Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream #ICTScoopAdventures

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM! Chocolate and Coconut Ice Cream and your chance(s) to win your own copy of Scoop Adventures to be more specific! The giveaway is found at the end of the post.

I love ice cream. Ever since I was a little girl, there has been something about that cold, creamy (my favorite way) deliciousness that I find hard to resist. I love mix-ins and am happiest when my bowl runneth over with ice cream.

Which may be why today’s post is all the more interesting. This is the first time I made ice cream. EVER!

The inspiration to get in the kitchen and make a batch started with an email from my friend Jenni at Pastry Chef Online whom I just wrote about on Desserts Required. Lindsay Clendaniel from Scoop Adventures just pubished her fabulous book, Scoop Adventures – THE BEST ICE CREAM OF THE 50 STATES. Jenni asked if I wanted to participate in a joint blog post about Lindsay’s book with the catch being that we would all, actually, make ice cream.

Never one to back away from a terrifying challenge, I agreed. Fortunately, Lindsay does give instructions on her blog for those of us who do not own an ice cream maker.

The first attempt was, well, interesting. I put the delicious base in the refrigerator to get cold. When it did not set nearly 24 hours later, I messaged the amazing group of bloggers participating today to express my frustration. Jenni, very nicely, told me that it won’t freeze unless it is, actually, in the freezer. I believe we call that an ah-ha moment.

Fortunately, everyone got a good chuckle out of this and I wrote the following poem:

My computer froze at the wrong time.
My ice cream did not freeze.
I need a chocolate martini.
So tomorrow will be a breeze!

This will not win any poetry contests, but sure did a great job relieving the stress.

The next day I put the base in the freezer and set the timer for 30 minutes so that I would remember to whip it. This step was repeated another time. On the third round, I was on a conference call and asked Shoshana to bring the bowl inside from the garage freezer. The definition of a, “Please tell me I didn’t just hear that moment,” was when Shoshana accidentally dropped the bowl in the garage. Can you see my reaction from wherever you happen to be?

A few days later, I started my Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream again. Lindsay has macadamia nuts in hers but I did not have any in the house. I debated substituting a different nut but since I love chocolate coconut ice cream, I decided to make what I knew would be great together.

This time I was prepared. I knew that the base stays in the fridge only until it is cold and then moves to the freezer, where it is whipped every 30 minutes until it is a soft serve consistency. Then the mix-ins are added, in this case the coconut.

My end result was not quite as creamy as if I had used an ice cream maker, but when I stirred up the scoops in my bowl, they became creamy. The taste was out of this world.

I must say that I had a hard time deciding which recipe to make. One of my favorite ice cream shops, Taos Cow Ice Cream Co., is included with their Café Olé Ice Cream but I wanted to try one of Lindsay’s original creations.

I don’t know many people who do not love ice cream and now that I have made a batch, I understand that it isn’t the overwhelming task I had once thought it to be. Scoop Adventures is user friendly and loaded with delicious recipes. A winning combination.

Watch it:

Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/26106872815722135/

Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

Recipe from Scoop Adventures by Lindsay Clendaniel (Page Street Publishing; March 2014) Printed with permission. This is the recipe from the book. I made it following Lindsay’s directions for making ice cream without an ice cream machine and I added more coconut because I did not have macadamia nuts in the house!
http://www.amazon.com/Scoop-Adventures-Recipes-Greatest-Parlors/dp/1624140343

MAKES 1 QUART (940ML)

Macadamia nuts are a well-loved and ubiquitous ingredient in Hawaii. Grown on the islands, these beloved nuts are used in both savory and sweet dishes. During a recent trip to Hawaii, I discovered the winning combination of chocolate, coconut and macadamia nuts, and from that moment I knew that I needed to create an ice cream based on the flavors. Enjoy this decadent and crunchy scoop and you may just take a trip to the islands.

CHOCOLATE LIQUOR

1⁄3 cup (37g) cocoa powder
1⁄3 cup (79ml) water
1⁄3 cup (67g) sugar
2 oz (56g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1⁄4 tsp salt

ICE CREAM BASE

1⁄2 cup (118ml) whole milk, divided
1 tbsp (9g) cornstarch
1 1⁄2 cups (355ml) heavy cream
1 1⁄4 cups (295ml) coconut milk
1⁄3 cup (67g) sugar
1⁄4 tsp vanilla extract
1⁄2 cup (38g) unsweetened shredded coconut
3⁄4 cup (100g) chopped macadamia nuts

To make the chocolate liquor, combine the cocoa powder, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a low boil, whisking frequently. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat and add the bittersweet chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, and then stir the chocolate liquor until smooth. Whisk the chocolate liquor and pour into a medium bowl. Add the salt, whisk and set aside.

To make the ice cream base, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the whole milk with the cornstarch, whisk and set aside. Combine the remaining whole milk, cream, coconut milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring the milk mixture to a low boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the milk mixture from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the chocolate liquor. Set the bowl in the ice water bath to cool, 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When churning is complete, gently fold in the coconut and macadamia nuts. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. The longer the ice cream rests in the freezer, the more coconut flavor will be imparted into the ice cream by the shredded coconut.

Be sure to check out more recipes from Scoop Adventures that some of my blogger friends made!

Berry Goat Cheese Sherbet from Kimberly at Hungry Goddess
Red Velvet Ice Cream Sundae from Kim at Cravings of a Lunatic
Chocolate Sesame Brittle Ice Cream from Jenni at Pastry Chef Online
S’Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches with Toasted Marshmallow Malt Ice Cream from Kirsten at Comfortably Domestic
Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream from Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream from Dionne at Try Anything Once
Hops and Nuts Ice Cream from Sophia at NY Foodgasm
Blueberry Mojito Ice Cream from Barb at Creative Culinary
Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream from Betsy at Desserts Required
Peanut Butter Ice Cream from Donna at Cookistry
Thai Coconut Ice Cream from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
Dark Chocolate Orange Ice Cream from Allison at Decadent Philistines Save the World

Winning is something you can do once you enter into my giveaway contest to win your very own copy of Lindsay’s Scoop Adventures! Here’s how it works:

1. You must be at least 18 years of age and live in the Continental United States or Canada.
2. Leave a comment on this post.
3. For an extra entry, ‘like’ my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/dessertsrequired) and leave a 2^nd comment here letting me know you did or already have.
4. If you want ONE MORE entry, ‘like’ Scoop Adventures Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/scoopadventures) and leave leave another comment or combine it with your 2nd comment here letting me know you did or already have.
5. If you want to tip the scale even FURTHER and get a third entry, ‘follow’ me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/dessertsreqrd) and leave another comment or combine with your 2^nd comment here letting me know you did or already have.
6. Contest closes Tuesday, July 8th at Midnight. Winner will be notified and will have 48 hours to respond to my email with shipping info. After that time if no response is forthcoming, a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck and eat slowly enough to avoid freezer brain…if you can!!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of Scoop Adventure for this post. All views expressed are my own.