I am constantly trying to perfect my technique with each recipe. I made sure my eggs were room temperature, got the milk up to the proper temperature before and after tempering the eggs. I let it thoroughly cool before putting it in the fridge overnight. With all this I expected the mixture to come out of the fridge with a medium bodied consistency, thin enough to then get thickened in the maker. Instead I ended up with soft serve before I even put it in the maker. This is a scary outcome as it is only going to get thicker once the mixture freezes. But fears aside I proceed with getting it churning in the mixer. It goes for half an hour then its time to put the coconut and nuts in. The minute I do, the motor stops. I'm thinking now I have to work fast before I end up with a melted mess. And is my machine broken?
I handle the first fiasco - getting this mass of ice cream out of the maker and into a bowl so I can mix it. Because the mixture got so hard in the maker, a lot of it froze to the sides of the cylinder and was soft in the middle. I was nervous about having chunks of hardened ice cream mixed within the soft base but the coconut and nut texture hopefully hide that. I get the mixture the the freezer as quickly as possible and check the maker. Motor starts up fine! It will live to see another week of ice cream making. I actually think its designed to shut it off if the cylinder cant spin, so you don't blow the motor. Lets hope anyway.
This whole process was a labor of love. The ingredients were somewhat pricey and more so because I doubled the recipe. This is definitely a treat worth spending money on. The richness of the chocolate is the star in this ice cream, and the Bakers's German's Chocolate is creamy and smooth, and just sweet enough. The coconut gives a a great flavor as well, I might even add some coconut extract next time to amp up the coconut flavor. The original recipe called for pecans but Caroline asked for macadamias. They add a rich, buttery crunch that makes this even more decadent. They are salted so you get the contrast in flavors which balance each other well. That seems to be the big thing in baking right now. You see salt topped cupcakes and pies with caramel and salt. I'm glad that people are looking at savory items for baked goods. I'm getting a bit off topic but. herbs go really well in sweet dishes too.
I think the only thing wrong with it is wanting to eat the entire batch in one sitting. I would advise against doing this, as it is so rich. This is the type of ice cream that is a delicacy, to be savored. It will be the perfect way to start a short week after this holiday weekend.
Have a wonderful 4th of July!
