11.08.2010

Cranberry Ice Cream


Every once in a while, a recipe makes me close my eyes and say Mmmmmmm. This is one of those times.  The flavor and color, the hint of honey, the tanginess of cranberries and would you believe there is brown sugar in this ice cream?? Words cannot describe. Not too sweet, tart and divine.

Interestingly, this recipe uses gelatin as an ingredient. After some investigation, I discovered gelatin assists in absorbing some of the free water in the ice cream and helps prevent the formation of large crystals. It also gives substance or a less watery taste when the ice cream is consumed.

So, this is the last of my Maida Heatter ice cream recipes for this season (I may sneak in someone else's though)...pretty soon I'll have you all putting her books on your wish list. But let me warn you, there aren't that many ice cream recipes in them....just a few in each book. Which makes them all the rarer. Maida's choosey. But her other recipes are worth their weight in gold; fortunately, Amazon is a great source for used books.

You don't need to serve a thing with this ice cream. I did briefly consider dumping in some dark mini chocolate chips at the end of churning (which I may try the next time I make it) but for the holidays, I wanted that pure red color and just a sprig of green mint. Thanksgiving or Christmas, you decide. It's perfect after a heavy meal.

Cranberry Ice Cream

From Maida Heatter's Great Book of New Desserts


Ingredients:
2 pounds (about 10 cups) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups water
2 cups orange juice
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup honey
2 cups heavy cream

Method:
Wash, pick over and drain the berries. Place them in a large saucepan with the water and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Then process in a processor or blender. Press the mixture through a large stainer into a large bowl. Set aside.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water, set aside.

Bring the corn syrup and the 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Add the brown sugar, stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and add the honey, stirring to dissolve everything.

Mix this mixture into the cranberry mixture and set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. You can also chill it quickly in the freezer.

When you are ready to churn, Whip the heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters until it slightly holds a shape. Fold the cream thoroughly into the cranberry mixture and churn.

*Bench notes: This makes enough for a 4 quart churn. Mine is not that big so I cut the recipe in half.
This ice cream will stay semi-firm for several hours after putting it in the freezer. Maida likes it best at this consistancy. I don't. I froze it overnight.

74 comments:

  1. This is a real bonus...the stunning red along with some pretty tasty ingredients backing it up. I'm so glad you shared this with us because I would need to add more healthy cranberries to my desserts ;o)

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

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  2. I have one word for this: WOW!!!! is amazing and I love the colour, I love Ice cream every time, every season! nice work Barbara! x gloria

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  3. Looks divine! Ice cream is truly my weakness!

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  4. Another gorgeous ice cream! I can imagine how the slight tartness of the cranberries in this would be really fantastic after a heavy meal...perfect for Thanksgiving, Barbara!

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  5. a perfect ice cream for this time of year! love it!

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  6. i have my eyes closed and i am having one your mmmmmm moments myself~

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  7. I've never had cranberry ice cream. I' love those fruits so I'm sure I'd enjoy that ice cream. It looks soooo good!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  8. Goodness, I made a cherry sorbet yesterday and thought to myself... it would be good with cranberries, I bet, and then thought... why don't you every see cranberry ice cream??? You delivered, as if by magic. Many thanks. I do so want to try it... gingerbread on the side... and that color!!! Youza, that's a great color.
    I've seen this gelatin tip before but didn't remember how much to use... this is a definite keeper for the holidays.

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  9. oh yum! this must be so refreshing.

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  10. I'm crazy about cranberries and this is yet another reason to celebrate their season.
    Sam

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  11. seriously - this is going on my Thanksgiving menu tonight!!! you know The Professor LOVES his ice cream and this, oh this one is perfect! I've so enjoyed your posts from your favorite cookbooks and while I didn't win one, I've added them to my 'wish list'

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  12. Barbara
    Incredible color, so beautiful! This is perfect for the upcoming Holidays. I'm not a huge ice cream eater but I love to make it and do so often so this is a recipe thats getting filed in my desserts folder! I LOVE all things cranberries so I'm betting I will love this!
    Thanks for sharing it
    xx

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  13. I love it, my favorite flavor in ice cream form! Thank you.

