For my birthday, I want an ice cream cake. Not from Baskin Robbins…I want YOU to make it. Mint ice cream. Chocolate cake. Chocolate frosting. And if you *really* love me, you’d make the ice cream from scratch. Good luck with that.
That is the man I married. Though that might be interpreted as quite the a-hole-ish statement…that is really his way of firing me up for a challenge. ‘Cause no one tells me there is something I can’t do in the kitchen. Later that week my dear sweet hubby said he no longer wanted an ice cream cake…but rather ice cream CUPCAKES. ::sigh:: That actually sounded much easier to me. So guess what…we had ice cream cupcakes! Here is the whole HOW-TO!
This was also the golden opportunity for a double whammy present…ice cream maker for me, ice cream for him. Don’t have to tell me twice! ;) Hello Williams-Sonoma…& hello homemade organic ice cream! I decided to go with the accessory I have wanted for years…the ice cream attachment for my KitchenAid Pro Stand Mixer. It works with the regular KitchenAid Mixer too (the one where the top tips up) and let me tell you…it is an amazing piece of equipment. I was a little concerned after reading some so-so reviews, but I have tasted amazing ice cream out of it made at the Sur La Table in Omaha & I knew I could make it work if I tried hard enough. All I had to do was put it in the freezer for at least 15 hours & put the dasher/churning paddle in, add the ingredients, then “stir.” So easy.
I scoured the web for the perfect recipe for ice cream. We love mint in this house, so I knew my first batch had to be mint chocolate chip. I looked at a lot of recipes & I really wanted to find something simple. There were a lot of modified recipes…low sugar and junk like that. If you have read any of my foodie posts, you know that I believe in real food. I eat real butter and milk and sugar. I use the good stuff because when you make it right, you need to eat less of it. It is more satisfying. & this ice cream did NOT disappoint! Here’s what you need for the ice cream (but keep in mind, if you don’t have a way to make your own ice cream, store bought softened ice cream will do!!):
EASY MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM
found at Allrecipes.com HERE.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2% milk (I used caroline’s whole milk after a reviewer suggested it & it was PERFECT)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 drops green food coloring (optional–I did not use this)
- 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (you want these chopped into flaky chocolate pieces–really, really chopped so they melt in your mouth. I used one of these)
Directions
- In a large bowl, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until the sugar has dissolved. Color to your liking with the green food coloring. *I did not use food coloring
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After about 10 minutes into the freezing, add the chocolate chips. After the ice cream has thickened, about 30 minutes later, spoon into a container, and freeze for 2 hours. (I happen to think it is the perfect consistency right out of the mixer-nice & soft)
If you want some amazing cookies & cream ice cream, you can alter this recipe & sub the one tsp of mint for a second tsp of vanilla & add a row of crushed oreos to the mix. That was batch #2 & it was just as delicious!!
Now….to the ICE CREAM CUPCAKES…
The ice cream was only part of the process here. I [gasp] used boxed cake for the cupcakes. I know. Shame on me. But it was a busy week. So, after finding this YUMMY recipe, here is the process I followed:
- mix cupcake batter & fill cups about 1/3 full with batter. bake. once done & cooled, put the tray in the freezer. (I did this overnight) cupcake will be nice & firm & not soak up any of the ice cream.
- make ice cream. (or soften store bought ice cream) top each cupcake with enough ice cream to round out the top nicely. return to freezer.
- top with frosting. I made a beautiful chocolate ganache that ended up nice & crunchy after some time in the freezer. My choc-o-holic hubby RAVED about this part. I mean who wouldn’t with those ingredients. But really, it was the perfect topping. I added the sprinkles before I put it back in the freezer.
- store cupcakes in freezer until ready to serve!
To say he enjoyed them is an understatement…he ate every last one of them…one a day…until there were no more! :) SUCCESS!