Creams and Custards

The Perfect Dairy Free Ice Cream Base

August 26, 2013 By Julie 2 Comments

I simply couldn’t let summer come to a close without taking one honest to goodness stab at dairy free ice cream. And I’m not talking about a stab that kind of sort of tastes like ice cream but still makes me long for the real thing. I’m talking about the “holy mother of Mary that’s the best dang ice cream I’ve had in a long time and I demand proof to the contrary that it’s dairy free” kind. That’s what I aimed for. No less would suffice. And honestly? I’m still pinching myself to make sure I’m not crazy, but dag gone it, I think I’ve done it. This one’s a winner. You know you’ve done something right when your child who can still eat dairy actually requests that you brew up another batch of the milk free version.
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Avocado Grapefruit Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

April 19, 2013 By Julie 16 Comments

Let me start by saying that, when I first heard of avocado ice cream, I was a bit skeptical about the whole idea. After all, in this house avocados are for guacamole and pretty much solely guacamole. Sure, the occasional slice may make it on a sandwich or get dropped into a salad, but the majority of the time it’s “green sauce”, as my seven year old Alex affectionately calls it, for this family.

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Galaktoboureko: A Classic Greek Dessert with an Autumn Flavored Twist

October 24, 2012 By Julie 8 Comments

Tis the season for dessert and trust me, I promise not to disappoint. This past weekend the hubby and I trekked off to our monthly supper club gathering where the theme centered around the Mediterranean flavors of Greece. I was assigned the sweet ending for my contribution to the meal.

Now everybody knows and has had baklava at some point in their lives. After all, it’s the most famous finisher known around the world in Greek cuisine. I debated putting a batch of it together, but then I thought, why be predictable? Life, and my upcoming Greek meal for that matter, deserves a little shake up to keep things interesting.

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Caramel Apple Frozen Yogurt and a Lesson in the Art of Apple Growing from Tree Top

September 18, 2012 By Julie 10 Comments

A few months back I had the privilege of flying west to the great state of Washington and spending a couple whirlwind days with the amazing people at Tree Top apple juice. I have to say, I always enjoy these adventures when they’re presented to me. The generosity of the people sponsoring the event never fails to astound and the education you come away with is something you could only garner through viewing the process straight from the source. This trip was certainly no exception.

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Lemon Cardamom Crepes with Strawberry Rhubarb Custard

March 23, 2012 By Julie 21 Comments

If you have any number of young boys living along side you in your home, then you’ll understand the nightmare that is the bathroom. I swear, I would hire a housekeeper for that task alone if I could. No price would be too big. She would be my hero. You think I’m joking. Allow me to share the most recent experience with you.

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Blueberry Mascarpone Sherbet

September 2, 2011 By Julie 17 Comments

Blueberries are one of my all time favorite fruits, so when my sister-in-law visited a couple weeks back and brought with her a gallon sized ziplock of the fresh harvest she picked at the local orchard, I was thrilled to say the least.

Andrew couldn’t resist giving the bag a bit of a poke to make sure we did, indeed, have a gallon of the tasty blue orbs.

Left to my own devices, I could unabashedly munch the entire bag away, but that wouldn’t be very generous of me so I spared a few cupfuls to whip up one last summer time dessert before the heat leaves us for good.

I love colder weather fare; soups, stews, hearty meats and potatoes are some of my favorites. But this late summer sherbet has earned a place on my menu and is welcome back anytime (well anytime the mercury is topping at least 80 degrees that is). While Labor day isn’t the official end to summer, it is a strong signal that Autumn is right around the corner and if you want to eat your ice cream, you better do it pretty darn soon. Point absolutely taken. Let’s spin up some ice cream, shall we?

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