Orange Cream Ice Cream

This is one fabulous ice cream. It tastes just like a Dreamsicle, which several of you mentioned after reading about my daughters' orange concoction on Wednesday.

I know some of you don't like making cooked custard base for ice cream. I have one word for you: Microwave. Really. It works. Try this.

First, if you don't have the Pampered Chef's 2 quart batter bowl, hop on over to visit my friend Chan and order one. It is perfect for ice cream. I stumbled upon it purely by accident, and I assure you, it works for every single step of the ice cream process. Actually, I have two, so I can have plenty of ice cream handy. And, now, you're ready to make....

ORANGE CREAM ICE CREAM

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 egg yolks
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup milk
Zest from 1 orange, finely chopped
2 cups whipping cream

In your Batter bowl or a suitable container, stir together the orange juice and sugar. Microwave 1 to 2 minutes, until hot. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the cornstarch and orange extract (lemon extract can be substituted in a pinch) until thick and light colored. When the orange juice is hot, pour a little into the egg yolk mix and stir together. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the orange juice mixture, whisk together, and microwave 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds, until the mixture is hot, as evidenced by it puffing up within its container. It will thicken as it heats. Remove the hot mixture from the microwave, and whisk in the orange zest, 4 ounces of cold (or even frozen) orange juice concentrate, 1/4 cup cold cream and the milk. Place the mixture in the freezer to chill about 3 hours. 15 to 20 minutes before you're ready to process the ice cream, whip the remaining 2 cups of cream until it's softly whipped, and put that in the freezer for about 15 minutes. After that time, stir the unsweetened whipped cream into the orange custard base with a whisk, and process according to your ice cream maker's directions. (If you want your ice cream bright orange instead of yellowish, use food coloring. It seems that all ice cream comes out pretty much the same color without food coloring, doesn't it?)

If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can put the combination back in the freezer, and stir it with a whisk every 30 minutes or so until it's soft set, to prevent ice crystals from forming.

Note that this ice cream is really creamy, with the texture of ice cream from a dairy. I'm going to do further experimentation, but I believe this is thanks to the cornstarch. Since it's early August and still hot, I believe I will have many taste testers who can be beaten into trying my experiments, and will have more luscious flavors for you soon!

Meanwhile, make sure you go get that Pampered Chef Batter Bowl from Chan, if you haven't done so, and make yourself some ice cream! Have a great weekend, everyone.