Hi,

Having loved the recipe for Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream, and I had some heavy cream left,  I tried a French Vanilla recipe from David Lebovitz.  It turned out great, too.

The recipe is simple:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
1tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

You make a custard of it, then put it into the refrigerator to get cold before freezing in your machine.

French Vanilla Ice Cream

....if the first photo didn't hook you, this one will.....see those vanilla specks?

I try to keep homemade cookies or biscotti in my freezer for just that moment, I bet you know that moment, when a cup of coffee, or tea, would taste a whole lot better with something sweet to go with it...........the biscotti on this plate is full of walnuts.


I still have some heavy cream left,  hmmmmmmmmm,  I wonder if there's enough to make dark chocolate ice cream?


 Are you ready for Spring and new blossoms?  Where I live they are just beginning....can't wait!



**Thank you, Sara Louise, of Sara in le Petit Village for your viewing and comment.


Have a terrific day,

Mem

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Welcome back,

Yep, here it is the middle of winter, and I'm thinking of ice cream...well, okay, I admit, I think about it all year-round.

What got me going was reading the David Lebovitz recipe for Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream....my taste buds started doing the happy dance.

You know, I've said it before, and I'll say it right now, "ya can't go wrong with butter, sugar, and cream" and perhaps, throw in some chocolate, or praline, or nuts, while you're at it!

Then I remembered, of course wouldn't ya'know it, my ice cream maker was thrown in the trash last year after being overworked.....so.... I had a new one delivered to my front door by my-ever-so-faithful friend, Amazon.  It arrived yesterday,   and already,    the bowl is in my freezer getting "good-n-cold" for the first batch.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine....bowl already in the freezer

The last machine I had was okay, it wasn't a Cuisinart, but I'm hoping this one will prove to be better.  I've read that the ice cream turns out creamier, or rather a lighter texture, with more air whipped into it when the bowl turns instead of the paddle....we'll see if that has any validity soon.  My old machine had the paddle turning, whereas, this one has the bowl spinning.

I really like good vanilla ice cream, and deep, dark chocolate ice cream, but I'm crazy for caramel in any form,    so,   this time,   I'm going to make Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream.

Another food blogger, Brown Eyed Baker, thought it sounded good, too.  Here is her post on the recipe.  As you can see, it made a hit with her.

Gotta go....I'll let you know how it turns out later............

This morning I took the chilled cream from my refrigerator, where it had been cooling overnight, and poured it into my new machine.  It worked wonderfully!

machine on....churning almost done                                                                                                                          

                           praline broken into confetti size pieces.....ready to add

                                                                             

Machine off.....paddle out....praline in                                                                                                                       

Ready to eat....it's delicious!!!

All in all, a pretty satisfying morning. I recommend this recipe if you like caramel.


And............... I've got lots more of this great ice cream in my freezer for another day.

**This ice cream stays a little softer due to the caramel in it.  It will not get stone hard even after days in the freezer.


Happy eating,

Mem

Hello and Bonjour,


In order to learn how to make a good blog, I've been viewing and reading lots of blogs.  I tell you, there are some really good ones out there.  I'm interested in France, food, and travel, so I've listed some of the ones I've enjoyed, for your pleasure, if you're so inclined.  You may have noticed most of these blogs are about living in France....traveling in France....eating French food.....

Ever since I lived in Geneva, Switzerland, for three wonderful years way back in the '80's, I've been yearning for another long stay in France.  I went back to Paris last September,  just for 2 weeks which was not nearly long enough!  But, just long enough to get the juices flowing....

I've wished for many years to get myself back to Aix-En-Provence for a 2-3 month stay...and I'm planning on doing that.  My French is getting stronger, but the real test comes when the natives start speaking so fast!  Ooh, la, la....

                                                             Place des Vosges

                                                            cafe on the rue de Lille


If you decide to look at the other blogs posted on my blog, I think you'd really enjoy chezlouloufrance.blogspot.com ,  it is loaded with good information.  Try godiloveparis.blogspot.com too.  The writer of this blog just returned to the US after 2 years in Paris gathering information to write a book on desserts.  The book is in bookstores now titled Paris, My Sweet.  Another blog all about sweets is kathyylchan.com.  Even if you hate reading, the pictures on these three blogs will make your mouth water, and then some!

I'm sure enjoying what I'm doing....I hope you are too!

Mem


P.S.   Thank you to those who have told me that they like my blog....it's appreciated.