11.30.2010

Orange Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans AND a Kitchen Remodeling


OK. I promise...no more ice cream recipes until next spring. But this is such a super one for the holidays I couldn't resist posting just one more. I think I actually might like this one better than the cranberry ice cream!

This ice cream is boozey, chewy and crunchy all in one bite. Very much in tune with the holidays. It doesn't make much so if you have a bigger churn than I do, double the recipe. Trust me, you're going to need every bite. But don't make it too far in advance of serving, because the men in your family will keep dipping into it with a spoon. Speaking from experience here guys. Luckily, it doesn't freeze hard so you can make it ahead.

Holiday Orange Ice Cream

From Fine Cooking, Holiday Issue

 
Ingredients:
2 medium navel oranges
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
large pinch of salt
1/4 cup skim milk powder (I didn’t have any so eliminated it)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tablespoons Cointreau
3/4 cup toasted pecans, broken up slightly

Method:
Toast the pecans. Set aside.

Soak the cherries in the orange juice and cointreau for a few hours until soft.

Pare off the peel (not getting any pith) of the oranges. Set aside.

Fill a saucepan half way with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Combine the cream, milk, sugars, salt, skim milk and skim milk powder, egg yolks, vanilla bean and orange zest in a glass bowl and set it over the simmering water. Stir the mixture constantly until it reaches between 165 and 180 degrees. Test with a candy thermometer and keep the temperature in that range for 10-15 minutes. The mixture will thicken somewhat.
Cool over an ice bath until it is cool, or 65 degrees. Add the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.When you are ready to freeze the ice cream, pour it through a sieve to remove the orange peel and vanilla bean. Add half the cherries and ALL of the excess soaking liquid. (I squeezed the cherries to get most of the liquid out.) Freeze according to manufacturers instructions and when the mixture is semisolid (like a stiff cake batter), add the remaining cherries and the pecans. Continue until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Pour into a covered plastic or steel container and freeze.

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A Kitchen Remodel

Penny over at Lake Lure Cottage thought it would be fun to peek into our kitchens. And because I did a complete remodel 4 years ago, I thought it would be fun to join in. She has chosen December 1st as the date to post so be sure to check in with her tomorrow. You'll love seeing what everyone else has done. 


My home is mostly blues and whites with lots of antiques. We thought it would be a nice contrast to make the kitchen very contemporary. Most of the photographs were taken professionally for a magazine right after it was finished. I still can't figure out why the cabinets looked so white in their photos; do they really like kitchens to look cold and uninviting?  It's really a warm room, with lots of family activity and messy cooking!

The final two photos I took more recently. The kitchen's end wall leads to a laundry room and is filled with  souvenirs from different Caribbean islands. I think the wall adds warmth to the kitchen and gives you a better idea of the true cabinet color, which is more a soft cream than white. And of course now, my cookbook shelf is jammed with books and notice the ceramic morel mushroooms; I have an ongoing love affair with morels and found these years ago in northern Michigan.
My kitchen hasn't looked so pristine since that first day!

 




On a very sad note, the paintings and painted objects on the back walls were mostly done by a local island artisan and friend named Matthew Paul who resided on St. Lucia. He and his family of 6 lived at the base of a small mountain and had a little gallery there. Their home was not very sturdy and the gallery was little more than a lean-to. My children and I have collected a great deal of his art over the years; it has always held a special charm for us.

We just found out that Matthew and his family were killed in a landslide during Hurricane Tomas which recently hit several Caribbean islands. St. Lucia was quite badly hit and there was a great deal of damage. The six of them were the only fatalities on the island. Can you imagine? Matthew was in the middle of doing one of his spectacular wall murals for Anse Chastanet, a resort we visit often. The owner tells me they will leave the unfinished mural as is.

A small section of Matthew's gallery....and my daughter, shopping. Don't you love the bright colors in his art work?

 

57 comments:

  1. I am going to buy a new ice cream maker and have ice cream for Christmas!

    How sad that the artist and his family perished. His art sure works well in your home.

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  2. The ice cream looks and sounds delicious. I can make it with plenty of places to hide it--anywhere outside would work these days. Brrrrr!

    I love your kitchen. What a pleasant and workable space.

    So very sorry to hear about the loss of a wonderful artist and his family. I know that his pieces are even more dear to you now.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  3. With the holidays looming we are always looking forward to new ideas. On a sad note I am sorry to hear about the family in St. Lucia. It is hard to imagine such a tragedy:(

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  4. That ice cream must be divine! What a festive combo.

    Lovely kitchen!

    So sad what happened to that artist.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. Where do I begin? The ice cream...oh yes, that will have to be made...soon!! Your kitchen is lovely and so workable. Very, very nice. And then the artist and his family in St. Lucia...so sad. You have a beautiful reminder of his artistic work.

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  6. what a post, you take us all over, first you get us excited with boozey ice cream, then dazzle us with your kitchen, then break our hearts with sadness...

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  7. How sad about that artist and his family! I'm sure you will treasure his artwork even more now.

