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Would You Rather Eat Gelato or Ice Cream?

partysugar — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:30:15 -0700

Photos by flickr user foodistablog and flickr user WayTru

Let's Dish: What Are Your Favorite Frozen Treats?

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:00:27 -0700

Right before the Fourth, I shed some light on the best foods to make when it's hot outside - including Summer-perfect desserts like frosty mojito cakes and spicy cantaloupe paletas. But my favorite frozen confections are the ones that remind me of my childhood - like red grapes straight out of the freezer and those triangle-shaped Minute Maid push pops (which, sadly, I haven't come across in ages). As for icy cocktails, I can never turn down a subzero piña colada. What are your favorite things to enjoy that are frozen?

Definition: Semifreddo

partysugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:50:03 -0700

Semifreddo
The phrase "half cold" in Italian, a semifreddo is any dessert including cake, ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, or custard that's partially chilled or somewhat frozen. The term also refers to a type of ice cream sandwich in which toasted croissants act as the cookie or bread base. In Italy, the most common ingredient in a semifreddo is gelato.

Source

Have Your Mint Popsicles and Eat the Stick Too!

YumSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:15:28 -0700

Recently we brainstormed the ultimate Popsicle. In my ideal Popsicle, the pesky wooden stick would be replaced with something deliciously edible. I decided to experiment with Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes, a rolled, wafer cookie with cream filling, using the cookie as the stick. The result is an easy and entirely edible Popsicle, inspired by one of my favorite Girl Scout Cookies - Thin Mints! Making the Popsicles was simple: I filled small Dixie cups with ice cream and gently inserted the cookie stick. The chocolate coating proved more difficult. I intended to quickly dip the Popsicles in melted chocolate and crushed mint cookies.

Unfortunately, the chocolate froze faster than I could dip and roll, so I opted for a simple chocolate coating. The wafer sticks come in four flavors, so feel free to choose your favorite cookie/ice cream combination. To learn the technique, read more.

Thin Mint Popsicles With Edible Stick
Original Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups mint chip ice cream
4 Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Cookies, halved
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup crushed Thin Mint Cookies (optional)

Directions

Cut the wafer cookies in half using a sharp knife. Fill 8 3-ounce paper cups half way with mint-chip ice cream. Gently insert the cookie stick in the center of cup. Finish filling cups with the ice cream and cookie sticks. Place in freezer for an hour to harden.
Melt chocolate chips and oil in a saucepan over low heat. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature. Add crushed cookies, if desired.
Remove Popsicles from mold and dip in chocolate. Serve immediately or place in freezer to set.

Makes 8 Popsicles.

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Nutella + Wafer Cookies = Ferrero Rocher Frozen Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:15:16 -0700

After drooling over PartySugar’s mojito cakes, I wanted to experiment with my own freezer pie. When searching for a recipe, I remembered one of my favorite frozen dessert cookbooks, Icebox Pies by Lauren Chattman. Since I'm crazy for Nutella, I decided to make her Gianduia Pie. Gianduia is a type of chocolate candy made with hazelnuts or almonds.
I was unable to find chocolate wafer cookies, so I substituted Fudge Stick cookies, a wafer sandwich-cookie covered in chocolate. To my delight, the creamy, chocolately, hazelnut filling and crunchy crust reminded me of delicious Ferrero Rocher chocolates, minus the gold wrapping! Learn how to make this divine yet minimal, no-bake pie when you, read more!

Gianduia Pie
Adapted from Ice Box Pies by Lauren Chattman

Ingredients

Crust
20 Fudge Wafer Bar Cookies
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 13 ounce jar of Nutella

Directions

Preheat the oven 350°F. Place all of hazelnuts (1 1/4 cup) on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until they are fragrant.
Place the nuts on a clean kitchen towel and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Once cool, rub the nuts with the towel to remove the skin. A little skin won't hurt but try to remove as much as possible.
Make the crust: place the nuts and cookies in a food processor and grind finely. Combine the crumb and nut mixture, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium size mixing bowl and stir until the crumb and nut mixture is moistened.
Press the mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and all the way up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly with your fingertips so it is even and compacted.
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until edges start to become firm. The crust will become more firm as it cools. Let cool completely before filling. The crust may be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month.
Make the filling: place 3/4 cup toasted and skinned hazelnuts in a food processor and process until very fine.
Combine the cream and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
Place the Nutella in a medium-size mixing bowl and stir in one quarter of the whipped cream.
Gently fold the lightened Nutella mixture back into the remaining whipped cream. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts.
Scrape the filling into the prepared pie shell and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is completely set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Serves 8 or makes one 9-inch pie.

