Orange Occasions: Tangerine Cheesecake Ice Cream

After yesterday's post, I think I should just declare orange week. One of my favorite food blogs, Modern Comfort Food, coincidentally wrote about a dreamy tangerine cheesecake ice cream. This recipe touches upon two of my current obsessions: bright colors and warm weather. At the same time, I'm not the type to turn down ice cream, even in winter. It is citrus season after all...

Tangerine Cheesecake Ice Cream (Modern Comfort Food)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups tangerine (or, if you prefer, orange) juice
2 cups milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
2 egg yolks
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest
(Optional) 1 teaspoon citrus-flavored liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)

Preparation

1. In a large sauce pan, bring the tangerine juice to a boil on high heat and cook until it has reduced in volume to 1 1/2 cups. Lower the heat to medium-low, stir in the milk, and heat the mixture until it just reaches the simmer point.
2. While the juice and milk are heating and in a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn starch, cheese, and egg yolks until very well blended. Whisking continuously, gradually add two cups of the hot juice/milk mixture to the sugar mixture until well blended. Drizzle this mixture into the juice/milk in the saucepan, whisking continuously, and heat on medium-low for approximately five minutes or until the mixture thickens. Remove from burner and stir in the zest and the optional liqueur, if the latter is used.
3. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until very cold, preferably overnight.
4. When fully chilled, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes approximately 8 one-cup servings.

Images via Modern Comfort Food

Salted Caramels

In two short weeks I'll be home for Christmas. I'm already dreaming about the cooking, baking, and candy making that surrounds the holiday in my family. On this year's list: my mom's famous toffee, spritz cookies, peppermint bark, fudge, and peanut butter balls.

A new contender? Salted caramels. I love how easily these can be packaged as a gift or holiday treat. If wrapping them individually in wax paper is too time intensive, they can be bagged in a pretty cellophane bag tied with a large ribbon and decorative tag. If you're feeling extra generous, you can share the recipe on the card as well.

Salted Caramels
Ingredients and Equipment

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 8" square baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Candy thermometer
• Wax paper for wrapping or paper candy cups

Directions

• Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper.
• Bring the cream, butter and sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat and set aside.
• Boil the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan; then cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 248°F, the firm-ball stage.
• Carefully stir in the cream mixture—the mixture will bubble up. Simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. The temperature should not go higher than 250°F.
• Tip: To get the caramel consistency you want, test by dropping a spoonful of caramel into a bowl of cold water. It will form a ball, which you can test with your fingers. Stop cooking when the ball is the consistency that you want.

• Pour the mixture into the baking pan and cool 2 hours.
• Optional: dip the caramels in tempered melted chocolate; sprinkle the top with some grains of sea salt (pretty salts make a difference); or press in some culinary lavender buds.
• Cut into 1-inch pieces, then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, folding ends or twisting to close like taffy.

Images via The Kitchn

Pumpkin Season

Pumpkins are one of my favorite fall themes. From my mom's delicious pumpkin bread to Starbuck's beloved Pumpkin Spice latte, I like to capitalize on pumpkin consumption this time of year. Case in point, our dining hall conveniently serves pumpkin ice cream for a limited window between October and November. Who looks for every excuse to justify a post-dinner (alright, post-lunch sometimes too...) indulgence? That would be me.

In the past, I've experimented with pumpkin muffins, ravioli, and soup. My next attempt is a twist on the typical pumpkin cream soup. I'm hoping that the love child of two delicious tastes, pumpkin and thai, will prove to be a new favorite.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic, chopped

4 shallots, chopped

2 small fresh red chili peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped lemon grass

2 1/8 cups chicken stock

4 cups peeled and diced pumpkin

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, heat oil and butter over low heat. Cook garlic, shallots, chilies, and lemongrass in oil until fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic). Stir in chicken stock, coconut milk, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Cook until pumpkin softens.
• In a blender, blend the soup in batches to a smooth or slightly chunky consistency, whatever you prefer. Serve with basil leaves.