sweet on you
I’ve been on puke watch all day since 4 am.
No, not for me. Chemo has done everything else to me including making me feel like I want to puke, but so far I can report no hay pukeage para mi. Let’s be thankful for the little things.
Someone in our household engaged in some Unsupervised Dietary Indiscretions… Take a guess.
huh?
I think she’s on the mend now. The interesting thing is that Kaweah is such a creature of the moment that when she pukes she’s sad and traumatized, but then after she pukes her reaction is, “w00t! Someone left food on the floor!” If only life were that simple.
Yet some things in life are almost that simple. Over ten years ago, in the little college town of Ithaca, New York, Jeremy and I acquired an ice cream maker for $30. Living just above the poverty line in the name of Science, we figured it was high time to start making our own Coffee Heath Bar Crunch ice cream instead of paying $3 for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. We even bought their recipe book. This was mostly Jeremy’s scheme since I don’t typically touch the stuff – it makes me spastic, as does all caffeine. He made a few batches. He said it was “okay”. We calculated the cost of making it ourselves and decided it was about the same as dealing through the Boys of Vermont… and their ice cream was better in quality, so we gave up.
But last summer I blew the dust off of Ye Olde Ice Cream Maker and tried some new recipes via The Lebovitz… David, that is. His custard-based ice creams really won me over. When I made his coffee ice cream recipe, Jeremy fried a circuit gushing over how rich, creamy, dense, smooth, and coffee-y it was. Good stuff, kids. Pure joy.
Fast forward to last week when Jeremy and I were cruising the aisle for after-Easter sale candy. I mentioned that I had some egg yolks to use up after the Daring Bakers Challenge and what flavor ice cream would he like me to make? He replied coffee (because he already had chocolate in the freezer that I made earlier). Sure, coffee. Why not put some Heath Bar in there while we’re at it?
why not?
Take care when smashing up the toffee because it can become powder in no time flat. Or maybe it’s that my superhuman strength turns a simple rolling pin into…
the pulverizer
That was fun. I was sure to leave plenty of large chunks of toffee for Jeremy’s snacking pleasure. So once the ice cream custard was cooled and I ran it through our ice cream machine for 30 minutes, it was the right consistency for adding the goods.
mix quickly
The yield is a quart and some change. I don’t actually know how much it costs to make – probably comparable to B&J’s prices… The difference is that this version is way the hell better than Ben and Jerry’s. The coffee flavor is stronger (I use dark roast beans) and the ice cream is richer and creamier. Jeremy friggin’ loves this stuff. It’s his new best friend. I had to pry the tupperware from his arms when he went to bed the other night, he loves it so much… Shazaam!
mission accomplished
You can get the recipe for the coffee ice cream here and mix in 4 crushed Heath Bar candy bars after turning in the ice cream maker, but before freezing.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Oh yum. I know, half of the stuff I make I could buy for less…but most of what I make is so much better…including the peach cobbler I had at a restaurant today. :)
I know the naughty puppy, I have one myself. She is not throwing up but has crapped out two cupcake wrappers(WHOLE). She didn’t eat the cupcakes…just the wrapper. I do love the guilty, sad look your pup is giving.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Poor kaweah. I hope she feels better soon. On the other hand, I always brighten up when I see you blog :) I took a peek at The Perfect Scoop the other day and took note of a recipe– if it works out, I’m thinking of getting the book, heh :) (uh… It always takes me this long to decide on buying a book.) I don’t know what a Heath bar tastes like (we don’t have it here..) but that ice cream looks very professionally made! How was it cost-wise compared to B&J’s?
The coffee ice cream post you linked to seems positively ages ago!
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Homemade ice cream is so good that I don’t even allow myself to make it – nobody is strong enough to pry the tupperware from my greedy little hands. Coffee Heath is so good though, maybe I’ll have to try it. Just once. Last time we made ice cream, it was banana with 70% Valrhona shavings. Yum!
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 am
Poor Kaweah. While I was in undergrad, my parent’s dog, a little cock-a-poo, ate 10 cream cheese chocolate cupcakes that I made. I stupidly put them on a coffee table… perfect standing height for a cock-a-poo. Surprisingly, she didn’t get sick. Anyway, the ice cream and heath bar bits look yummy.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:07 am
That the opening anecdote does not diminish the reader’s appetite is a testimony to the deliciousness of your blog …
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:51 am
Freakin’ animal puke. My cat’s a total puker. So annoying.
David Lebovitz is one of the cookbook authors I hadn’t heard of until I started reading food blogs (along with Donna Hay and Dorie Greenspan). I haven’t made any of his ice cream, but the vanilla is on my list. I’ve made several of my favorite cookbooks’ vanilla ice creams, and none was worth all the effort involved.
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:05 am
your dog and mine are one in the same, I read that and starting laughing!