    Beautiful kitchen remodel and the ice cream recipe sounds perfect for the holidays!

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  8. My mom is a huge fan of festive ice creams like this! She usually makes eggnog, but I bet she'd like this even better...I'm printing it for her now! Your kitchen is gorgeous, Barbara! I love the local artwork, but that is very sad how the artist died. His work will live on as a beautiful tribute to him though.

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  9. That ice cream looks to die for!! YUM!!

    Just found your blog and so happy I did!!

    Mary xo
    Delightful Bitefuls

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  10. It is so sad when someone is gone. at least you have his artwork to remember him. Beautiful kitchen and the ice cream rocks.

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  11. Luscious ice cream, I definitely have to get my ice cream maker fixed! Can't wait to try this ice cream :-)

    Contemporary looking kitchen is so cool and trendy... love the way you arrange things around your kitchen... very inspiring space to bake and work in...

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  12. Ah Barbara, there is never an off season for ice cream!!! You need it to brace up all varieties of pies and cakes all year long. And I love orange ice cream... I can't wait to add this stuff in (can't fit the ice cream attachment in the freezer at the moment though... stuffed to the gills!) Your kitchen is lovely and that blue marble is... well Spectacular. I have this liverish stuff I hate... can't wait to change it out.

    So sorry about the lovely artist.. what a tragedy... at least his mural will live on and people like you will keep him in your memory... his stuff looks wonderful.

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  13. First of all, Baskin Robbins needs to carry that flavour, how incredibly sumptuous it sounds.
    I really like your kitchen, especially your fridge and your counter top, what a lovely blue colour! Looks like we have a very similar floor :). My walnut floors are my pride and joy. I am a bit precious about it.
    *kisses* HH

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  14. Fabulous post!!yummy looking ice cream!! I hope you have a wonderful day!! hugs!! Britt :-)

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  15. The ice cream sounds delicious. Your kitchen looks fabulous ~ I just love the pop of blue from the counter. I'm so sorry to hear about your artist friend; what a terrible thing. His work is incredibly colorful, though. I can see why you would be drawn to it.

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  16. That is a perfect ice cream for the holidays! The mix of flavors sounds so great. And, your kitchen is lovely. I'm hoping to embark on a remodel some day soon. So sad and horrific about the artist and his family. The colors in his work are fantastic.

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  17. there's never a bad time of year from ice cream as far as i'm concerned!

    your kitchen looks fabulous, i bet cooking got that much more fun!

    such a tragedy about your friends. they sound like lovely people, my condolences.

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  18. Oh, how sad about your friends!! His work is stunning, so alive and cheerful. What a beautiful legacy. Your kitchen is wonderful!! :-)

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  19. Sorry to hear about your friend and his family--what an absolute tragedy.

    On a different note, your ice cream looks amazing, and so festive. please don't stop posting ice cream recipes, I love every single one!

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  20. Hi Barbara,

    First let me say thank you for the icecream recipe, this sounds yummy and might be nice for Christmas.
    I had my first little bag of ripe cherries from the supermarket, yum!
    How lovely to see your fabulous kitchen, it is amazing and I can now picture where you are cooking up all your wonderful food. Love your big selection of recipe books too.
    So sorry to hear about the family in St Lucia, how very sad.

    Hope that you are having a lovely week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  21. Boozey, chewy and crunchy, sounds perfect to me! You come up with the most amazing flavors!

    Beautiful kitchen! Love the island!

    Sorry about your friend and family, so sad. His work looks beautiful and so vibrant!

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  22. What a creamy and delicious looking dessert out there. Would love to visit this lovely kitchen for a treat :)

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  23. I love white kitchen, my current old kitchen is white and the future new kitchen will be in white too (moving to new house in this month)! I love the idea of peek into kitchens.

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  24. You can post new ice cream recipes for as long as you want because I could eat it year round! This one sounds delicious and full of flavors that are perfect for the holiday season!

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  25. I swear I make more ice cream in the winter than summer. You can post as many of these wonderful recipes as you want. Beautiful kitchen.

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  26. I love the blue marble countertop! I am also jealous at how organized your cookbooks look.

    The ice cream looks and sounds wonderful--you had me at boozy.

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  27. Barbara, Thank you so much for posting your kitchen for the kitchen reveal day. It is lovely. The blue marble is wonderful. So sad about your St. Lucia artist and his family.

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  28. What a post - from tantalizing ice cream to your gorgeous kitchen. It is beautiful. I have a white kitchen, too... and love that you have a place for all of your cookbooks. I have two ovens as well, and cannot live without them now. Then, the sad part of the 6 member artist family. That is really devastating. I am sorry for your loss and for the loss of him and his family by his community. The impact of natural tragedy truly hits home when we know one who has been touched by it.
    Valerie

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  29. I love Penny;s kitchen reveal day. I posted mine earlier and now I am making the rounds.

    Sad story about your friend. I just got back from spending 6 months on St Thomas. Interesting places to live.

