Adapted from Simply Recipes Chai Ice Cream, this version uses Saigon Chai tea from David’s Tea. I served it as the grand finale of the Indian feast I prepared for Dr. T’s birthday supper, earlier this week.
If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, there are plenty of Internet sites with non-machine methods, including David Lebovitz’s, so there’s nothing stopping you! If you DO have a machine, don’t forget to freeze the bowl well in advance.
Whether you have a machine or not, this is not a fast process – I started mine first thing in the morning, did the machine churning mid-afternoon, and had perfect ice cream late evening.
INGREDIENTS
1 star anise star
1/4 cup Saigon Chai tea
1 cup of milk
2 cups heavy cream (divided, 1 cup and 1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
METHOD
1 In a heavy saucepan, heat the 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of the cream, the star anise and the chai until steamy (not boiling) and hot to the touch. Lower the heat to warm, cover, and let stand for about one hour. Don’t worry if it seems really strong – once it’s frozen, it’ll be perfect.
2 Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the tea and spices, pouring the infused milk cream mixture into a separate bowl. Return the milk cream mixture back to the heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the sugar to the milk cream mixture and heat, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3 Meanwhile, prepare the remaining 1 cup of cream over an ice bath. Pour the cream into a medium size metal bowl, set in ice water (with lots of ice) over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.
4 Whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. VERY slowly, pour the heated milk cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm mixture, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
5 Return the saucepan to the stove, stirring the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10-15 minutes. AS SOON AS IT THICKENS, the mixture should be removed from heat and poured through the sieve over the ice bath to stop the cooking.
6 Pour the custard through the strainer (from step 2) and stir into the cold cream to stop the cooking. Once it’s cooled, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.
7 Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
8 Store in an airtight container in your freezer for several hours before eating. Note that the ice cream will be quite soft coming out of the ice cream maker. It will continue harden in your freezer. If stored for more than a day, you may need to let it sit for a few minutes to soften before attempting to scoop it.
Makes 1 quart.
Use-up-the-bananas Brownies
In our house, bananas are popular – but it’s not uncommon to end up with two or three very sad looking bananas at the end of the week. What to do, what to do…
This is kind of a cheat, but at least it’s an alternative to yet another loaf of banana bread.
2 or 3 sad bananas
1 pkge brownie or cake mix
oil and eggs as per the cake mix instructions (if it calls for 3 eggs, use 2)
1 cup walnuts/choc chips/raisins
Use the food processor to mash the bananas, adding the oil and eggs. Once the banana mash is uniform, mix it into the dry cake mix, adding the nuts or alternative at the end.
Bake according to the cake mix instructions – mine took 25 minutes for a 9″ pan.
I plan on experimenting with this one, not least because I happen to have a box of white cake mix in the cupboard. I think it’s probably possible to add things like oats, but time will tell.
In the meantime, tell me – what do you do with your sad bananas?
Lemon Apple Cake
Mum sent me this recipe, partly because she loved the cake, and partly because the original recipe was a complete hodgepodge measurement-wise. I did some converting (I’m a kitchen proselytizer!) and this is what I got. I have a few apples desperate to be used, so I may even test this one today!
Colin’s recipe
If anyone has an accompanying rice pudding recipe to contribute, preferably one of those really creamy versions, send it on in!
Dr. T’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dr. T. is a fan of big cookies. He used to get them at work all the time, but decided to try making them himself. He started with a recipe I got from Dina ages ago, and riffed on the original to produce the following.
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
Contributed by shakylegs
Makes about 60 cookies. You better have a large cookie tin.
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: 60 cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup softened butter (I find that salt-free or half-salt tastes better)
- .5 cup sugar
- .5 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups chocolate chips (the recipe calls for Nestle, I use President’s Choice: bigger chips)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (I don’t add these)
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.
- Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts).
- Drop onto ungreased baking sheets. (I used Silpat; it makes all baking a complete joy.)
- Bake in preheated 375F oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown.
Mari-Beth’s Skor bars
Courtesy of Mari-Beth Crysler via Kate.
The only bad thing about these is how easy they are! The original recipe comes with the following caveat:
Warning – Highly Addictive
Maple Fondue
Just in time for sugaring season…
Ginger Bens
Unbelievably yummy cookies, inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit, October 2004 Dina discovered at Oregon Live.
Chocolate Brownies
Full of calories, and not cheap either, these are definitely not for the faint-hearted. They are, however, very, very, very nice. Enjoy – just not too many at once.