Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Praline Ice Cream

Well, you've probably all figured out by now that I just love making my own ice cream. Fortunately for my derriere, my husband and kids love me doing it, too, so I'm not forced to eat more than one scoop out of each batch. OK, sometimes I eat two scoops. So shoot me.

In case Katherine or anyone else got the ice cream attachment for the Kitchenaid mixer, I thought I'd show you how to use the adapter for the mixer. I found the directions confusing, with no illustrations; perhaps they had one of Thor's cousins write those directions? In any event, Kitchenaid
provides a little white, figure 8 shaped piece. It's designed to fit either of two sizes of mixer head. One hole in this piece goes over the chrome part where the beater normally fits, and it's pushed up so the grey rubber parts grip a ridge which sticks down on this part.
This is how it looks when assembled. The mixing paddle inside the freezer bowl does not attach to the mixing head; the ridges sticking down on the white piece turn the paddle.


And, so I didn't have to re-figure out which end to use every time, I marked the inside of my piece with a sharpie, indicating with arrows how to fit it on. Brilliant, right? Ahem. Moving on.

This recipe comes from the James Beard cookbook I got at the library used book sale last fall. I had to downsize the recipe to fit my ice cream bowl, or else it would have been hopping out the top of the bowl big time. It was up to the top as it was.

Before making the ice cream, you have to make praline powder. He also uses this in a cake recipe, so I was quite happy to make it.


Praline Powder


1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup toasted filberts (hazelnuts)
1 cup sugar

Toast the almonds and filberts at 350F for about 10 minutes and cool. Whirl th
em in the food processor with the sugar until it's all finely ground. This can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator, and I'm sure it has many wonderful uses, although I haven't discovered them yet!

JAMES BEARD'S PRALINE ICE CREAM

1-1/2 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup praline powder

Heat the milk, cream and sugar until the sugar's dissolved. Slightly beat the egg yolks, then pour some of the hot mix into the yolks, stir together, and add to the milk/cream mix. Add the salt and cook until the mixture thickens so that it will coat the back of a spoon. Don't boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle. (Mr. Beard says that if this happens, you can add 2 tbsp of boiling water and beat like crazy to get it back to proper consistency). Stir in the vanilla and praline powder, and let the mix cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's
directions. This ice cream was terrific. My husband still says that his favorite is candy cane ice cream, but the nutty overtones of this ice cream made it an instant winner.

14 comments:

Claire S. said...

ohhh, Marjie, you're gonna kill me ! Your house may have multiple bodies to help you eat all this ice cream but I've only got 2 people in mine and we usually like different things !

Is the recipe you posted already downsized for the ice cream maker ? 4.5 cups liquid sounds about right.

That sharpie was a BRILLIANT idea - why don't I think of these things myself ??? Anyway, I'll have to label both ends of mine - one for tilt head, one for lift model. It only fits each model one way, but don'tcha know I 'always' try the wrong way first ! LOL !

Christo Gonzales said...

this one sounds really good, I cant wait till summer when you make some fresh peach ice cream...

SissySees said...

I want that attachment. We can't find our ice cream maker. (Hem. Keep in mind we're decluttering!) Either way, I WANT that attachment. Now, I'll know how to use it when I get it!

Unknown said...

I swear! I want a bread machine and a kitchenair and the ice cream attachment. I have long wanted to make ice cream. It's got to be less expensive than the $6/half gallon it costs in the stores now - right?

You rock. It's amazing to me how much you get done on a daily basis. g

veedogknitter said...

You can limit it to one or two scoops? You have AMAZING will-power! It looks absolutely wonderful.

Anette said...

Mmmm! the creamyness!! I think I'd like two scoops, please!

Pam said...

This is one of my all time favorite ice cream flavors. YUM! I love prailines.

Paula said...

Were the instructions also printed in micro-sized print? Gee, even with a magnifying glass, some of those are impossible to read! Great idea about marking the parts; I like to do that, too. Love that praline powder. I've got to tell you that I'd be tempted to dip into that jar inbetween recipes! My dad and sister love praline ice cream, and so does my hubbyman! YUM!

Lakeland Jo said...

This looks divine. My favourite ice cream is pralines and cream by Hagaan Daaz. This looks really much better and I could eat every bit.

The Blonde Duck said...

That sounds so good! I've never had praline ice cream before.

pam said...

Well, this has been added to my list. I don't care about my waistline, I really don't.

Peter M said...

Praline anything would give me a rise, so this ice cream is a shoe-in.

Paula said...

I'm back again. Sorry to be leaving double comments so often, but I thought you should know that I was mobbed (yes, MOBBED) by my children when they saw this post. There I was, unsuspectingly looking over your post again, when the kids caught sight of it. I think they want to parent swap.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I did not get an ice cream attachement ~sniff~, I got Wii Fit. Does that tell you anything? Isn't love beautiful? I am bookmarking this on though, I have a birthday and an anniversary coming up ~evil grin~ so maybe, just maybe...

Marking the inside of the attachment was a great idea!