Always wanted to make ice cream… but just figured it was easier to buy!
but you inspired me yet again, so I am going on the hunt for an ice cream maker for the summer.
most of my attempts will include booze thou!
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:07 am
Coffee ice cream with toffee bits – I’m so there. It might be quite a caffeine high but so worth it. And you’re right about the cost – it may not be cheaper but dang if it ain’t a million times better than store-bought.
Hope your gal feels better :)
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
I just noticed that you’re on the Smitten Kitchen blogroll. You’ve hit the big time now! (I also just noticed that her blogroll isn’t constant. Interesting.)
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:56 am
What a beautiful face Kaweah has, hopefully she’s feeling better soon and has better judgement next time. As I write this, my shiba inu Bobby is eating his weight in strands of cotton ripped from his rope bone. It’s time to get him a new toy :-)
The ice-cream is mouthwatering! I’ve always used the B&J recipes from their book but maybe I need to try out David’s custard base. Your ice-cream looks and sounds amazing.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
“It’s his new best friend.” Hilarious.
Poor doggy. Maybe sympathy sick for you? When I don’t feel well, Arnold-dog takes it upon himself to smoosh into me, looking forlorn and sighing deeply and letting me know that he is not going to enjoy himself until I’m up and at ’em. Maybe K-Girl is the same?
In any case, hope she (and you) are waggnig again soon.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Just found your blog and I’m loving it. Just wanted to say hi! I love the ice cream pictures – I just barely dusted my ice cream maker off too to use up the party cake egg yolks for ice cream and brownies.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Delicious – Heath, I believe, are the US version of what we know as Dime/Daim bars.
I also love the fact that you said “shazaam!”
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
That ice cream looks amazing! I will definitely have to try it!
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
This delicious post makes me very, very sad that my lame Cuisinart ice cream maker began oozing blue goo last time I used it . . . so I had to throw it out! I’m thinking about buying the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker bowl for my stand mixer. What kind of equipment do you use?
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
How decadent does that look?! Unfortunately, knowing myself, I would finish off those Heath bars before I even get the dust off the ice cream machine =(
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
your dog is gorgeous! i’ve always wanted a black lab (is she a lab?) but i’ve got a cocker spaniel and a yellow lab and they had yellow/white spanadors…my dream hasn’t come true yet.
that ice cream looks really creamy..bet it was awesome.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
poor doggy! She is so gorgeous, though – I hope she is fully recovered now
I had to smile when reading your post – having two dogs, we go through this routine sometimes – the “hey, someone left food on the floor!” except that sometimes is the healthy dog grabbing what the sick one just “recycled”
it makes my stomach turn inside… :-)
well, sorry for the horrible reply for such a nice blog entry!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
That ice cream looks good with those huge chunks of candy bars.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Holy crap! That looks friggin’ awesome! I can’t believe I’m out of cream and the grocery store is closed! I’m gonna be thinking about this ice cream all night! Um…maybe I could call one of the neighbors. They’re probably still up.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:07 pm
That’s so funny– I just bought my first pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch yesterday! It was so delicious, and so VERY hard for me to limit myself to 1/4 of the pint.
But now you say this is better? More coffee-y? Sacre bleu! And I love the rich color of yours, it’s coffee without being all in your face, “Coffee! Brown!” You’d better keep that tupperware far, far away from these parts!
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
This looks incredible!!!! I make a dulce de leche ice cream w/bittersweet chocolate shards that is very yummy. That same ice cream would be great w/your heath bar idea. *note to self
Hope your dog is over the crummies. I accidentally left my persian cat out on the deck tonight and halfway through a thunderstorm/tornado warning realized he was hunkered down under the chaise lounge……….it wasn’t pretty.
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Oh damn, I realize you just said you don’t know how much it costs to make… Haha! Apparently my brain is fried as well :p
April 4th, 2008 at 5:13 am
Poor Pup!
You , I have been wanting to get an ice cream maker for about a year now. I absolutely have to get one before this summer!
April 4th, 2008 at 11:53 am
YUM. I think I may have to make that one. I wanted to let you know that I made your Swiss Chocolate Buttercream recipe for my husband’s cake and it was a hit. I just posted it on my blog and referenced your site. Thank you. It was delish. By the way I LOVE ITACA!
April 4th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
SHEESH, that ice cream looks so good! But honestly, you only have to pay three bucks for a pint of B&J’s?? Over in Finland a package costs $9 or more – one of the reasons why I still have a waist. Home made ice cream rocks over that, though :)
April 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I love the pic of Kaweah that you took, Jen. She totally looks like she’s doing something wrong!
Hope you have a speedy recovery! Thanks for blogging to keep us entertained and drooling. :)
April 4th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
i love reading your blog! your pictures are gorgeous and look amazingly delicious :)! amy (from nookandpantry) told me you’re a lloyd alum!! i’m in lloyd right now :P.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
That ice cream looks insanely good :) I love making my own ice cream, don’t have a machine, just pour the mixture into a container, freeze, beat occasionally and hope for the best…it’s a method that hasn’t let me down!
