Yesterday Nate called and asked me if I would go to the store and get some ingredients to make chocolate chip walnut cookies with him. It was an unusual request because, while I adore baking, Nate has never really asked to bake anything with me. Cooking, yes, but baking...not so much. "Why babe?" I asked. "Because I want to do something different with you tonight."
That was enough for me. I decided to pick up provisions for ice cream too. We have an ice cream maker but have never actually made ice cream from scratch.
Quality time ensued...
"Can I mix it now?"
"No you can't mix it with all the flour in it. You have to use the wooden spoon."
"Why?"
"Could you imagine what it would look like to put those spinning beaters in this bowl of flour? POOF! (I then begin miming an epic flour explosion with my hands and face.) Is this your first time baking?"
"No, I baked with my mom when I was little."
"Was your favorite part mixing with the beaters?"
"No, she wouldn't let me do it."
"Why?"
"Because I always made a big mess."
"Makes sense."
"Did you like the ice cream and the cookies?" I asked.
"They were my second favorite." He replied.
"Which one was your second favorite?"
"Both... My favorite part of the night was just spending time with you."
We thought we'd share the ice cream recipe because it was really fantastic. It is from the show Everyday Italian by Cutie McCuteface, Giada De Laurentiis.
Ingredients:
2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. Nutella
1. In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, (about 5 minutes).
2. In a medium bowl beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow (about 4 minutes).
3. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, (about 7 to 10 minutes).
4. Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and Nutella until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. (You cam make it without an ice cream maker. Just pour the mix into a container and freeze 6-8 hours, stirring every few hours.)
Love and desserts,
Becka & Nate
Oh, doesn't Nate win big bonus points for that one!
Sweetness! On many different levels. Thanks for the recipe!
And now I'm dead. From a cuteness attack. From the cuteness that is the two of you little baking darlings!
Awe, you two are too cute! I have an ice cream maker and have a great vanilla recipe but I have been leery about trying recipes with eggs, but I'm gonna go for it and try this one! Keep being awesome!
I love nutella, it was so cheap when I lived in London, but so expensive in the states, argh. I could eat that stuff straight out of the container.
@Robin... he's pretty sweet huh?
@Deb... you're welcome, you've got to try it!
@Mew... just wait, I think recipes are gonna start popping up more and more around these parts ;)
@Chantel... I was a little nervous about that too. I kept freaking out about if they'd been heated up enough but so far we've all survived. It was a custard based ice cream. I think I'd like to try one without eggs and see if there's a difference because I'd rather not have them in there
@Amy... we do eat it right out of the container. LOL. And I got hooked on it in Italy. Pretty cheap there too. ;)
P.S. ever since you posted this on twitter I can't stop thinking about it!
I love nutella!! That recipe sound delicious- I want to make some right now. And that story is too cute!
you guys are so cute it hurts my face. :P ps, wait til you get to italy and have some nutella gelato. i swear, i would become a gypsy just to be close to it.