Stated Intention: I Screamed for Ice Cream

Last week, Jess requested that everyone pick something small to focus on as a small experiment in the Law of Attraction. Start small, move on to bigger things. That particular day, I had a hard time focusing on little things as I was too far ahead of myself.

Today however, I stated an intention without even realizing it. I just dedicated a good bit of positive thought and excitement toward getting ahold of an ice cream maker. Yes, an ice cream maker. I didn't want to buy one but I figured someone I knew I had to have one already (a longshot in retrospect). I've been seeing all these fantastic recipes and have recently come across TWO people who "don't eat sweets, just ice cream." If they thought they would get out of TKTC homemade goodness that way, they were very wrong. I am one determined puff-o-curls.

I had dinner plans with DG and Lyns tonight- my old school co-workers from the early Chicago days. DG says in a late afternoon email that she wants to bring dessert for after sushi. DG used to be a pastry chef at the Four Seasons. Ummm, ok!!

Turns out, she just got her ice cream machine over the weekend. She'd just made her first batch of decadent vanilla. She also made a mixed berry compote to go with it which we warmed up on the stove and then served over the ice cream.

WOW.

A few hours of irreverant conversation, sushi and homemade a la mode minus the cobbler? I'll take it.

A gift from the universe in the shape of an ice cream maker? I'll take that too. I'll take it as an apology for my not being in London tonight when all my boys were hanging out for the first time. They loved each other, of course. And I felt missed. Which was almost worth not being there:)

Ice Cream and Compote from DG!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1.5 cups heavy cream (avoid the ultra pasteurized, but you can use it in a pinch)

1.5 cups whole milk

1 vanilla pod

3/4 cup sugar, split

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

special equipment set up: digital thermometer and stainless steel bowl in an ice bath with a fine mesh strainer over bowl.

Mix cream, milk in pan with split & scraped vanilla bean and half of sugar. Bring to light simmer, but don't boil.

Mix eggs and second half of sugar with whisk in 1 cup of hot cream mixture to temper egg mix. Then pour entire egg/cream mix back into pan and continue cooking and whisking continuously over medium low heat until mix coats back of spoon or reaches about 180F/85 C. Careful not to scramble the custard!

Pour contents immediately through strainer over steel bowl in ice bath to catch any scrambled bits. Cool by whisking every few mintues so no skin forms until the custard is cool. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly touching custard and refrigerate overnight or 8 hours to allow all the fats to mix and absorb flavors.

Next day, use an immersion blender or just stir with a spoon (try not to mix in too much air). Place into ice cream machine and follow manufacturer's directions. My machine does it in about 30 minutes. Scrape down sides half way through. Place into another container and freeze for a few hours until solid.

Mixed Berry Compote

12 oz of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)

3 tbsps sugar

1 heaping tsp corn starch

1-2 tbsps cold water

Mix berries and sugar in pan over med-low heat. Simmer until warm or defrosted. Mix cornstarch with cold water in separate container and stir in gently. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes to cook out the starchy taste and allow to thicken. Turn off the heat and allow to cool before storing in refrigerator or use warm over ice cream, angel food cake, pound cake, etc...