Please bear with me but I am going to try to go somewhere with this ramble. First, just take a look at that ice cream! All I could say while I was stuffing it in my face was “wow, just wow.” This dish struggled against all the odds to be born…and the fact that it was bigotry free made my day.
I know enough food bloggers to know a certain truth to the breed. They all keep a backlog of various recipes, post ideas, projects and even actual photos that have yet to find their way to their respective blog pages. This can exist in any given format or for any manner of reason: ideas from blogs we hope to recreate one day, culinary inventions that exist only in our mind waiting for a free afternoon to throw together, photos of earlier creations sitting in the camera waiting for a spare moment to get written about, and much more. I even keep on hand a bunch of pictures from projects that I never actually intend to post about. Its quite easy for something that catches my eye to never see the light of a computer screen. Such was the case with this Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream you see here. This was the post that defied all probability to get featured here today.
To start with the recipe is from a book I received way back at Christmas, Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home To Yours. Yep, a baking book full of amazing pictures of pies, cakes, and cookies. An ice cream recipe without a picture in this particular book isn’t really begging to get noticed let alone made and yet this one caught mine. It is a cooked custard recipe (think rich and smooth) which uses good quality bittersweet chocolate made into a creamy ganache before mixing. The somewhat low sugar content had me thinking I should file this one away for when I need another “adult chocolate” tasting desert for certain chocolate-craving family members. To make this, I would also need an ice cream maker since I stupidly gave mine away years ago — but I could cross that bridge when I got to it if this recipe ever got to the making stage.
Skip ahead then to a couple weeks ago, back when I made my Original Plum Torte. I made this fruity torte, cake, gateau, what-have-you for a small gathering of in-laws to come back to after a night out at the movies. I happened to think it was really something special (and apparently a few blog friends thought so too as they subsequently featured it on their blogs!) but Nephew just turned his nose up it and then turned it down, flat. The reason? It wasn’t chocolate! Now he is of the mind that if it is not chocolate it is not “dessert” and while I can allow people their preferences, I thought that saying so was a bit intolerant. Fruit needs to have its day in the sun too and I would never deny fruit its right to the status of “dessert”. Variety makes life interesting, n’est-ce pas? Nonetheless, the episode (as I now refer to it) propelled me to run through my recipe lists in search of a chocolate recipe to please Nephew (or to at least taunt him with here.)
Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream with hot fudge
I came up with chocolate pies, cookies, puddings, and soufflés, all of which would have done the trick quite nicely but I never remembered the ganache ice cream I had filed away. No ice cream maker after all… Then something happened that all but guaranteed I would not only remember the recipe but actually get my butt off the chair to get an ice cream maker and make this thing. On August 10 the Tuesdays With Dorie crowd selected this recipe for their blog circle. “The Doristas” (as I like to call them collectively) choose an item from Dorie’s book each week and all 200 (or so) of them blog about it and share their experiences. Its quite fun to see how one item can be interpreted so many different ways. So, while I was grateful for the reminder and confirmation that this was, indeed, the sinfully chocolate treat I was looking for, once 200 people or so blog about a particular dish, I’d say its pretty done for and I would have nothing else to contribute to the discussion. I’d put my camera down this time. (Since we’re talking about them, check out the blog of one of my favorite Doristas, Mike the Ugly Dude. He may be the lone male Dorista and I think he must makes his creations in a dorm kitchen or some other type of small space. I just love the honesty of his posts and the food shots when compared to the other 200 mostly perfection seeking Doristas. (I don’t say this to put them down at all as obviously I would be a Dorista of this variety too if I just had the discipline to join their weekly ranks. I always gets a big smile to see everything from Sharpies to dish washing liquid sharing screenspace with his “ugly” Dorie Greenspan creations though. Keep up the good work Mike!)
Anyway, once reminded of this ice cream 200 some odd times (I follow the Doristas religiously) and with multiple submissions of their photos to the “food porn” sites like Tastespotting and Food Gawker, I was completely sold, the recipe went to the top of my to-do list, and I started shopping around for an ice cream maker. LAWD! Was I really going to buy another single use appliance? It was during a previous divestment of such things that I got rid of my previous ice cream maker. Once I decide I need something for a project there is no stopping me. I thought I would just run across the street to Target and quickly pick up an ice cream maker. OOOPPH!
Nope. I’m afraid I couldn’t do that. You see, as convenient as it would have been to go just one block from my house to buy an ice cream maker from Target I just couldn’t make myself do it. Target recently made a very public political political donation ($150,000!) that was targeted to fund the conservative, supposedly “pro business” campaign of Tom Emmer for Minnesota governor. Corporations are newly able to do this because of the outrageous Supreme Court decision last term that considers corporation the same as people under the Constitution thereby granting them the same 1st Amendment rights. (How many people do you know that can instantly raise vast sums of cash by selling shares of themselves on a stock exchange?)
Target’s donation knowingly went right into the hands of a man who is outspoken in his opposition to not only same-sex marriage but all other gay-rights initiatives that have come before Minnesota’s legislature. Hearing this really broke my heart because I used to adore meandering the aisles at Target. The company had cultivated a nice, somewhat hip design aesthetic with their products (even their pharmacy prescription bottles are cool) and even seemed to treat their gay employees well as indicated in several HRC employement guides. All of that goes out the window with this donation. “Please work for us so that we can donate money to campaigns that seek to ensure that you are unequal under the law.”)
