I had to post this recipe before New Year’s Eve.

Because this is no ordinary ice cream recipe.  This is an ice cream that doubles as a cocktail, thank you very much.  Do you have a blender?  Then you can probably make this, because it’s really somewhat similar to a frozen cocktail, and tastes a lot better.

Because, crucially, an ice cream recipe with alcohol as an ingredient won’t freeze the same way that most ice creams do.  As a result, it doesn’t need to be churned constantly while its freezing — which means *no ice cream maker necessary.* And since every time I post an ice cream recipe, I find out that so many of you don’t have ice cream makers, I thought that posting this would be both versatile and properly festive.

Happy 2009!

Champagne Sorbet

INGREDIENTS
2 cups champagne
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sparkling water

DIRECTIONS
Heat the champagne, sparkling water, lemon juice and sugar over medium heat until he sugar dissolves.  Remove the mixture from the heat and chill it in the fridge for one hour.

To churn the sorbet, either 1) follow the directions on your ice cream maker or 2) freeze the sorbet for 2 hours, breaking it up with a food processor or blender every 20 minutes.  Leave the sorbet in your freezer in your freezer until it reaches the desired consistency, and then serve.

Makes about 2 cups of sorbet.

→ 15 CommentsTags: desserts · food

There is nothing like a flourless chocolate cake.  

They are, quite literally, the easiest dessert to make in the wold.  This recipe has three ingredients (ok, I snuck in about a half cup of extra sugar, so four ingredients) and comes together in about 10 minutes.  It looks mouth-watering, tasted incredibly indulgent, and would make a great Valentine’s Day dessert, a little late.  But if any of you have an anniversary or birthday coming up, this is the cake for you.

Like my last flourless chocolate cake, it was mushy and delicious straight out of the oven, but needed to cool for a bit before it set.  I sliced mine a little too soon, as you can see from the photo above, and it was still gooey in the center.

But, um, who on earth is going to complain about that?

I’m sad to say that we devoured this cake before I got around to making ice cream, so I don’t have a picture of both together.  But I’m sure the chocolate-peppermint combo would have been amazing!  All in all, this was a total success.  Yum!

Chocolate Valentino

Daring Bakers – February 2009
The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

DIRECTIONS
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

→ 57 CommentsTags: desserts · food

I joined a CSA this winter, and my favorite part of it, so far, was an organic, free range chicken. The moment I saw it, I knew I wanted to do something special with it.

But sometimes the best recipes are the simplest, and this was one of those times. This chicken would make an excellent weeknight dinner, and roasting is by far the easiest preparation imaginable.  Since it also adds a ton of flavor, you really can’t do much better.

So if you want something healthy and easy after a season of elaborate holiday cooking, try this. And happy new year, everyone!  I, for one, am ringing in 2009 by giving my kitchen a rest for a day or two!

Garlic Roasted Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken, cut into breasts and legs, skin removed
6 large garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rub each chicken breast and leg with olive oil, salt and pepper. Finely chop the garlic cloves and cover the chicken with them.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve.

Serves 4-6.

→ 15 CommentsTags: food · main dishes