Your dog is flipping adorable – beautiful eyes :)
April 4th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Deliciousssssssssss! Again you got me drooling! Haha
Hey! I meme you. You can see it in my blog… you don’t have to answer if you don’t have the time… it’s OK. :D
April 4th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Your pup’s look is priceless! Major drool over the ice cream :)
April 6th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Kaweah looks so loving in that picture, so glad she’s there to make you feel better.
The feeling of puking is yucky, but once it’s done, it feels so good. We just got back from out of town and my plane trip gave me that puking feeling all day. It wore me out.
Gosh, I haven’t had Heath bars since my Olympic National Park days. I always had a heath bar, a bag of skittles and snickers at my emergency disposal. If anyone found me dead on the backcountry, they could easily ID me with these 3 essentials.
Isn’t too cold in your SNOW to eat this ice cream?! Sorry, I’m just being a jealous brat! ;)
April 7th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Peabody – your pup is too funny!
Mark – aw, you’re very kind! If there’s a recipe you want to try from TPS, let me know. I’ll email you a recipe. I really do love his recipes and if you like ice cream, I’m guessing you’ll like his book too! Also, let me know if you can’t get it easily where you are. Heath bars are thin toffee covered in milk chocolate… maybe I should send you one of those?! :) I did a quick calculation and I think our version costs a tad more than B&J’s to make, but definitely worth it!
Mia – that’s why I make the flavors that Jeremy likes and I don’t make my favorites too often! :)
Chuck – sounds like a great memory for your dog especially since she didn’t get sick! Kaweah is good about leaving things alone if she’s indoors. Outdoors – not so much.
Astrid – ha ha! oh thanks :)
Bridget – gack, I can’t imagine having a puker cat. I like kitties (but unfortunately allergic to them), but their hairball habit would be worse than the occasional dog pukage to me. I hadn’t heard of all three of those people until I started food blogging – go figure!
Woolly – labs, what can you say? :) I love booze and desserts, they go together perfectly.
Christine – thanks sweetie!
Bridget – I saw that a few months ago. Quite flattering considering I think Deb is awesome :)
Allen – thank you and no, there is no such thing as judgement when referring to Kaweah! I highly recommend David’s book. The ice creams are sooo good!
KatieC – I’m glad Kaweah doesn’t get sympathy sick, because that would be a nightmare during my chemo! No, she was genuinely sick. But she does get awfully cuddly when I’m sad or ill. She comes and does the smooshing thing too and needs to be spooned. Arnold sounds like a total sweetheart. Thanks :)
Holly – sounds like you have the makings for a sweet ice cream!
Graeme – I bet you real money that those Daim bars probably taste better than their Yankee counterparts, no?
Pam – ooh! Good luck and I hope you like it.
FRM – we actually have a Cuisinart maker! Ugh, I hope that doesn’t mean our Cuisinart has a similar destiny.
Jesse – ha ha ha!
Diva – yup, she’s a black lab, pure and stupid (but very very sweet).
SallyBR – that is hilarious! and probably one of the reasons we haven’t gone and picked up a second pup ;)
Kevin – absolutely, it’s like dessert and more dessert :)
Susan – pshaw! You? with all of those gorgeous desserts you’ve been making? I’d gladly trade this ice cream for some of those gorgeous strawberry shortcakes!
Jen – ha ha, I think you might should give the recipe a try?
Stacey – oh, dulce de leche is soooo good. That’s right up my alley! Poor kitty!! I hope he forgave you ;)
Mark – no worries, dear. I think ours came out a dollar more per unit price?
Maya – it’s actually pretty fun if you like to make ice cream and have the storage space.
Lori – cool! I’m so glad it worked for you. I hope he liked the special cake!!
Nekkutyttoe – you are kidding! That’s crazy. Well, more power to you to make homemade :)
Shoshanna – thanks!
Bettina – a Lloydie! Amy told me you’re a sophomore. Good luck, chica. There’s life after Tech and even though it might be really tough, it’s an incredible experience and you will learn with each passing year that you learned way more than you thought you did. Good on ya. Ditch day is tomorrow… ;)
Laura – wow, you are diligent. I’m impressed. Thanks – pup is a looker (not much of a thinker).
Isa – thanks, I’ll check it out!
Tartelette – those baaaad puppies :)
WoRC – you’re such a loon! I can’t believe you had all of that junk food with you in the backcountry! It’s never too cold for ice cream and well, we actually heat our house in winter – ha ha ha!! You’re such a smart ass ;)
April 7th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Well, your ice cream is divine and my ice cream turned out phenomenal so I bought the book! I’m just biding my time before I post the results! I’m sooo excited!! :D Thanks Jen!!
April 14th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Mark – awesome!!