Saturday, July 16, 2011

Coffee Ice Cream


July is National Ice Cream month (as well as being National Hot Dog month, and National Baked Beans month) and I thought I'd celebrate by sharing with you a wonderful version of my very favorite flavor: Coffee Ice Cream.

I've posted several different coffee ice creams on this blog in the past (a recipe from Baked Explorations made with instant espresso powder here; an America's Test Kitchen recipe made with instant espresso powder - I added toffee bits - here; a James Beard recipe made with instant coffee and cognac here) but this recipe, from ice cream guru David Lebovitz, intrigued me because it calls for steeping whole coffee beans in hot milk to extract the coffee flavor. I love infusing flavors, so I couldn't wait to try the method.


n.o.e.'s notes:

- I was on the verge of using old generic coffee beans from the freezer but my husband gave me the following advice, "use great beans, preferably Italian roast. How bout that stuff in the can from Trader Joe's?" This seemed to be sound advice, so that's what I used. The bonus was that my husband got to use the rest of the can for his morning coffee.


- To infuse the coffee, the recipe calls for the milk to be "warmed". While the milk was warming on the stove I got distracted, and proved once again that the corollary to the old adage "a watched pot never boils" is "an unwatched pot always boils." I crossed my fingers and just kept on with the recipe, using the boiled milk.


the verdict:

This ice cream is extraordinary! It is coffee ice cream perfection. If you let it soften a bit before serving, it tastes like the froth on a strong cup of cappuccino.


Stay tuned for more ice cream posts in July as Ice Cream Month continues...

9 comments:

Engineer Baker said...

That is probably the best description of coffee ice cream I've ever seen. Have you made his vietnamese coffee ice cream? Because *whoa* is that one good as well. And now I think I'll be adding to my egg white stash by making some ice cream :)

Audrey said...

I don't know if Caitlin is referring to your very last sentence or not, but that's the one that's sending me right now, right this minute, to Trader Joe's. My canister has been in the freezer for a few weeks now...it must be cold enough. :)

Unknown said...

I adore coffee ice cream - I'll definitely be trying this one soon. Fortunately, my kids like it as well - I'm afraid I'm raising little coffee zombies, like their mother.

Di said...

I'll have to try making this one for Jamie at some point. Who knows, the girls might like it, too. =)

Kayte said...

I bet the guys would love this one with the coffee taste...should make this for them! Thanks.

margot said...

I love coffee ice cream, but I have never actually tried making it. Since you have made several and declare this one perfection, I will have to try it.

flyer printing said...

I'm an ice cream lover, I love any flavor! I think I would try this at home, hhmm..Better to look for Italian roast ASAP!

Fresh Roasted Coffee said...

Coffee ice cream is definitely one of the best recreation of coffee recipe. I love how its tasty and creamy at the same time.

Cody

Mary said...

so true. every time I walk away from something, it boils over...ugh :).