It may be half way through September, but I’m not giving up my ice cream. Ice cream has no season, in my opinion. If I have to bundle myself up in a sweater and slippers and sit in front of the fireplace to be warm enough to eat ice cream, then so be it. If you agree, then let’s continue.
I have been intrigued by a Sour Cream Blueberry Ice Cream that my friend Jackie made last month. Sour cream in ice cream just sounded so strange to me. But I’m really glad that I tried it because it’s totally not strange all. It’s awesome! In fact, it may even be my new favorite ice cream base.
This ice cream is blissfully uncomplicated. Just mix all the ingredients together, chill and churn. In it’s purest and simplest form, this ice cream is snowy white, a bit tart and completely delicious. It makes a great base for all kinds of other add-ins: chocolate, caramel, nuts, fruit, etc. You get the idea.
But because it is September after all, I decided to make an apple cider syrup to serve over top this ice cream. Apple cider is my absolute favorite fall drink. That stuff is like liquid gold. No Pumpkin Spiced Lattes for me! To make the apple cider syrup you just boil down apple cider until it’s reduced. That’s it. You can enjoy it on ice cream, oatmeal, yogurt, pound cake, pancakes and whatever else you can think of. Oh and it’s fantastic on a slice of sharp cheddar or spread on a grilled cheese sandwich (YUM!). And it made my house smell great. No need for an apple-scented candle here!
Also, for fun I made up some sugar decorations to put on top on the ice cream. I thought it would go well with my fall theme for this ice cream since the sugar decorations kind of remind me of the sticky shell on candy-coated apples. But you can skip this part if you want. It’s not critical for this overall taste of this recipe. But it sure does make it look pretty!
Cheers,
Liz
Recipe for the ice cream slightly adapted from Gourmet Magazine via. Foodology
Ingredients
- For the Ice Cream
- 1 (16-ounce) container of sour cream
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1 tablespoon alcohol (I recommend vodka), optional
- For the Apple Cider Syrup
- 4 cups apple cider
- For the Sugar Decorations
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp. light corn syrup
- Special Equipment
- Ice cream maker
Instructions
- Before you start, make sure the canister of your ice cream maker is frozen. To freeze completely, the canister should be in the freezer for at least 6 hours.
- Make the ice cream. In the bowl of your mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together all of the ingredients except the alcohol until the sugar is fully incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to your refrigerator. Refrigerate the ice cream base until it is well chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.
- When you are ready to make the ice cream, pour the ice cream base into the canister of your ice cream maker and churn until the mixture is nearly frozen and the consistency of soft serve (this should take about 20 minutes). Add the alcohol, if using, and churn 1 minute more. Then transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, covering the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap, and place in your freezer until firm, about 2-4 hours.
- While the ice cream is setting up, you can make the apple cider syrup. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cider to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a low boil for about 60 minutes, or until the cider is reduced to about 3/4 to 1 cup. Stir occasionally during this time. Once it's reduced, remove the syrup from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly. If there are any particulates, you can strain the syrup through a layer of cheesecloth (I usually skip this step). The syrup will continue to thicken a bit as it cools and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Make the sugar decorations. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add all of the ingredients to a heavy bottom saucepan. Swirl gently so that the water coats the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid starts to turn light golden in color. Do not stir it during this time. Watch is closely. The mixture will go from gold brown (ideal) to dark brown and burnt (not ideal) in a very short amount of time. Once the sugar syrup is done, remove the pan from the heat and stir briefly. Using a small metal spoon, carefully drizzle the sugar syrup over the parchment paper, using a quick back and forth action with your wrist to make designs. Allow the decorations to cool about 15 minutes before removing them from the parchment paper. sugar decorations can be stored in an airtight container between pieces of wax paper.
- To serve, place a few scoops of the ice cream in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the apple cider syrup and top with sugar decorations. Enjoy!
I think you liked this ice cream more than I did!! 🙂 Glad you tried it. And apple cider syrup sounds awesome!
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