Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream Bread

cream — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:13:29 +0000

I have no clue why I decided to try this recipe. Ice cream bread. Yes, exactly. WTF.
It sounded like some sort of Frankenfood. And given that it originated in a Southern Living cookbook, I guess it kind of is. It’s the type of thing you might see Paula Deen whip together; the type of thing you can’t believe she would make but secretly would like to try.

Because when you think about it, ice cream contains many of the ingredients you need for baking: fat, sugar, eggs and flavouring. All that’s missing is the flour, and that’s all you add to a pint of ice cream to make “ice cream bread.” Still totally weird, I know.

Given that I was going to use my coworkers as guinea pigs, I had to use a crowd-pleasing flavour. Unsure of the “biscuit-like” texture some bloggers have used to describe the bread, I added some chopped chocolate. I wanted a slice to be a sweet treat rather than…a slice of odd bread.

It still ended up tasting a little like a chocolate biscuit. The flavour of the ice cream really mellows out, and you couldn’t taste the raspberry swirl at all. But I think you could have a lot of fun with this recipe given that it’s so easy. Chocolate ice cream with mini marshmallows and graham chunks for a s’mores bread? Strawberry ice cream with strawberry chunks to form the base of a strawberry shortcake? Surround yourself with some kids (I’m sure they would get a kick out of baking with ice cream), and I think you could take this recipe from weird to fun.

Ice Cream Bread
Adapted from The Hungry Housewife

2 cups/500 mL/1 pint full-fat ice cream, softened
1 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add softened ice cream and stir until just combined. The softer your ice cream is, the easier it will be to mix.
Scoop batter into the loaf pan and and smooth out.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it.
Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

Sliced bread and frozen milk.

cream — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:47:58 +0000

The beauty of a big city is choice. Especially a big American city. When it comes to food and restaurant choices, New York is very comfortable assuming a Top Dog place. Having been there a few times now, I must admit that New York is less of a foodie heaven for me now. Not because there isn’t good food, but because you know it’s everywhere. So, it’s simply about making a choice. I tend to get more excited searching and trying to separate the wheat from the chaff—that’s the Edmontonian in me, I think. And because visiting there for me is now more about spending time with good friends and feeding off New York’s unrelenting energy, I’m less concerned with my choices. With so many, you make good, you make bad, but in the end, you’re always in a city that is a feast for the eyes. This visit, some previous favourites solidified their status in my life more because of nostalgia than for what was served. Some new tries were fun, but not necessarily requiring a return or recommend. I’ll make a giant leap to say that perhaps it’s a sign of the economic times that the best tastes of the week were the comforting ones that came from Dumont in Williamsburg; pear and parsnip soup, a burger and fries, and an amazing mac ‘n’ cheese warmed some souls on a lovely fall evening.

The seeking out of specific spots happened more often during the day when I was wandering alone. And this seeking out was about two things: sandwiches and ice cream. I’ve been craving these a lot lately (or always) and being in New York meant that I could easily find some delicious options. I find great pleasure in a good sandwich. Nice bread, fresh fillings, the right amount of chew, two-fisted without being insurmountable. It’s surprising to me how hard getting these attributes can be at times. Not in New York, however. In addition to Bread and Snack for some yummy sandwiches, I made a trip to the Hampton Chutney Co. in Soho for what essentially is a South Indian sandwich: the dosa. Since being introduced to Hampton Chutney a few years ago, it’s become a place I must make my way to when in New York. Although nowhere near authentic in terms of fillings, the crepes themselves are as crispy and chewy as they should be and the accompanying chutneys always fresh.

Fontina & grilled veg at Bread

Seasonal dosa with mint and pumpkin chutneys

I have no problem admitting that I’m a big fan of Tasti-D-Lite. I never say no to soft-serve treats and because I grew up in the 80s around all things sugar-free, my palate is completely immune to chemical aftertastes. That being said, I had none this journey because I had my sights set on more exciting options.

At the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, I had my first try of frozen custard. It’s correctly described as the meeting of soft serve and hard ice cream: the give of hard ice cream with the texture of soft serve. I loved my cone of that day’s flavour, salted caramel.

Another soft-serve adventure was to Milk Bar, of the Momofuku clan. Essentially the clan’s dessert outpost, the Milk Bar has quite a following for its cakes and pies, delicious cookies (the Compost variety I tried were crazy good), and inventive soft-serve flavours. On offer were sweet and salty cucumber, watermelon, horchata, and cereal milk—and guessing what flavour of cereal it is that day is part of the fun. I sampled what I’m sure was Corn Pops. I think my afternoon treat of horchata soft serve was one of the highlights of my trip. Especially as it complemented my walk around the East Village on a warm, fall day.

Gelato is a form of frozen milk I can never say no to. So, knowing that I would be on the Upper West Side one afternoon, I made my way to Grom, a chain from Italy. Creamier than most gelato I’ve tried, I was happy with my cone of vanilla and seasonal cinnamon.

After a turn at the Atlantic Antic, I got my first scoops of gelato from my most favourite gelateria—Il Laboratorio del Gelato—at One Girl in Brooklyn. Ricotta and caramel. Later that week, I celebrated/bemoaned my last day in New York by heading to their Lower East Side shop to partake in fresh mint, rum raisin, and malt. There is never enough.

And there is never enough time in New York.

Cream and Sugarice cream | Cream and Sugar

Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream Bread

Sliced bread and frozen milk.