Monday, November 15, 2010

Ice Cream





If you've read my previous post about waffles, you would probably realized there are few ice cream recipes that I've not introduced to you which was my new discovering in ice cream making last month. So, here are three different ice cream I've made recently.




Chocolate Snickers Ice Cream
(This creamy dark chocolate ice cream, added with chocolate snickers give delicious texture and stay soft even after freezing)








Dulce De Leche Ice Cream

(Unique caramelized milk added with roasted almond is a decadent extravagance)







Cream Cheese Ice Cream

(Creamy and rich of cream cheese flavor is a heaven for cheesecake lovers)





There all turn out very nice for me. I was trying to figure out which one is the best to share with everyone but hardly rate which is the best. As for me, there all had very unique flavor and good taste! Check out the recipes if you like to give it a try. Cheers!




Chocolate Snickers Ice Cream

4 egg yolks

75g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
300ml milk
150g dark chocolate
300ml whipping cream
2 Snickers bars






Put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk until thick and foamy. Pour the milk into a heavy pan, bring just to the boil, then gradually pour the milk into a heavy pan, bring just to the boil, then gradually pour the milk on to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.


Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens and is smooth. Pour back into the bowl and stir in the chocolate until melted. Cover the custard closely, leave to cool, then chill for 6 hours or overnight.


Whip the cream until it has thicken, but is still soft enough to fall from a spoon. Fold it into the chilled custard and pour into  an ice cream maker to churn for 20-25 minutes until thick.


Fold in chopped chocolate snickers transfer to a freezer container. Freeze for 5 - 6 hours until firm.


Cream Cheese Ice Cream
175ml milk
120g caster sugar
125g philadelphia cream cheese
half teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
juice of half a lemon
350ml double cream






Heat the milk in a pan, and while it's getting warm, beat together the sugar, philadelphia, vanilla, and egg in a bowl. Still whisking, pour the bot milk into the cream cheese mixture and pour this back into the cleaned-out pan and make a custard in the regular way.


Pour into a bowl and let it cool, at which time add the lemon juice and then the double cream, lightly whipped.


Cover the custard closely, leave to cool, then chill for 6 hours or overnight.  pour into  an ice cream maker to churn for 20-25 minutes until thick. transfer to a freezer container. Freeze for 5 - 6 hours until firm.


Dulce De Leche Ice Cream
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups dulce de leche
1/2 cup heavy cream
a splash of vanilla extract
a pinch of salt












In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk and dulce de leche just to a boil, stirring until the duce de leche is dissolved.Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.


Cool completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.


Churn the mixture in a ice cream maker for 20 - 25 minutes until thicken. Store in an airtight freezer container and freeze until harden.

Going Green is Simple with Ventilation and Fans



Improved Air Flow Saves Energy, Saves Money, Improves Comfort

Environmentally responsible home improvements not only save the planet and leave more cash in your wallet, but they can also help improve the health of your home. If you’re overwhelmed by green home improvement options, keep it simple by installing or upgrading your home ventilation system and fans.

Proper ventilation is one of the best ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality. This can make a big difference if anyone in your family suffers from allergies, asthma, or other breathing conditions. Plus...vents and fans keep air circulating through your home so that warm and cold air are more evenly distributed; your heating and air conditioning systems don't have to work as hard or as often.


Green Fan Options

Install a Ceiling Fan: Ceiling fans are one of the easiest, most affordable options if you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency. They move warm air throughout your house during the winter and take some of the work load off your air conditioner in the summer.

Install a Whole House Fan: Whole house fans are another affordable option. These powerful fans are installed near the attic, and cool your home by moving hot air up and out through the attic. Cooler air is drawn in through open windows. In warm climates, whole house fans can effectively supplement air conditioning; in cooler climates they can eliminate the need for an air conditioner altogether.


Green Ventilation

Install a Kitchen Hood Vented to the Outdoors: A kitchen range hood helps remove cooking odors, exhaust, and excess moisture from your home. While some range hoods vent to the attic, a hood that vents to the outdoors is better for your home’s structural integrity and indoor air quality.

Install a Bathroom Fan Vented to the Outdoors: Bathrooms are obviously the number one source of harmful mold and airborne bacteria that can infect the air you breathe. A bathroom exhaust fan, vented to the outdoors, will remove moisture from your home, cutting down on mold and mildew growth.

Install a Clothes Dryer Vent: Clothes dryers release tons of moisture into the air as they dry your clothes. This air circulates around your home, carrying chemicals from laundry detergents, toxins from synthetic fabrics, and deadly carbon monoxide. A properly vented dryer releases air outdoors, removing these harmful and potentially dangerous airborne pollutants from your home. To compliment a vented dryer, you may also want to consider installing an exhaust fan in your laundry or utility room.


Natural, Energy-Efficient Ventilation is Healthy Ventilation!

Anytime you can infuse your home with fresh outdoor air you are helping to improve the quality of the air you breathe. Here are more green ways to improve the health of air inside your home:

Install Windows and Skylights: Even more effective than fans are operable windows and skylights. Improve your home’s ventilation by simply opening a window. When you open windows on both sides of your home you can create a cross breeze that allows air to flow through your home more easily.

Design Green: If possible, consider the direction of wind against your home and the local weather conditions when designing the structure or replacing windows and doors. Aligning windows and doors to prevailing breezes lets you make the most of natural ventilation.




Related Information from Horizon Services...

Varo - Indian Pranline with Mixed Dry Fruits - ICC October

Varo, a traditional Sindhi Recipe, is basically a thick chikki made of different nuts, poppy seeds and cardamoms all of which are coated with caramelized sugar and rolled, whilst hot, quickly on the back of a plate. When i first read the ICC Post, i thought it is quite easy to make. Yeah, it is, but i dont know why, i didnt get that Golden brown hue of the Sweet!!!! i really dont know why??? 
But, the taste is so damn wonderful!! except for the colour!!! Thanks a ton to Alka for Suggesting this to Srivalli for this month ICC. Srivalli has listed two recipes from two different sites, i followed Simply Sindhi Recipes.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup of Mixed nuts 
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Poppy seeds/Khus Khus (i didnt get it here, so skipped)
4-5 nos Cardamom pods
2 tbsp of Kopra/Dry coconut (optional)
1 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter


Method
First of all Keep a rolling board or back of thali/Plate greased. Slice all mixed nuts. Powder the Cardamom seeds.In a heavy bottomed pan, add ghee and sugar. On low heat melt the sugar.When the sugar is melted and caramelized to a light brown color add the sliced mixed nuts, Khus Khus, and powdered cardamoms. Mix till nuts are coated well with the caramelized sugar. I followed the step as told, it did turn brown, but when i added the nuts, it turned white again!!!! 
Pour this mixture onto the back of a thali/ greased plate or on a rolling board.Using the back side (flat side) of a cup, flatten the mixture like a thick chapatti or disc. You can use a rolling pin to roll the mixture. This has to be done very quickly as the mixture begins to harden as soon as it is removed from heat.

Leave the rolled Varo to set for some time.Break into pieces and store in air tight containers.