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Taste Test: PhillySwirl Ice Cream Cupcakes

partysugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:18 -0700

A little while back, I received a box of ice cream cupcakes by PhillySwirl. I put the box in the freezer and totally forgot about them until I saw them featured on the Today Show. So last week, Yum, Molly, and I cracked open the box. There's nothing fancy or pretentious about these cupcakes. They come in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. Each cupcake has a layer of cake, a layer of ice cream, a hard chocolate candy coating, a frosting topping, and a sprinkle of jimmies. To see what I thought of these frozen treats, read more.

They were absolutely delicious! With its creamy frosting, I preferred the vanilla to the chocolate. Like a blast from elementary school past, the taste is similar to those super-sugary, grocery store cupcakes that come in plastic containers.

The chocolate tasted like a cross between a brownie sundae and a Klondike bar. Both were totally indulgent without being over-the-top sweet.

I especially enjoyed the concept and plan on experimenting with my own ice cream cupcake recipe. Have you tried the PhillySwirl ice cream cupcakes? If so, what did you think?

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Cool and Creamy Frozen Mojito Cakes

partysugar — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 08:00:34 -0700

When I saw the recipe Yum found for frozen mojito cakes, I knew I had to make them. A cross between key lime pie and a mojito, these individual cakes are everything you want in a summer dessert. They are sweet yet tart, cold but creamy, and downright delicious.The pretzel crust adds a salty flavor and crunchy texture. It's a scrumptious alternative to the classic graham cracker crust that I will definitely experiment with in the future. To get the ideal-for-entertaining recipe, which happens to be from the current issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine, read more.

Frozen Mojito Cakes
From Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

2 sticks (8 ounces) butter
3 cups salted pretzels, finely crushed
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
Grated peel of 3 limes, plus 1/2 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons white rum
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish
2 cups heavy cream

Directions

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the pretzels and 2 tablespoons sugar and cook until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.

Press about 2 tablespoons into the bottom of each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix in the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar on low speed, then gradually mix in the lime peel, lime juice, rum and chopped mint.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.*

Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly among the muffin cups; smooth the tops. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
To serve, run a wet knife around each cake, then invert the pan onto a clean work surface. Set each cake upright and top with a mint sprig.

Serves 12.

*During this step, I stirred in a few drops of green food coloring.

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7 Easy No-Bake Desserts

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:30:06 -0700

Let's face it: some days, it's too hot to even consider turning the oven on. However, the heat shouldn't hold you back from making delicious desserts. Here are seven sans-oven options (even cookies and tarts!) that you can turn to when the heat is on.

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Off to Market Recap: Popsicle Molds

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:00:14 -0700

This summer popsicles are all the rage. While YumSugar's been experimenting with them for weeks now, I have yet to join her on this icy adventure. The reason I haven't made popsicles is because I don't own any popsicle molds. However, I'm dying to whip up some fabulous frozen treats, so you helped me by finding some popsicle molds! You looked for popsicle molds in any color, shape, or size and you bookmarked everything you found in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Popsicle Molds.

I've already ordered this bright blue, silicone mold. It's dishwasher safe, can be folded for easy storage during the Winter and makes fabulously shaped pops! For more pop molds, browse the collection below.

Interested in bookmarking? Read geeksugar's explanation of this feature to learn how to participate.

Off to Market: Popsicle Molds

partysugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:30:15 -0700

This summer popsicles are all the rage. While YumSugar's been experimenting with them for weeks now, I have yet to join her on this icy adventure. The reason I haven't made popsicles is because I don't own any popsicle molds. However, I'm dying to whip up some fabulous frozen treats, so can you help me find some popsicle molds? Look for popsicle molds in any color, shape, or size. If you find some cool sticks, save those as well! Bookmark everything you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Popsicle Molds. Thanks for your help and happy hunting!

Interested in bookmarking? Read geeksugar's explanation of this feature to learn how to participate.

Find out where I like to shop online for food and entertaining accessories when you read more

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market