Frozen Dessert Ideas

According to Wikipedia, Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month in 1984. He also appointed the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day. Reagan recognized the popularity of ice cream in the United States (90% of the nation's population consumes ice cream).

Mother Nature is finally smiling on us in Northern California, let's hope she'll continue to supply us with a good excuse to consume our favorite frozen treat.

Goat Milk Ice Cream with Molasses Syrup Swirl

You've probably noticed, I'm addicted to anything and everything goat. Whether it's goat ricotta cheese, goat cheese Gouda or simple chèvre, I cannot get enough of goat’s milk unique flavor profile. I often use goat dairy products in savory dishes, but I thought it would be fun to experiment with goat milk in desserts. After some thought, it occurred to me that there is no better showcase for goat milk than making ice cream.

I made a simple custard using goat milk and chilled it overnight. I churned the ice cream and finished it with swirls of molasses and raisin syrup. The result was silky, delicious and not too rich. I've heard that goat milk is more easily digestible than regular cow's milk, which is good for the lactose-intolerant members of my family. The only downside: there wasn't enough to feed everyone! 

Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe

As I mentioned at the beginning of the summer, my husband Lulu decided to leave the ice cream maker on the kitchen counter to encourage us to make good use of the machine. School has started and I bet the weather is going to get cooler, so I decided to get one more use out of it before storing it away until next season.

We are huge fans of tea. Whether it's for crème brulées, cookies or making Arnold Palmers, my family just can’t get enough. I've made Earl Grey ice cream this summer and I thought it would be fun to make another ice cream out of matcha green tea.

I love combining matcha with black sesame; I think the flavors go perfectly together. So I decided to serve the scoop of ice cream with warm black sesame sauce. Aunt Danielle just introduced me to an instant black sesame product that tastes really great. I've been making my own black sesame sauce from scratch but this version saves a lot of time. The warm black sesame sauce against the cold ice cream is reminiscent of the same temperature contrast for chocolate lava cake and ice cream, which is very pleasant.

Earl Grey Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

I made Earl Grey ice cream sandwiches today with homemade Earl Grey tea ice cream. One member in my family is allergic to eggs, so this recipe suits her perfectly, as no eggs are involved in this dessert. I used chocolate chip Walkers shortbread cookies, which are eggless as well. At the same time, I thought I'd experiment a bit in advance of my little munchkin's big birthday party at the end of the month. She's been such a good girl, helping me out all week long since she's on vacation. I thought this would be the perfect treat to reward her because the sandwiches are perfect for little hands and fingers!

I absolutely adore the flavor combination; the bergamot in Earl Grey tea has a truly distinctive flavor which, -interestingly- tastes almost like Fruit Loops cereal when mixed in ice cream batter. For convenience, and because they taste great, I made ice cream sandwiches using packs of Walkers chocolate chip cookies. If you have time, you could also make homemade chocolate chip cookies for the sandwiches.

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream Recipe (Ca Rem Ca Phe)

Vietnamese coffee and ice cream are two of my family’s favorite foods, so it made sense to try and make some at home. Since one of the girls is allergic to eggs, I made the ice cream eggless. The ice cream base is made with half and half and sweetened with condensed milk. Usually Vietnamese-style coffee is made with boiling water, but the half and half produces a much richer mouth-feel. Coffee made with water could make a nice sorbet, but that’s a different recipe!

As I mentioned previously, making Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa  in Vietnamese) reminds me of mon papa (I usually call him Papounet). When I was a little girl growing up in Paris, I would make coffee and bring breakfast to my dad every morning. Making the coffee for the ice cream took me back in time. If you cook long enough, food will have that power over you too.