Results tagged The Perfect Scoop from David Lebovitz

I’m really fortunate to have two friends, Mort and Jeanette, who live on a boat in the Seine.

When Paris gets crazy, as it does in September when everyone returns from their vacations, it’s a lovely respite to have a glass or wine on the deck and watch the world leisurely float by.

(Along with a few other things bobbing around in the mix of the river…)

But it’s a great escape from a bit of the madness of la rentrée, when everyone’s come back to Paris and although they’re initially in a good mood, as their tans fade, they slip back into the big-city mode.

And soon, I’m back to cursing the motor-scooters who cut me off—on the sidewalk, I’m making appointments with the kinotherapist to re-align my back after losing too many games of “chicken” with Parisians on the sidewalk, and I need to keep myself from throttling those people who sit in front of me at the movies and spent their time texting their friends on their flashing, illuminated cell phones.

And, worst of all, I’m coming to the realization that the stinky guy has returned, and is probably never, ever going to move.

Continue Reading Fresh Grape Sherbet Recipe…

For a number of years, this forum has been a place to ask questions about ice cream making. However after hundreds of questions, everything that could be asked and answered about ice cream making has been said. So comments have been closed and if you have a question, you can use the search feature on your browser to scan the comments.

I’ve learned a lot listening to you about ice cream making and am thrilled that so many of you have taken up the task of churning up ice cream and sorbets at home. Thanks for participating in this forum!

-david

Here’s a list of links to various places on the site where you can find more information and tips about how to make ice cream.

However because to the number of inquiries, please keep in mind…

-If you have questions regarding a specific machine, I suggest contacting the manufacturer as they’re best equipped to give advice on your particular model.

-If you have questions about other people’s recipes, it’s advisable to contact the chef or author of that recipe.

-If you wish to try to recreate a favorite flavor you’ve had in a restaurant or ice cream shop, I suggest contacting the source of the inspiration, such as the company or chef, for guidance.

-While I appreciate those who are on special or restricted diets, there are a number of books out there which address ice cream recipes that are specifically tailored for those seeking recipes on that nature and it’s best to check those sources for recipes and for making modifications.

-Due to the number of comments and questions, yours might have already been answered. You can do a search using your browser for keywords in your question, to find is there is already a response.

-For questions about ingredient substitutions, check out my post on Baking Ingredients and Substitutions.

Vegan Ice Cream Books

People have been making ice cream far longer than the invention of electricity so there’s no reason you can’t make ice cream and sorbets at home without a machine.

The advantage to using an electric or hand-cranked machine is that the final result will be smoother and creamier. Freezing anything from liquid-to-solid means you’re creating hard ice crystals, so if you’re making it by hand, as your ice cream or sorbet mixture freezes, you want to break up those ice crystals as much as possible so your final results are as smooth and creamy as possible.

Machines are relatively inexpensive nowadays with models costing less than $50, and yes, I’ve seen the ball, but if I started tossing one of those around the streets here in Paris, I’d probably get even more strange looks than I normally get. (Plus you’ll need to lug some rock salt home as well.)

But not everyone has the space or the budget for a machine, so here’s how you can do your own ice cream at home without a churner. I recommend starting with an ice cream recipe that is custard-based for the smoothest texture possible. You can use my Vanilla Ice Cream or another favorite, or even this Strawberry Frozen Yogurt recipe using Greek-style or drained yogurt. The richer the recipe, the creamier and smoother the results are going to be.

Ice cream made this way is best eaten soon after it’s made—which shouldn’t be a problem.

Continue Reading How To Make Ice Cream Without a Machine…

Now that everyone out there’s been churning up ice cream, I’ve been getting a certain amount of questions about homemade ice cream, which I’m going to answer here over the next several weeks.

I’m going to start with the number one question folks have been asking: Why does homemade ice cream gets harder than commercial ice cream in their freezer? And what can be done to prevent it?

While I do address this in The Perfect Scoop (pages 5 and 16), I thought I’d list some strategies here as well. I don’t necessarily follow these all the time, but thought I’d put them out for readers to ponder and use as they see fit.

Alcohol

Alcohol doesn’t freeze, which you know if you’re anything like me and keep a bottle of Zubróvka vodka chilled and ready in your freezer. You can add up to 3 tablespoons of 40 proof liquor to 1 quart (1 liter) of your frozen dessert mixture prior to churning. I use vodka if I don’t want the taste of the liquor to intrude on the flavor, but will switch to another liquor such as Grand Marnier or Armagnac to enhance the original flavor if it’s compatible.

If my mixture is fruit-based, I prefer to add kirsch, a liquor which enhances the taste of stone fruits, like peaches, plums, nectarines, as well as berries. Generally-speaking, I’ll add enough so the taste isn’t very present, often less than a tablespoon.

For sorbets and sherbets, a glug of Champagne, white wine or rosé is nice with fruit flavors. 1/2 cup (125 ml) can be added per quart (liter) of mixture prior to churning. Or if the recipe calls for cooking the fruit with water, substitute some dry or sweet white wine for a portion of the water; the amount will depend on how much of the wine you want to taste. (Most of the alcohol will cook out but enough will remain to keep your sorbet softer.)