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  14. This is some pretty ice cream, Barbara. If only stores had wholesome ice creams like cranberry;-) Oh, and don't tell anyone, but I always feel like ice creams with gelatin in them have the best texture. Yours looks like it does...!

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  15. i was just about to turn this off and go and start supper and CRANBERRY ICE CREAM caught my eye...did i get lucky..i love this...thinking about it for thanksgiving...looks wonderful

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  16. What a wonderful idea for ice cream, and I don't know why we don't see it more often! Yum! I love the tart tang of cranberries, mmmm...and in all the creamy goodness of ice cream, you can't beat it.

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  17. This couldn't be any more perfect for a holiday dessert! It's a thing of beauty!

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  18. Hi Barbara,

    Oh yumm!
    The cranberry icecream looks so lovely and even better they are so good and healthy.
    I love adding them to my home made museli.

    Happy week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  19. Yum, yum. This would be the perfect dessert after a heavy turkey dinner. This is bookmarked for Thanksgiving. Thanks.

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  20. I love the stunning color that this ice cream has. While it might be tasty with those chocolate chips, I would hate to mess with that lovely pure cranberry taste. Lovely recipe.

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  21. Yum..wonderful holiday flavor and color!

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  22. Barbara, I so understand why you went with this. I am sure it tastes delicious and it looks beautiful. It is just right for the holidays.

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  23. Wow such an amazing color! I love it!

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  24. Perfect for the Holidays - needed another ice cream recipe for my new Cuisenart!! Yours looks delicious and just the right consistency too.

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  25. It really is a gorgeous color. Although adding chocolate can't be a bad thing.

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  26. What a beautiful color! The slight tanginess must make this a great ice cream. I would pear it with blood orange sorbet--yum!

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  27. It is so unusually warm here that this ice cream would be ideal. Love the color.

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  28. It looks and sounds wonderful, what a great way to use cranberry in the festive menus. I'd try it without gelatin, I'm not convinced that I'd want it in my ice cream.

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  29. This looks lovely! I don't think I'd add the chips, though, if it's tart at all...I made Giada's pomegranate sorbet with chocolate chips and it was BLECH!! It didn't work at all. But if this ice cream isn't too tart, it might work..?

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  30. Oh yes, I'm definitely putting her books on my wish list. Along with an ice-cream maker! :) Love the colour of this ice-cream, really festive.

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  31. Oh yes, I'm definitely putting her books on my wish list. Along with an ice-cream maker! :) Love the colour of this ice-cream, really festive.

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  32. Never had cranberry ice cream, what a nice treat! It's a gorgeous color and it looks so creamy and so good!

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  33. I love coming across a recipe that makes me feel so happy and satisfied. I guess this one is a keeper then! It looks wonderful.
    *kisses* HH

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  34. I'm drooling... I'll bookmark the recipe, but I also want to know about the plate below the bowl. Stunning! Is it hand-blown glass?

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  35. Wow, I'd never think to make cranberries into icecream. I am sure it tastes amazing. The tartness mixed with the creaminess must be divine!

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  36. RamblingTart9/11/10 12:49 PM

    The color is fantastic, Barbara!! No wonder you want to serve it all by itself. Ice cream this pretty and scrumptious needs to shine on its own. :-)

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  37. Barbara, I have to admit that I have been thinking of this ice cream for the last two days. I am trying to convince myself that I don't want to try it....but, I just lost the race!! This is definitely bookmarked and can't wait to try it. Thanks. Susan

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  38. Oh this sounds amazing and the color of this ice cream is so vibrant...I'm bookmarking this to try soon. Thanks Barbara.

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  39. Wow, this looks and sounds delicious! Perfect for the holidays. Thanks for sharing.

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  40. I can't wait until the bins are stocked with cranberries at the grocery! This will be one of the first things I do with them!

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  41. I love the pretty red color!

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  42. I must say that I've never had cranberry ice cream or even dreamed that it could be so, but I have a bag of cranberries in my fridge right now that are going to see what this is all about. It looks delicious!

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  43. What gorgeous icecream - the colour is devine.

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  44. So beautiful- I love the color of this ice cream! It sounds like it is delicious as well. :)

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  45. You're so right about this ice-cream! I think I will also close my eyes & enjoy this if I have some of this right now! haha... Love the colour...so very attractive. Hope you're having a wonderful day, Barbara.
    Cheers, Kristy

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  46. Love the bright colors of this delicious ice cream.

