Fresh Fruit Soft Serve

This is a very easy dairy-free, gluten-free and maybe even sugar-free dessert that is so delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day. All you need is a freezer and a blender.

1 small pineapple, chunked and frozen

10 large frozen strawberries

1 large frozen banana

1 cup almond milk (I used vanilla but you can use plain)

Place everything in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may want to start with less than 1 cup of almond milk or you may need to add more if it is too thick. You may also have to give it a stir a couple of times to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

I served ours in the leftover pineapple “bowls” from my canning pineapple a couple of days ago…

I wish I had sprinkled coconut on mine… Oh well, there’s always next time! And I think it would make fabulous popsicles!

Coconut Ice Cream

This ice cream is delicious by itself or covered in dark chocolate syrup. But it is an extra delicious dessert when paired with Fresh Pineapple Sorbet. You can make this with or without the shredded coconut, depending on how you are about texture. I’ve made it both ways now, and think I prefer it without…

1 cup whole milk

1 can cream of coconut (14oz)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened (optional)

Mix milk and cream of coconut together well with a whisk. Stir in heavy cream.

Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions. Add coconut during the last 5-10 minutes of mixing time.

Enjoy however you desire!

I enjoyed mine with a few scoops of pineapple sorbet, a shot of vanilla rum and a bit of orange juice. Mmmm!!!

Fresh Pineapple Sorbet

This is the pineapple sorbet I made for our Ladies’ Tea at church. It is so refreshing and sweet! I love it on a hot summer’s day! And when it’s not hot and sunny, it reminds me of hot summer days and makes me smile!

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

 

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Place pineapple and lemon/lime juice in food processor. Blend until pureed.

 

Add sugar and process until sugar is dissolved. This only takes about 1 minute or so.

Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.

Freeze and enjoy!

Chocolate Waffles

This is an easy recipe for a chocolate-y dessert that is best served with ice cream and your choice of toppings. Our favorites are bananas/Nutella/whipped cream, strawberries/ bananas/chocolate syrup, candy cane/whipped cream! But you can choose your favorites…

Make your cake mix according to the directions on the box.

Pour batter into a preheated waffle iron…

You have to do a bit of experimenting to see how much batter works in your waffle iron. It may be a sort of messy experiment…

For my benefit, it use 1/2 cup of batter. Although if you have a Black & Decker Belgian waffle maker, then it’s for your benefit, too. ;o)

    Serve waffles warm or at room temp…

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

I loved salted caramels, so this ice cream was pretty yummy! With some mini caramel cups stirred in, it was perfect!

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

Dissolve brown sugar in whole milk with whisk. Stir in vanilla, salt and cream.

Pour into ice cream maker and prepare as directions instruct.

Fold in mini caramel cups, if desired.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

All this needs is a thick, chewy, chocolately brownie to make it perfect! But it was so good, I couldn’t even wait for it to firm up…

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

Whisk together until the sugar dissolves.

Add:

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 Tablespoon peppermint extract

Pour into ice cream maker and make according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Stir in 1/2 – 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Freeze until firm.

Strawberry Sorbet Daiquiris

Here’s another ice cream cocktail recipe.

Place 2-3 small scoops of strawberry sorbet (see recipe HERE) in a cup with sugared rim.

Pour 1 shot of light rum over sorbet.

Let melt a bit and give it a stir before drinking.

Snakebite Shakes

When my hubby tried my homemade lime sherbet, the first thing he said was, “This would be great with some Yukon!” And that’s how snakebite shakes were born.

Mix 1 to 1 1/2 cups lime sherbet (my recipe is HERE) and 2 shots of Yukon Jack in a blender just until smooth. Pour into two glasses and enjoy!

Peppermint Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream, brownies and chocolate ganache combine to make an absolutely decadent cake.

First start by making brownies in 2 round 8” pans. I used my favorite brownie recipe, you can find it HERE.

Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

The best part of this recipe is the filling of peppermint mocha ice cream.

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons instant coffee or espresso

1 1/2 Tablespoons Dutch cocoa

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Mix milk, sugar, coffee and cocoa with electric mixer until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cream and peppermint.

Prepare according to ice cream maker’s instructions.

While ice cream is still soft, spread between layers of the brownie “cakes”.

Place in the freezer for about 1-2 hours.

Make a chocolate ganache by heating 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until just boiling. Pour over 1 cup of chocolate chips and let stand 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Spread over cake.

Place cake back in freezer until ganache is set or you are ready to serve.

Remove from freezer to let soften a bit before cutting cake.

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

This refreshing, sweet, strawberry sorbet is so easy to make and so much better than anything I’ve bought at the store! So far it has been my husband’s favorite! If you pick up some fresh strawberries, grab a few extra to whip up a batch of this frozen berry delight!

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and quartered

4 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup corn syrup

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, stir and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Process strawberries and lemon or lime juice in food processor until completely pureed. Press puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds (they won’t all come out).

Combine puree, corn syrup and sugar syrup.

Chill for 1 hour.

Pour into ice cream maker and make according to instructions.

Pour into container and store in freezer until ready to serve.

White Licorice Ice Cream

Licorice ice cream takes me to a happy place of warm memories of my grandpa. When we were little, every Halloween meant a box of black licorice and orange sherbet. I loved it! My lips, teeth and tongue would turn this ghastly purplish color that always made us laugh. Then the quit making it… Halloween didn’t seem the same after that. :o(

Years later, while touring the Tillamook Cheese Factory I discovered white licorice ice cream. It was like being 6 again! I fell in love! Every time we visited, I eagerly awaited a bowl of the stuff.

Then they too, stopped making licorice ice cream…

Thanks to my ice cream maker, it’s back in my life again!

1 1/2 cups half & half

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1-2 teaspoons of anise extract

Mix half & half and sugar with a whisk or mixer until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in cream and anise extract, to taste.

Prepare according to ice cream maker’s instructions.

Sherbet

This is the easiest creamiest yummiest sherbet ever! And you could make it any flavor you want by changing the flavor of concentrate and throwing in a bit of… whatever! :o)

The lime I made was the perfect combination of tart and sweet with the zest of one lime thrown in for good measure.

Here are some other options…

Orange with orange zest

Pineapple with crushed pineapple and maybe some coconut milk in place of some of the half & half

I was wondering how strawberry, orange, pineapple sherbet would be???

I may just have to try them all!!!

Here’s the basic recipe:

3 cups half & half

1 cup frozen juice concentrate, thawed

2-3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on taste and how tart your concentrate is

Combine ingredients in a blender and mix until sugar is dissolved. *I used my stick blender, worked great!

Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacture’s instructions.