Sugar

Like alcohol, sugar doesn’t freeze which is why you shouldn’t futz around with recipes and just reduce the sugar willy-nilly. Almost all frozen dessert recipes use white granulated sugar, however you can replace some or all of the sugar with another liquid sweetener, namely honey or light corn syrup.

Continue Reading Tips For Making Homemade Ice Cream Softer…

Jessica’s ode to ice cream.

Elise pops up homemade popsicles.

Françoise’s strawberry soirée.

Taking the icy rhubarb-raspberry route.

Matt’s plum crazy.

Exploring her sweet (not savory) side.

Derrick rocks with Hot Fudge Sauce.

Adam sings for his scoop.

More Scoopers!…

Shauna puckers up for me.
(…or is it my Super Lemon Ice Cream?)

A tasty ménage-a-deaux of chocolate & roasted banana, from fudgy Fidget.

Oh-la-la!
Cindy’s on a French Vanilla sugar high (#31…to be exact).

Sassy Radish licks the bowl clean when she spins her own scooper-duper frozen yogurt.

Lisa’s almost up to 31 flavors!

Tammy gives birth to the mother of all popsicles.

Deb’s a-smitten with her own pinkcherry frozen yogurt.

An open letter to moi about a scary night in Paris. And it’s absinthe-tinged aftermath.
(In two chilling parts!)

Making a date in the desert with homemade ice cream.

Jessica churns up the perfect batch of Toasted Almond and Candied Cherry Ice Cream.

Nabeela gets the beautiful blues.

Jerry finds the perfect combination—White Chocolate Ice Cream melting over warm blueberry cobbler.

Adam has a meltdown.

It’s an all-out husband versus wife ice cream food fight!

Meeta metes out Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Ice Cream.

The ever-popular Roasted Banana Ice Cream rears its head again at a Mad Tea Party.

Alanna rounds ‘em up at BlogHer.

Here’s my address book for the most popular and some favorite places for ice cream in Paris. I update the list from time to time, and for the most up-to-date information, check out my Paris Pastry app, which lists over 300 of my favorite places in the city for ice cream, chocolate, pastries, and hot chocolate.

In addition to these glaciers, some of the pâtisseries make their own exceptionally-good ice cream which they’ll scoop up from freezers parked on the sidewalks outside during the summer. Some of the best include Kayser, La Maison du Chocolat, and A La Mère de Famille.

Many of the places keep curious hours, some of which I’ve noted. Most don’t open until mid-morning, and one, Deliziefollie, simply closed for the winter while Berthillon closes mid-July for the summer. I’ve listed phone numbers so you can call in advance.

Berthillon

Little needs to be said about Berthillion that hasn’t already been said. This most-famous of all Parisian glaciers makes what many consider the best ice cream in the world. Go see for yourself! I was a fan of their glace chocolat until I saw the light and switched to the chocolat amer sorbet, which has the deep intensity of chocolate but without the distraction of cream. Their Caramel Ice Cream is excellent, but I think the Caramel-Buerre-Salé doesn’t measure up to it. The fruit sorbets are excellent and the one made with tiny wild strawberries, fraises des bois, is worth the supplement.

Berthillon is served at many cafés in Paris, and other locations near the original also scoop it up, which is helpful when they’re closed. Beware of other storefronts nearby which some people confusing think serve glace Berthillon as well. (They’ll always display a Berthillon logo if they do.)

Berthillon
31, rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile (4th)
Tél: 01 43 54 31 61
Métro: Pont Marie or Sully-Morland
(Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, the second half of July and all of August.)

Amorino

Popular with tourists and locals, Amorino does quite the business, making delicate ‘flowers’ of gelato on cones. Interesting flavors include Bacio, the Italian-style ‘kiss’ of hazelnuts and chocolate and Amarena, candied sour cherries embedded in vanilla custard. Those of you who are lactose-intolerant can find digestive comfort in Amoriso which they say is made with rice and rice milk. Twelve boutiques in Paris.

Amorino
31, rue Vieille du Temple (4th)
Tél: 01 42 78 07 75
Métro: St. Paul or Hôtel de Ville

Pozzetto

More often than not, you’ll find me at Pozzetto, waiting from my scoop of sticky gelato in a cone being handed through the window to me.

Continue Reading Paris Ice Cream Shops: Les Glaciers de Paris…

Do you want to know…

The reason I’ll never have my own television program…
(page 109)

What a barely-there string bikini, high heels and world peace have in common with mango sorbet…
(page 108)

Why you might find me, nearly-naked, standing on your sidewalk someday…
(page 141)

The final installment of the trilogy, concluding my lifetime of disappointment…
(page 88)

Why I fear the ‘apple autocrat’…
(page 110)

What were the sordid fruits of my first online rendez-vous…
(page 186)

Why I’m not (too much) of an annoying food snob…
(page 136)

What made Adam play his amateur card (and what made his mom say “Oy!“)…
(page 73)

How I got my comeuppance for insulting the mysterious Lemon-Lady…
(page 152)

Continue Reading The Perfect Scoop…