CRANBERRY SWIRLED CHÈVRE ICE CREAM

As the weather turns nippy, we take shelter indoors craving rich foods that ensure we’ll be fat enough to survive the long, hard winter.

There are so many wonderful vegetables and fruits that come into season right about now. Through our traditional recipes, we celebrate our local produce and the hard work of the farmers who harvested it.

This Goat Cheese & Cranberry Coulis ice cream will make a sophisticated compliment to most cold season dishes and is so easy to make, you can’t not give it a go.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

 For your Custard:

(Makes about a half quart)

6 oz fresh goat cheese (AKA chèvre) (170 grams)

1 cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk (260 mL)

1/2 cup sugar (100 grams)

4 large egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon salt (small pinch)

1/16 teaspoon nutmeg (very small pinch)

Bowl of ice water

For your Cranberry Coulis:

(Makes about 1 Cup of Coulis)

1 + 1/2 cup fresh cranberries (washed)

zest of 1 medium orange

1/3 cup sugar (65 grams)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground clove (or 4 clove stems)

3/4 cup water (180 mL)

pinch of salt (to taste)

pinch of ground pepper (to taste)

You can also add a splash of orange liqueur if you like (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)

*You can increase or decrease these amounts if you want a different ratio of cranberry coulis swirls to ice cream.

Tools:

Small or Medium Sized Sauce Pan

Heavy Bottom Pot or Double boiler (Don’t have a Double Boiler? Don’t worry, just place a medium bowl over the top of a pot with a an inch or two of water simmering in the bottom.)

Whisk

Medium or Fine Mesh Sieve OR Blender

Large bowl & smaller bowl (ice bath)

Wooden spoon or Heatproof Spatula

Thermometer*

*Ideal, not essential

Instructions:

To make the Chèvre (goat cheese) Ice Cream Base:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)

2. Crumble your goat cheese and place in a medium bowl. Make sure to have a sieve nearby for later.

3. Warm the milk and sugar in your heavy-bottom pot or double boiler. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved and steam begins to rise from the top.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Once it is uniform, add a tablespoon of the dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture into the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture back into the rest of the dairy mixture, stirring continuously, making sure to mix the bottom of the bowl as well. (Try to keep the heat at medium-low - under 80 degrees Celsius). The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.

5. Strain the custard into the bowl of goat cheese crumbles and stir until it is all melted evenly.

6. Float the bowl in your ice bath and stir until it cools completely (5 - 7 mins).

7. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.

To make the Cranberry Coulis:

If you want cold cranberry swirls inside your ice cream, the coulis should be made well before you churn your ice cream. It will need time to truly cool before you stir it into your churned ice cream.

If you prefer to pour warm cranberry coulis directly over the ice cream before you serve it (a very good alternative!) then you can make the coulis up to a couple of days in advance of serving. Reheat it gently before pouring onto the ice cream.

1. Place your cranberries, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, clove, water, and salt & pepper (if adding) into a small sauce pan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped (about 10 - 15 mins).

3. Remove from heat and stir in your orange liqueur (if desired). Mix well.

4. Either pass the hot coulis through a sieve (discarding the solids) and keeping the liquid, or blend cranberries all together until puréed. Set coulis aside to cool completely. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

To Finish:

(if adding swirls)

1. Allow your coulis to return to room temperature.

2. When you are ready to churn, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire.

3. Transfer the ice cream in parts to your pre-chilled, air-tight container, gently pouring coulis in between each part. Once all of your ice cream is added, you can gently swirl a knife or chop stick through the container one or two times to create gentle swirls if desired. (Do not over-mix… If you do, you will end up with pink ice cream and no swirls).

4. Once finished, freeze immediately! Serve only after the ice cream has had a chance to harden up. Otherwise you will have undefined swirls.

(if serving with hot coulis)

1. Gently reheat your coulis to slightly warmer than room temperature. Dish the ice cream. Pour the coulis over the top just before serving.

---

This Goat Cheese and Cranberry Swirl ice cream will keep for about one week.

---

Notes :

+ Fresh goat cheese and cranberries always taste better, but if you’re in a tight spot, frozen cranberries and regular goat cheese do well too!

