frozen desserts Archives - Anali's Next Amendment

Holiday Recipe: Eggnog Ice Cream

July 30, 2020December 18, 2019 by Lisa Johnson

Is there one thing that is the epitome of the holidays for you? When I was a kid, that first eggnog of the season, right before Thanksgiving was it. The holiday season was here for real!

Now eggnog is here much sooner, but for me, it’s still a clear signal that the holidays are upon us. As much as I love eggnog, I never made it from scratch until yesterday, when I made this eggnog ice cream for the first time.

While I do enjoy eating raw cookie dough as I bake, I must admit that the multiple raw egg yolks freaked me out a bit. But I got over it. Especially since I added alcohol, which feels like it cleans it up a bit. Maybe?!?

Anyway, as long as you have an ice cream maker, this recipe is pretty simple. The recipe is adapted from an Alton Brown one that I found on NPR back in December 2006. Way back at the beginning of the century! And now, we’re zooming into 2020 in a mere two weeks! But eggnog is timeless.

This recipe was adapted based on what I have at home and my personal taste. I had some half and half that I needed to use up and I happen to have vanilla oat milk. I don’t have bourbon, but I do have vanilla flavored vodka, so that’s what I used. I also added some additional flavor extracts and a bit of salt, because the mixture tasted somewhat bland. The final result is delicious!

I hope you try this recipe and adapt based on what you have at home as well. Happy Holidays!

🎄🎄🎄

Eggnog Ice Cream (makes 1 quart)

INGREDIENTS:
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup vanilla oat milk
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup Pinnacle®️ Whipped®️ Vodka

INSTRUCTIONS:
You can use the directions in the original recipe or the way I have done below.

Beat the egg yolks well in a large bowl. Use what you have — a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer (what I used) or a manual hand mixer. Add in the sugar and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and use a whisk to combine. Chill mixture in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Transfer mixture to your ice cream maker and use as directed. Place ice cream in an airtight container and put in freezer for several hours.

Hey Boston! Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with Free Vice Cream!

July 30, 2020July 16, 2017 by Lisa Johnson

Happy National Ice Cream Day! One of my favorite days! Although, I celebrate by eating ice cream far more than once a year.

If you’re in Boston today, you might be able to get some free ice cream. Today, between noon and 4pm, the Vice Cream Truck will be patrolling Boston streets and walking around the areas where people are outside enjoying this beautiful summer day.

Plus, they will meet anyone who tweets “Today is National Ice Cream Day and I want @eatvicecream” along with their location.

The Vice Cream Truck will be giving out samples of their most popular flavors: Choc of Shame, Bourbon Mash, Toffee Wife, Breakfast in Bed, Higher Grounds, Afternoon Delight and Minted while supplies last. The company also has an interesting back story.

+ + +

Vice Cream is all about unapologetic indulgence with eight super premium flavors and tagline “Live Life, Dig In.”

When Vice Cream Founder Dan Schorr was in college, he paid for school by driving a Good Humor ice cream truck during the summer. It was during those hot summer months that he saw first-hand the joy ice cream could bring people. Years later in 2015, life threw Dan a curveball when doctors told him he had cancer – an aggressive form of lymphoma.

After undergoing treatment that included chemotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Dan beat the disease and made a decision to not just live life, but indulge in it, which led him to create Vice Cream in Boston.

To Dan, ice cream is, and always should be, about unapologetic indulgence. Through the “Nice Vice” program, Vice Cream aims to bring smiles to cancer patients and their families by supporting various cancer charities nationwide, and at events like the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl and sampling Vice Cream at hospitals.

+ + +

I haven’t tried Vice Cream — yet. I’ve been trying to be good with Halo, but I’m intrigued and may indulge at some point.

Well, as I write this, it’s close to 1pm. They only have one truck, but they will do their best to get to everyone who tweets in the 4-hour timeframe. So time to get tweeting!

+ + +
Images: L’Orange A Trois and Vice Cream Truck courtesy of Vice Cream.

Halo Top Ice Cream: It’s The Real Deal

July 30, 2020June 20, 2017 by Lisa Johnson

Have you tried Halo Top? It’s the low calorie ice cream that everyone is raving about.

I first heard about Halo Top a few months ago and absolutely did not believe the hype. I heard that people loved it so much and that certain flavors were so hard to find that people would buy containers in bulk and stockpile them like they may never find them again.

According to legend, and the containers, a pint of their ice cream is around 300 calories or less. How do they do it? It’s made with natural sweeteners, stevia and Erythritol.

I’ve tried diet soda with stevia and it was so horrible tasting that I couldn’t drink more than a couple of sips. I had read before that sweeteners like Erythritol can cause bloating and digestive issues, so I’ve avoided anything like it.

