Friday, December 4, 2009

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 20 comments » / dessert, ice cream

I am fortunate to live within a couple hours from the farm I grew up on. Yup, that’s right, FARM. A lot of my Nashville friends are SHOCKED to hear that I grew up on a farm. While it was wonderful growing up, I always knew I was destined for city living. As an adult, I love having a grocery store, restaurants, park, *cough* liquor store *cough*, coffee shop all within mere blocks. But as a kid, I loved being able to roam freely through the woods, climb/build forts/play hide-and-seek in the hay barn, and have tons of space to drive a four-wheeler or golf cart. There are plusses and minuses to both ways of life.

While visiting my hometown area for Thanksgiving break, I was also going to be throwing a baby shower (more on that in my next post!), so in order to make all the cupcakes and frosting, I hauled my KitchenAid Mixer home. I also knew my parent’s have a deep-freeze, so they’d have plenty of room for me to fit my ice cream maker bowl! While at the nearest Walmart (25 miles away!) shopping for the ingredients I’d need for the baby shower, as well as my Mammy’s Saturday night Thanksgiving get-together, I suddenly remembered I had plans to make ice cream, but never decided on what kind to make! I knew it needed to be simple, because I couldn’t afford to buy too many crazy ingredients. Luckily I pulled up the ice cream recipes I had bookmarked on my iPhone. I quickly zeroed in on the Cinnamon Ice Cream recipe I bookmarked back in July.

This was a great ice cream to make because, the ingredients are simple, and it doesn’t even require egg yolks. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would like this very much or not, because out of all the ice creams I’ve made in the past, I have found I prefer the richer flavor that comes from recipes that call for egg yolks. But from my very first bite, I was rewarded with a sweet, rich, creamy ice cream. Perfection! I really could not tell it didn’t include egg yolks. This ice cream called to mind a warm, down home on the farm, fall flavor. It truly was a pleasure to enjoy this ice cream while home in the country for the holiday. (And yes that’s a barn in the background of the first photo. There’s a barn in the backyard, and horses in the field out front.)

While making this ice cream at 3am I was joined in the kitchen by my chatty, opinionated little brother. He proceeded to state that homemade ice cream should only come in two flavors: vanilla & banana. Because anything other than that takes away from the pure simple flavor. (Funny how 19 year olds think they are the experts on everything.) Well… come time to enjoy the ice cream with dessert, I think his opinion was changed! He, along with my dad, and pretty much everyone else at my Mammy’s became huge fans of this simple, cinnamon spiced indulgence. It paired well with the cake and the pie served! Everyone loved it so much, I think if I were to show up at Christmas without homemade ice cream, I would be turned away at the door!

Print

Cinnamon Ice Cream

from Demolition Desserts, by Elizabeth Faulker, as seen on MarthaStewart
Yields: 4.5 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (I used regular granulated sugar)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions:

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.

Combine the milk, sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to bubble and sugar has dissolved, 6 to 8 minutes. Add cream, vanilla, and salt; stir to combine. Pour mixture into a medium bowl set in the ice-water bath. Stir occasionally until cooled. Cover and transfer to refrigerator until chilled at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Stir mixture briefly; pour into an ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Store ice cream in a covered container in the freezer, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week. Ice cream is best served within 3 days.

*As you can tell, this ice cream maintained a soft, easily scoopable texture. YUM! I wish I had a bowl of it right now!*

And this time last year I was enjoying Pumpkin Waffles, Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies, and my favorite Black Bean Soup.