happy 4th

we are going to my aunts house today for the requisite hamburger and hot dogs barbecue. my contribution is two homemade ice creams. #1 is a peanut butter base with a ton of peanut butter cups and fudge swirl. #2 is a vanilla base with crumbled homemade oatmeal cookies and a caramel swirl. i'll have to take funny pics tonight of my family eating them. but in case any of you have that ice cream maker canister freezing up for some fabulous creation, i'm posting these. my son liked these so much he told me we should turn our kitchen into an ice cream shop. he even named it - ice flames ice cream ?!?!

peanut butter cup and fudge swirl ice cream

Makes about 1.5 quarts

1 ¼ cups whole milk

1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1.5 cups creamy peanut butter, jif works great
3/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla
jar of your favorite hot fudge, I love whole foods dark chocolate sauce

as many chopped peanut butter cups as you can handle, we used 10 double cup packages

In a saucepan simmer milk, cream, peanut butter, and 3/4 cup sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and cool mixture to room temperature. Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

As soon as ice cream is finished in machine and at soft serve stage stir in peanut butter cups then fudge.we used a whole small jar. Just dump a bunch onto top of ice cream and then slowly stir in. if you stir too much it won’t swirl. If ice cream gets too soft to do this, just freeze for a while before you stir it in.

Freeze ice cream, covered with plastic wrap, until hard.

Caramel swirl and oatmeal cookie ice cream

If you don’t want to splurge on vanilla beans, three teaspoons of vanilla extract may be substituted for the vanilla bean. To maximize the extract’s potency, stir it into the chilled custard just before churning.

Makes 1.5 quarts

2	1/4 cups whole milk
2	1/4 cups heavy cream
1	1/8 cup granulated sugar
6	inch piece vanilla bean , slit lengthwise and seeds removed, pod reserved (see illustration below)
6	large egg yolks
1	batch homemade or storebought oatmeal cookies, baked, cooled and crumbled
1	cup homemade or store bought caramel

1. Position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/8 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool. Cover and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer -registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

3. Remove and discard the vanilla pod from the custard (or add the vanilla extract, if using) and stir well. Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream.

4. While at soft serve stage, mix in crumbled oatmeal cookies as desired. We used a lot! Then pour room temp caramel on top and carefully mix in. if you over mix you’ll lose the swirl. If ice cream gets too soft just freeze for a while before you add it in.

5. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours. (The ice cream will keep for up to 2 days.)