One big {tongue smack!}

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

i'm seeing a trend in my latest posts... berries and chocolate.
i must be pregnant.

Okay, after saying I was going to take a cooking/baking group hiatus both daring bakers and recipes to rival came up with great and do-able challenges for the month. Either that or I'm just feeling much better.

This was the perfect little cake to celebrate hub's birthday with. Plus, I didn't see the challenge until after Valentine's so I couldn't make it for that special day... Also, we did make our own ice cream, it was vanilla bean, but I didn't make it until later in the evening and didn't want to take pictures in the darkness of the night, I love natural light.

It was a simple cake to make, although personally it was too chocolate-y for me. Which is really very weird. It was too rich; although I did eat my entire mini cake... Hub made a good point that it was much more delicious paired with the ice cream; it was a necessary equalizer. I'm glad he enjoyed it, I'm blaming my opinion on this pregnancy. I paired the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberries and a raspberry syrup which was very simple, and very messy to make. I hate the smell of burnt sugar.


it has eyes...

The ice cream recipe I'm sharing is the homemade ice cream we make. The ratio is mostly half and half because hub hates when after eating the ice cream it leaves a sort of film on the top of your mouth from all the cream, thus the need to smack your tongue. you know the sort?

our not too {tongue-smacky} vanilla bean ice cream

3 cups half and half
1 cup cream
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar, to taste
1 vanilla bean, sliced and seeded
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together, cover, and let seep for at least an hour. Be sure to add the vanilla bean pod too. Remove the vanilla bean and pour into your most fantastic ice cream maker and wait.

When the ice cream is ready, spoon into bowls and serve. Although if you're like hub be sure to add in a little milk for a nicely frozen, icy effect. That's best to do after the ice cream has been in the freezer overnight; it assures that there will be more slush created.

My favorite way, strawberries on top.