I’m usually not too keen towards boycotts as most of them are misplaced and ineffective. This one just seems so different and many seem to agree with me. I don’t care if the boycott and subsequent outrage doesn’t change anything…I just can’t bring myself to shop there any longer. Frankly, even if you aren’t gay but know someone or have a family member who is you should stop shopping there. Its time to take a stand for what is right even if it means driving a bit farther to buy a DVD. Shoot, even Target’s own investors are upset with this one (as their stock price tumbles.) You see, gay people have families and friends and with each passing day they just aren’t going to be putting up with this shit.
So we’ll see what happens. In the meantime I’m not ready to forgive Target’s transgressions against our civil rights in order to get a great price on cat litter. “Speech” and participation in the political discourse has its responsibilities and its consequences so I hope other corporations are paying attention. So I’m sorry Target, but you essentially broke up with me first. I’m dating around now. I ended up buying the Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment from Williams Sonoma and it worked just fine. I have choices. What I don’t have is any pictures of the custard phase of this recipe as I was too busy stirring. Dorie herself suggested on her blog that this recipe would take well to some home made hot fudge and who was I to argue with the Godess of Bake herself? Both recipes are below and are quite good so you really ought to try them. This whole ice cream project has ruined store-bought for me just as Target’s donation has ruined that whole company’s reputation for me.
(Oh yeah, check out my new kitchen scale too! Guess where I didn’t buy that one?)
Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
Word for word from Dorie Greenspan “Baking: From My Home to Yours“
This is what you will need:
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
This is how you make it:
- Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring ¾ cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.
- Bring the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid—this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.
- Refrigerate the custard until well chilled before churning it into ice cream.
- Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.
- Bring the cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa and salt to a boil over medium heat.
- Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in the chocolate and butter.
- Return to a simmer for 1 minute more, then stir in the vanilla. Pour into a heatproof jar and use now or cool, cover tightly, chill and reheat very, very gently before serving.
Boo on Target. I am glad you know that. They have been off my list for years. And guess what? I too use the KA attachment for ice cream. In fact check in Sat for a KA made tomato sorbet that will somehow fit into my week of corn recipes. And lastly, Doristas. Now that’s funny. GREG
This is why I always have a jar of hot fudge on stand by, lol, you’ll never know when you’re going to crave for an ice cream! Your ice cream is absolutely divine, I’ll definitely give it a go. My kids love hot fudge, too, especially on their banana sundae and pancake in the morning. 🙂
Yum-O!!!
I’ve been boycotting as well. It’s the right thing to do, but it really HURTS. We’re going to shop for school supplies this weekend at Office Max. Yuck. Someone suggested KMart as a Target replace, but I don’t know. Do they still have blue light specials?
I made Mexican chocolate ice cream yesterday, using Ibarra chocolate and subbing half and half for the heavy cream. No cream in the house, and this shaved a few calories off. I’ll have to taste it today after it’s set up.
Cindy, the only true measure of our values comes when there is sacrifice involved. If you can give them up easily when there is something to be gained (like better school supplies) then they don’t mean much to begin with.
I appreciate your sacrifice more than you can ever know!
I am working on a mexican chili chocolate ice cream this weekend. Mmm….
Not only do you provide an excellent recipe for ice cream, but you also give one for putting one’s values into action.
It’s not enough to feel sympathy for a certain group of people, or resentment over the bad behavior of a corporation or politician: to make positive change, each of us should follow up with action.
In our society, money talks loudest. Depriving Target of sales is an effective way of sending the message that we will not support an enterprise that works to strip fellow Americans of their full citizenship.
-bg
Hello ^_^
As my husband is one of those annoying “if it isn’t chocolate, it won’t pass my lips” people, I was lured in by your recipe. I’m going to have to make it for him. However, under step #1, it doesn’t make sense. I think you’re missing some text. I’ll have to check back in for an update.
Thank you for posting this recipe, and thank you for being a person of principle, willing to speak out and put your money where your mouth is.
~MJA
MJA, I corrected and clarified the first step. Thanks for your input. Please stop back and let me know how it goes! Trevor Sis. Boom.
Wow this looks amazing!
My sisters and I have a linky party every Sunday called Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays. We pick a theme each week and this week’s theme is Chocolate. We would like to invite you to come by and link up your favorite chocolate recipes. The link is opened all week (until Sat) so please come by and say hi.
http://everydaysisters.blogspot.com/2011/07/everyday-sisters-sharing-sundays-3.html
Ellen
http://everydaysisters.blogspot.com
Phooey to Target…I’m disappointed in them, too.
I’m making chocolate ice cream today, but an epicurious recipe instead…must have missed the glut of chocolate ice cream posts this week…yours is my first. We had snow last night, so I’m starting to think I’m a bit insane, but it may keep me from eating too much. Yours looks fabulous (as I’m slyly taking in your food styling hoping to come up with something close to that nice).
Ah ha…this is an August post…whew, I’m not as out of touch as I thought 🙂
Bravo to you for taking a serious look at who you give your money too. There are a lot of people oblivious to things about companies that they are not realizing that they support. I have my list of banned. It may not change the company but it makes me feel much better!
This is an oldie (august) but I am definitely glad to see it. Delicious ice cream always brings a smile-yum!