Peanut Butter Makes My Mouth Happy

A while back a close friend gifted us a Cuisinart ice cream maker. The last time I made ice cream was as a kid in one of those wooden ice cream makers that took forever. I've been trying to keep our cholesterol down by using lower fat ingredients, but none of my low fat ice cream attempts ever worked out, so the machine sat on my counter for months unused. My partner, Rick, is a voracious eater and especially loves ice cream. I hate buying anything "low fat" since I trust a cow over a chemist to know what should be in my body. This weekend I figured I could give the ice cream maker another shot and bought "The Best Ice Cream Maker Cookbook Ever". Catchy title. There are many no fat or low fat options in the book, such as sorbets, so I dusted off the machine and fired it up.

To start off, I actually picked a high fat recipe to ensure Rick would like the idea (the man thinks through his stomach) and made Peanut Butter ice cream. I'll slowly start introducing healthier options, so he doesn't notice.

The ice cream turned out incredibly flavorful and NOMmy! After all, fat equals flavor!

I think this recipe could easily substitute some of the fat content without sacrificing flavor since the peanut butter is so predominant.

Utterly Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup (packed) creamy peanut butter (DO NOT use "natural" or old-fashioned" as they tend to separate)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot, 6 - 8 minutes.
2. Gradually mix in the peanut butter by large spoonfuls, stirring well after each addition, until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the warm peanut butter cream. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (at least 160 degrees F. on a candy thermometer), 5 - 10 minutes. Do not boil or the egg yolks will curdle.
4. Strain the custard into a bowl and partially cover. Let cool 1 hour at room temperature. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until very cold, at least 6 hours or as long as 3 days.
5. Pour the custard into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze at least 3 hours or as long as 3 days.
   

Ask and ye shall receive....Chad

Chad has been nipping at my heels to send him this recipe, so today's post is dedicated to all those tenacious bakers out there. The author's comments sum up this recipe perfectly:

"The flavors of red wine and cheese make such a natural combination, and they're often served with a nice crusty bread. So, why not put them both in the bread?". Zoe Francois, Healthy Bread in Five minutes a Day. Note: Great bread book using no-knead dough making method.

Red Wine and Cheese Bread

Makes at least four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

1/2 cup rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite hard cheese (note: I used extra sharp white cheddar for a really strong flavor)

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Whisk together the flours, yeast, and salt in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Add the liquid ingredients and cheese to the dry ingredients and mix with-out kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment) or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you're not using a machine.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses )or flattens on top, approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after its initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days. The flavor will be best if you wait at least 24 hours of refrigeration.
5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
6. Elongate the ball into a narrow oval. Allow the dough to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal or lined with parchment paper for 90 minutes (40 if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough). Alternatively, you can rest the loaf on a silicone mat or a greased cookie sheet without using a pizza peel.
7. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450ºF, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won't interfere with the rising bread.
8. Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top crust with water. Slash the loaf diagonally with 1/4-inch-deep parallel cuts, using a serrated bread knife.
9. Slide the load directly onto the hot stone (or place the silicone mat or cookie sheet on the stone if you used one). Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 30 minutes, until richly browned and firm. If you used parchment paper, a silicone mat, or a cookie sheet under the loaf, carefully remove it and bake it directly on the stone or an oven rack two-thirds of the way through baking. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.

Mother Day '10 Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

I recently subscribed to Martha Stewart's "Living" magazine. I know it's horribly cliche to be gay and a Martha lover but the woman knows her stuff! This recipe comes from her May 2010 issue (reprinted without permission).

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Actual Time: 25 min
Total Time: 2 Hours 15 min
Makes: One 9-Inch Cake: Serves 10

This cake has a crumb "topping" that actually ends up on the bottom. Each bite has a surprisingly crunchy texture.

For the Topping

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup All-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

For the cake

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more fir buttering pan
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and salt until moist and crumbly.
2. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup of sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixtures in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Note: Let cake cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan The rhubarb will be too hot to handle safely right after baking. But if the cake sits much longer, it may stick.