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  47. The color is a knock-out, and the recipe has some unexpected ingredients---reading through, the gelatin does make perfect sense. Would love try this one!

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  48. hi barbara...happy to see you at farmhouse...no..we are not going to move..it was just that one of my most favorite houses in town came up for sale...sure was tempting...but we will stay here.

    i am off to Bed, Bath and Beyond to get an ice cream machine. i have a cuisinart one, but am missing a part :-{

    and i really want to make this ice cream for thanksgiving...

    happy to visit today,
    kary

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  49. I've actually been thinking a lot recently about making cranberry ice cream but couldn't find a recipe for it. Thanks for coming to my rescue! I bet this would be great with some white chocolate chips...

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  50. I have never had a cranberry ice cream...this will be really great to serve as part of desserts for the coming holiday dinner.

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  51. This is so lovely and festive! I love cranberry anything. I'll have to get one of MH's books one of these days!

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  52. I was looking at a bag of cranberries today, thinking I should get some and worry about what to do with it later! This is a precious recipe, have never seen any like it before and it showcases the wonderful tartness of cranberries.

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  53. How gorgeous! I've never come across a recipe for cranberry ice cream, but what a fabulous idea! I've got two bags in the fridge. They may have found their calling.

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  54. Cranberry ice cream sounds so refreshing, what a perfect seasonal treat!

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  55. Ahh, this sure is a time to say Mmmmmmmmmmmm, perfect!!
    The use of gelatin, very interesting and i think i would love the texture!
    We and u sure will miss Maida H, but i know u will come up with something else ,and deliciously so....

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  56. Perfect color and texture... I might just serve this for Christmas! And thanks for the tip about gelatine.

    Sawadee from Bangkok,
    Kris

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  57. That's a great hint about gelatin-I've never heard of that before! And I don't think I've ever tried cranberry ice cream so thankyou for sharing the recipe Barbara! :)

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  58. That's a gorgeous dessert, and you describe it so beautifully. What a unique dish for the holidays!

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  59. The color is fantastic! Interesting about the gelatin, but that makes sense since there would be extra water in the ice cream from the fruit. Good to know. Sounds like a delicious mix of sweet and tart!

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  60. nice. i bet it has a good tart to it...nice color to it as well...have you ever tried broccoli ice cream? saw it once but was a little scared...

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  61. This sounds amazing - awesome color and a delicious flavor.

    - The Tablescaper

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  62. this is so pretty..i really love the color!

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  63. Have you ever tried cranberry pie?

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  64. Pumpkin ice cream, and now cranberry ice cream! MMM! Look at that bright red color! I can practically taste the tartness and brown sugar. I wonder if I can make this even without an ice cream churner....hmmm.

    Hey! Happy second blog anniversary!

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  65. Can’t wait to see the creations, and eat them with my eyes!

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  66. Very interesting ice cream flavor. I love tart & tangy.....I'll have to give this a try.
    ~ingrid

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  67. I totally drooled on my keyboard when I saw this. I am no baker, but ice cream, I should be able to make this, right? g

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  68. I will definitely be making this. I do a homemade minced meat ice cream every year, and an egg nog one, but this is gorgeous. There is a ton of sugar in the recipe. But, they are tart. I will make it as you write it, and then fiddle with it, as I always do... but, thank you! No eggs. That was a surprise... and the colour remains vibrant, which is often not the case. I am really excited to try this.
    :)
    Valerie

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  69. cranberry is like citrus in that i'd only expect to see it in sherbet form. this is pretty nifty, barbara--would a plop of it on some warm gingerbread be acceptable? :)

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  70. I've had cranberry sorbet, but never ice cream. And believe you me, I am more of an ice cream gal than a sorbet one. Give me full fat in desserts any day. ;)

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  71. I've fallen in love with this very idea..the recipe is fab, and the books on my wish list! YUM!!

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  72. Wooo hoo...Just bought an ice cream maker! This is a must try! Thanks!

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  73. It's 2:30 in the morning and I'm officially hungry and craving ice cream. Thanks! :)

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  74. What a colour! The perfect dessert when you are all weighed down from a heavy meal.

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