But I was curious. Could it be that good? Even if the taste was good, what about the texture? Would I feel badly after eating it?

One day, I was in CVS and walked past the freezer section. I noticed several Halo Top containers and figured that I’d get some and make my own informed opinion.

They are a bit expensive, but I had CVS coupons and wanted something sweet. That day I bought sea salt caramel. Since then, I’ve tried birthday cake, vanilla bean and oatmeal cookie.

Let me tell you. You can believe the hype, because now I do! I’ve loved all the flavors so far. The texture is on point and I haven’t had any digestive issues either.

The only negative comment I have is that the oatmeal cookie wasn’t really oatmeal cookie. The flavor was still great and I enjoyed it, but it was just flecks of oatmeal. There were no chunks of cookie, so it’s misnamed.

Now that it’s almost officially summer, I’m especially looking forward to trying more flavors. And I love not having to feel guilty about the calories!

+ + +
Images: Halo Top website

Breaking Dessert News: Ben & Jerry’s at the Prudential Center!

July 30, 2020April 11, 2017 by Lisa Johnson

Did you know that Ben & Jerry’s is opening a new catering location at the Prudential Center?

My current project is in the building, so this ice cream news is very relevant information for me. Maybe for you too. My co-workers and I have been talking about it and are looking forward to the day it opens.

My curiosity always gets the best of me when it comes to dessert. Well, most things actually. But dessert too. So as I was walking by to take a picture, I saw someone getting ready to go inside this boarded up area in the picture above. I asked if he knew when they would be opening. He said by the end of this week! Let’s hope it’s true!

Let’s also hope that Ben & Jerry’s CEO Jostein Soheim will sign the Milk with Dignity Agreement as he agreed to do back in May 2015. Solheim’s Conscious Capitalism profile says that “Ben & Jerry’s must continue to aspire to be a social justice company that just happens to make ice cream.”

Migrant Justice is an organization focused on human rights and food justice. They are working with Vermont dairy workers and have relaunched the Milk with Dignity Campaign in order to get Ben & Jerry’s to fully implement the Milk with Dignity Program.

I was disappointed to learn that there hasn’t been the follow through with this agreement as expected. We expect a lot from Ben & Jerry’s and I believe that the founders do as well. Ice cream tastes a lot sweeter when we know that workers who make the final product possible are all being treated fairly. Don’t you agree?

+ + +

Updated 4/13/2017: As of today, it’s open!

Breaking Dessert News: Donut Ice Cream Cones Coming to Massachusetts!

July 30, 2020March 27, 2016 by Lisa Johnson 2 Comments

*Updated 4/4/2016*
If you missed getting your donut ice cream cone, don’t despair! Scroll down for details.

When I first learned about donut ice cream cones, all I could think was, “When are they coming to Massachusetts?”

This amazing dessert appears to have started at Good Food Coffee and Bakery in Prague. The original name for the pastry is “trdelník” and is of Czech or Slovak origin, according to Wikipedia.

A traditional cake and sweet pastry, trdelníks are “made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix.”

The dessert is also called a “chimney” when filled with ice cream. Since the pastry is similar to a donut according to some people, it was dubbed a donut ice cream cone. Confectionary chaos ensued.

Like a bird at a Bernie Sanders rally, people are standing up and applauding this latest dessert trend! Including me. Although sadly, I have yet to try one.

I’m all about a good dessert mystery, so I was interested in finding out when donut ice cream cones would hit Massachusetts.

Well, breaking dessert news! Pizzi Farm in Waltham may be the first to sell them in the Bay State. Rick Pizzi graciously provided me with pictures of the donut ice cream cones that he will be selling for one day only — on Pizzi Farm’s Opening Day, this Friday, April 1st.

No joke! The supply is limited, so get there early!

But don’t worry if you miss out. There will be more donut ice cream treats throughout this season at Pizzi Farm. Donut Ice Cream Panini Sandwiches are coming and will be available as a weekday special. The day is not decided yet, so be sure to check their Facebook page for details!

+ + +
Photos: Courtesy of Rick Pizzi.

* * *

*Updated 3/29/2016* The local and national news media grabbed hold of this story and gave it a lot of coverage. Exciting!! Here are links to some of the stories below.

Universal Hub

Boston Restaurant Talk

*Updated 4/1/2016* From what I observed on Facebook, the cones sold out!

*Updated 4/4/2016* Pizzi Farm‘s Facebook page says that due to the “overwhelming response” they will be bringing back donut ice cream cones on the first Friday of each month during the season. Good news!