the procedure that I like the best.

Take a container of strawberries and wash and hull them.  Place some in a blender and give it a whirl.  You want enough to make a cup and a half of strawberry puree.  Mix your puree directly with your vanilla base and put it in your ice cream maker.  Proceed following the directions on your maker.  I have an electric ice cream maker with a metal container and a wooden bucket.  It uses a plastic dasher to churn the ice cream.  You know, the kind that needs ice and rock salt to do it's magic.  I'm sure it would work well with whatever style maker you own.  You will want to process your ice cream until it starts to firm up and becomes semi-frozen.

While you are waiting for your ice cream to process, prepare the rest of your strawberries.  Give them a rough chop on a cutting board.

Then place them in a bowl and mash them up good.  I usually use my potato masher, but a fork works just as well.  Again, you want about a cup and a half of mashed berries.  Add 1/2 cup of sugar.  Stir it up.  Let it sit until your ice cream is ready.

When your ice cream is starting to firm up you will want to add your mashed strawberries.  I drained off the juice and just added the strawberry mash.  Dump it right into your canister and let the dasher distribute the chunks evenly for you.  When your ice cream has reached perfection, you have two choices.  First, you can grab a bowl and a spoon and dig right in.  The ice cream will still be relatively soft but incredibly delicious.  Or you can scoop your ice cream into a freezer safe container and let it harden in the freezer.    This will give you beautiful rounded scoops of ice cream that you may serve in a bowl or a cone.  Delicious!

Now, if you want to make make your ice cream extra fancy pants you could do the following:

Grab three or four graham crackers from the pantry.  Melt some white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  I think I used about a half of a cup.  I like to melt them for 30 second intervals at 40% power, stirring well after each interval, until all of the chocolate is melted.  Dollop your chocolate onto your cracker and smooth it all out.  Put your crackers in the freezer for a minute or two to firm up your chocolate.  Now remove your crackers from the freezer and break them into small chunks.

Add your chocolate glazed crackers to the ice cream at the same time as your mashed strawberries.  Have your dasher stir it all in.   The crackers taste just like a graham cracker crust, with a chocolate bonus.  The chocolate prevents them from getting too soggy.  (I saw this technique on the Tasty Kitchen blog and it is miraculous!)

And there you have it---strawberry pie ice cream!!