+ Not everyone likes goat cheese (kids especially) and not everyone likes the tartness of cranberries. Make sure your audience will be able to appreciate your efforts by figuring out what they do and don’t like ahead of time.

+ This is a great dessert to make in the autumn and winter months, but if you swap out the cranberries for strawberries, this makes an amazing summer dessert! See my recipe for roasted balsamic strawberry coulis.

Great pairings for Goat Cheese & Cranberries:

Sweet: Orange, Vanilla, Almond, Homemade Cookies, Oats/Granola, Gingerbread, Cinnamon buns, Brioche, Cinnamon, Fresh Mint Leaves,

Savory: After a rich meal (Roasted Meats, Stews, Creamy Pastas), Winter snacks & hors d’oeuvres (stuffed mushrooms, pasties, crostini)

Chèvre Ice Cream with Cranberry Coulis Swirls

Laura | November 2018

Prep & Cooking time: 40 minutes

Chilling time: 4 hours

Total time: ~ 4 hours 40 minutes

Servings: Makes about one half quart of ice cream

Level of Skill: Easy

Ingredients:

For your Custard:

(Makes about a half quart)

• 6 oz fresh goat cheese (AKA chèvre) (170 grams)
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk (260 mL)
• 1/2 cup sugar (100 grams)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (small pinch)
• 1/16 teaspoon nutmeg (very small pinch)

For your Cranberry Coulis:

(Makes about 1 Cup of Coulis)

• 1 + 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (washed)
• zest of 1 medium orange
• 1/3 cup sugar (65 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove (or 4 clove stems)
• 3/4 cup water (180 mL)
• pinch of salt (to taste)
• pinch of ground pepper (to taste)
• You can also add an optional splash of orange liqueur if you like (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)

Instructions:

To make the Chèvre (goat cheese) Ice Cream Base:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)

2. Crumble your goat cheese and place in a medium bowl. Make sure to have a sieve nearby for later.

3. Warm the milk and sugar in your heavy-bottom pot or double boiler. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved and steam begins to rise from the top.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Once it is uniform, add a tablespoon of the dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture into the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture back into the rest of the dairy mixture, stirring continuously, making sure to mix the bottom of the bowl as well. (Try to keep the heat at medium-low - under 80 degrees Celsius). The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.

5. Strain the custard into the bowl of goat cheese crumbles and stir until it is all melted evenly.

6. Float the bowl in your ice bath and stir until it cools completely (5 - 7 mins).

7. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.

To make the Cranberry Coulis:

If you want cold cranberry swirls inside your ice cream, the coulis should be made well before you churn your ice cream. It will need time to truly cool before you stir it into your churned ice cream.

If you prefer to pour warm cranberry coulis directly over the ice cream before you serve it (a very good alternative!) then you can make the coulis up to a couple of days in advance of serving. Reheat it gently before pouring onto the ice cream.

1. Place your cranberries, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, clove, water, and salt & pepper (if adding) into a small sauce pan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped (about 10 - 15 mins).

3. Remove from heat and stir in your orange liqueur (if desired). Mix well.

4. Either pass the hot coulis through a sieve (discarding the solids) and keeping the liquid, or blend cranberries all together until puréed. Set coulis aside to cool completely. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

To Finish:

(if adding swirls)

1. Allow your coulis to return to room temperature.

2. When you are ready to churn, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire.

3. Transfer the ice cream in parts to your pre-chilled, air-tight container, gently pouring coulis in between each part. Once all of your ice cream is added, you can gently swirl a knife or chop stick through the container one or two times to create gentle swirls if desired. (Do not over-mix… If you do, you will end up with pink ice cream and no swirls).

4. Once finished, freeze immediately! Serve only after the ice cream has had a chance to harden up. Otherwise you will have undefined swirls.

(if serving topped with hot coulis)

1. Gently reheat your coulis to slightly warmer than room temperature. Dish the ice cream. Pour the coulis over the top just before serving.

Nutrition:

(per 1/2 cup serving)

Servings: Four 1/2 cup sized scoops

Fat: 22 grams

Calories: 450

Nutrition estimated by Happyforks.com