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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
The time is ripe for rich, creamy, freshly made ice creams and sorbets. Summer fruits are beckoning and our tongues are set to welcome the sweet, cold, richness. Today we can easily make ice cream in our freezers or we can invest in a small ice cream maker which isn't arrogantly expensive but gives mouth-wateringly good results. Either way you can make it at home and fresh is always best! When making frozen desserts just remember that basically, the higher the sugar content, the finer and more snowlike the frozen product. Granite (pronounced granite-aye) is the simplest and probably the oldest form of ice cream and it has no cream at all. To make granite the fruit pulp or juice, or espresso is frozen on flat trays and stirred now and then so that it forms glassy crystals and clumps. It is best eaten soon after it is frozen. Later it turns into large pieces of sharp, jagged crystals. Sorbet (pronounced sore-bay) is the French word for sherbet. Made from fruit purees, juices, water and sugar, but never with dairy products. It has more sugar than granite, which makes it denser and heavier. It is mixed constantly as it freezes which makes the crystals so fine that they are almost smooth. This will keep for several days. Sherbet (pronounced sure-bet) has more sugar than sorbet and includes some milk or cream in its makeup but is basically made of fruit juices, flavorings or wine. It has a firm consistency and is not as rich as ice cream. Ice cream has still more sugar plus milk or cream or both and sometimes eggs. By law it must have a minimum of 10% butterfat. In the U.S. we allow 5 to 50% of the total volume to be air. It is the smoothest of all and keeps for the longest time. MAKING ICE CREAM WITHOUT AN ICECREAM MACHINEYou can make passable frozen desserts by pouring the mixture into a flat, shallow pan like a cake pan. Clear a space in the freezer and chill down the equipment. What you need:
1. The basic mixture cooled and ready to be frozen Put the pan flat in a freezer together with a large mixer bowl and beaters. Let the mixture freeze until it is firm but not frozen hard. Empty the pan into the ice cold bowl and beat just enough to break up the ice crystals but DO NOT let it melt. Pour back into pan and refreeze. You can repeat this process another time or two for smoother and smoother results. WATERMELON GRANITEPuree watermelon by removing seeds and skin. Then process the pulp in a food processor, blender or just by pressing through a foodmill or fine strainer. 3 cups watermelon puree Combine watermelon puree, sugar and lemon juice in a large shallow pan. Place in the freezer and stir every 20 minutes until no liquid remains, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Serve with sprigs of mint. Makes 4 to 6 servings. GINGERED PEACH SORBETYou can leave the skins on the peaches to save time 1 cup superfine or granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 large ripe peaches, pitted, coarsely chopped
Put water in saucepan and add sugar, spices and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate until cold. Put the peaches in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pass the puree through a strainer. Refrigerate until cold. Combine chilled syrup and peach puree. Pour into a shallow pan or a machine and proceed as directed. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, actually any sweet berry can be used 1 1/4 cups superfine or granulated sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2cups half-and-half Whirl berries, sugar, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Press through a fine strainer; discard seeds. Taste; add more sugar (up to l/4 cup), if desired. Stir in half-and-half. Cover and chill until cold, about l hour. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze until mixture is softly frozen. Serve soft or freeze with an airtight cover until firm, about 3 hours, or up to 3 days. Makes about 1 quart; 6 to 8 servings. FROZEN CHOCOLATE CRUNCHFlo Burtnett of Gage, OK says, 'This is delicious and impressive as a dessert. I like to serve it because I can make it days in advance.' You don't need an ice cream maker. 8 oz. sweet German chocolate or milk chocolate
In a double-boiler combine chocolate and corn syrup. Stir occasionally until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Stir in l/2 cup of the cream until blended. Refrigerate 25 to 30 minutes or until cool. Stir in cookies and walnuts. In a chilled bowl beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in chocolate mixture just until combined. Spread mixture into 9-inch square baking dish and freeze 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Cut into squares to serve or pour mixture into dessert dishes and freeze. Garnish with shaved chocolate curls, nuts or whipped cream, if desired. You can make the curls running a vegetable peeler along the sides or ends of a thick bar of sweet or semi-sweet chocolate. TOTALLY COOL
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