    Ah well, thanks for the look inside. I am going to go have a look through your archives now

    Dave

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  30. I posted my kitchen on the reveail and I am enjoying peeking at everyone else's kitchen. I LOVE the clean lines and comtemporary fell of your kitchen. The colors are beautiful and warm. Love the punch of color from your countertops.

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  31. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend.

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  32. I don't mind eating ice cream all year round! Please don't stop posting them, they inspire me to make my own. This orange ice cream sounds amazing.
    Magda

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  33. Ice cream is totally allowed all winter long! Especially when it's holiday-themed like this... I love peppermint too. This looks fabulous!

    And your new kitchen is seriously to-die-for!!! SOOO beautiful!!

    I'm so sorry about your friends; that's so horrible! The artwork is beautiful.

    Sues

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  34. I love you my dear Barbara! I made Ice cream too! I posted it right now! I cant resist to ! Come and see. Really I love Ice cream all the year! but I love yours waht lovely idea with oranges I have to make soon!!

    Sorry for your lost dear Barbara!

    Your kitchen look awesome and nice! gloria

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  35. I'm sorry to hear of your dear friend Matthew & his family's passing!

    You're kitchen is lovely! Thank you for sharing your kitchen with us. Good to see where the "magic" happens. :)
    ~ingrid

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  36. Barbara,
    What a lovely tribute to your artist and friend Matthew and his family and how terribly sad. I am happy his art brings you such great joy, a happy memory. It is lovely. Can I ask, is your backsplash stainless steel? I am trying to see it in the photo. I have no backsplash and am looking at options. The blue counter is amazing! Thanks for sharing with us, Robin

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  37. I'm not a big fan of blue, but that countertop is just gorgeous and works so well with the cabinets. Thanks for the tour! So sad about the artist, but you having some of his art will make it all that more special.

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  38. Barbara your kitchen is just gorgeous! I love it! Oh BTW the ice cream looks good, too!

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  39. A bittersweet post...thanks for sharing. (awesome recipe)

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  40. you have now solidified your ranking as unique ice cream flavor queen. this one's all kinds of awesome, as is your kitchen!

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  41. What an elegant kitchen. I love a bright kitchen and yours would be sunny and welcoming on the gloomiest day.

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  42. You have a gorgeous kitchen. So sad to hear about the death of your friend. What a terrible tragedy. His artwork is truly lovely.

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  43. I don't eat ice cream but my husband saw this and loved it. I should make it for him and he should remodel my kitchen for me :)

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  44. This is my first time to your site and I really like what I see! You had me at the boozy ice cream :) It sounds delicious! It's never too cold for ice cream!

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  45. Oh My god...what a tragedy!:(:(:( such talent ...it makes me honestly sad. Im glad you have some of his work . they are beautiful!

    ice cream at any season is always welcome . yours looks amazing!

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  46. The ice cream rocks. The Cointreau is a really nice touch-I may have to pass this along to my husband who enjoys making ice cream.

    The kitchen remodel? Stunning. Absolutely love it. Contemporary with character.

    Not good news about the local artist.

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  47. First the ice cream looks great!

    Second I love your kitchen! Those blue counters really stand out...so beautiful.

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  48. Boozy, chewy and crunchy?! Sounds like heaven! Love the tour of your house! Wish my kitchen looked so sleek and organized!

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  49. Barbara - It's always the season for ice cream and this one is fascinating. I love the combinations!

    Thanks for sharing your kitchen. It is very beautiful, almost reminds me of Ina's kitchen.

    Very sad about the artist and his family.

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  50. A wonderful ice cream and an even more wonderful kitchen. It is gorgeous. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  51. Your kitchen looks lovely! Pretty and functional! Love it!

    And I love the looks of that ice cream!!!

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  52. So sorry to hear about the loss of your artist friend and his family.
    Your kitchen is gorgeous. The perfect place to mix up some of your kitchen magic.
    As for me keep the ice cream recipes coming, it’s ice cream season year round at my house.
    Mimi

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  53. Barbara,
    I'm so sorry that you lost your artist friend and his family, that is so tragic.

    Your kitchen is lovely and the recipe divine...I am doing a little spot/pantry off of my kitchen with cabinets very similar to yours. The only problem is I need to make sure we can get things up and down the staircase and make turns without hitting anything. ??? but if it works it will be nice! I love your floor too.
    xx

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  54. The ice-cream is giving me the desire to make some soon! it looks so luscious and the crunch of the pecans, yum, irresistible!
    I feel sorry for that artist and his famiyl; love his cheerful and happy art!
    and finally your kitchen looks beautiful and very much a functional place as well. Love the blue countertop for the breakfast bar area.

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  55. I really like the blue counters too--such a pretty contrast. So sorry to learn about the loss of your artist friend and family on St. Lucia.

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  56. I KNEW you'd have one stellar kitchen. It's gorgeous! I've never seen blue countertops before, but I love them!

    And ohhhh, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and his family. That is extremely sad. What a loss.

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  57. Barbara...I had to come back and get this ice cream recipe...especially with those few drops of Cointreau ;o)

    Love the freshness of the kitchen. It's no wonder you like spending quality time in there ;O)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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