It's been just over a month since my husband got me an ice cream maker for my birthday. Quite frankly I'm surprised the motor hasn't given out (yes, I've been making a lot of ice cream). In addition to the ice cream maker, I also received two terrific cookbooks: Molly Moon' s Homemade Ice Cream and People's Pops: 55 Recipes for Ice Pops, Shave Ice, and Boozy Pops from Brooklyn's Coolest Pop Shop. I decided to start with the Molly Moon's book.
I first heard of Molly Moon's about 4 1/2 years ago. I was 6 months pregnant with my first son Otis and we were trying to figure out whether or not we should relocated to Seattle. Our apartment in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn was feeling pretty crowded and it was going to seem even smaller once the baby arrived. We were also starting to sour on the city, despite having most of our family and closest friends around. I always loved the Pacific Northwest, so we booked a flight and flew to Seattle to check things out.
Seattle had a lot of things going for it: employment prospects were better for me because I was a member of the Washington Bar. And the overall cost of living, while not cheap, was more affordable than NYC. The food scene (amazing), hiking options (tons), and the politically active citizenry of Seattle made us think it would be a good place to live.
Once we got there we ate; we ate a lot. We went to Macrina Bakery for brunch, shopped at the Pikes Place Market, and stumbled upon a cheese festival that happened to be taking place while we were in town. We slurped tons of pho, dined at Tilth (oh lord that place is good)and walked around Gasworks Park. We also got tickets to see the Mariners clobber the Red Socks at Safeco field. (I was rooting for the Mariners because I was in their stadium. Of course I'm also a New Yorker and a Yankee fan-- so I don't have much love for the Boston Red Sox!)
We took a little side trip to Vancouver, which was fabulous (more great food and lots of great walks). Upon our return to Seattle we decided to get some ice cream. The spot? Molly Moon's. The line? Around the block. I heard their salted caramel flavor was incredibly popular and worth the wait. It was to-die-for. We got a pint.
Anyway here we are, 5 years later. Lots of things have changed since that trip to Seattle. We are living in Denver, not Seattle, and our family now has 5 happy members (I'm including our trusted Rottweiler in this count). One thing that hasn't changed much is my love of ice cream...especially Molly Moon's.
Salted Caramel was the first recipe I tried. I paired it with a warm Ghirardelli brownie (above) and it was fantastic. Next up was Mexican Chocolate (nice heat from Vietnamese, a.k.a Saigon, Cinnamon) and blood orange sorbet (seasonal and refreshing).
I did my happy-dance the minute my husband returned from the grocery store. I could see those boxes through the shopping bag. Know which boxes I mean? Hmmmm? Yes? The little green boxes that are hard to find and sold by Girl Scouts around the nation? Thin mints! Yes, thin mints! THIN MINTS!
People, it's very hard not to fall in love with this one. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. A special thank you goes out to the awesome people at Molly Moon's who let me publish their recipe.
xo,
Batya
"Scout" Mint Ice Cream (Courtesy of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, printed with permission)
Makes 1- 1 1/2 Quarts
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups crushed Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies (about 15 cookies)
Note: The cookies can be crushed into pieces as big or as small as you want them to be in your ice cream. We shoot for pea-size pieces and leave a cookie or two mostly intact- because who doesn't love finding a big cookie in their ice cream?
Preparation
Put the milk, cream, sugar, and salt into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Before the mixture has come to a boil, remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a shallow pan or bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, 1 to 2 hours.
When the mixture is cold, stir in the peppermint extract. Pour it into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions(mine takes 20-25 minutes from start to finish once the power is turned on and the bowl starts turning). During the last few minutes of processing, add the cookies. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ice cream to an airtight glass or plastic freezer container. Cover tightly and freeze until the ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours.
Note: You have to freeze the bowl that comes with the ice cream maker for 24 hours prior to use, so don't forget to do this in advance!
Enjoy :)
This looks amazing. I love your bowls as well! I have the Jeni's book and love it.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sara...why'd you have to go and tell me about another ice cream book I MUST buy :) I've got my eye on their sweet potato ice cream with torched marshmallow...but that seems more suited for Thanksgiving. I'll have to take a look at their spring flavors! Got any favorites I should try?
DeleteAlso--Seattle!!!!
ReplyDeleteBatya, I LOVE these photos, the dishes and that amazing looking ice cream!!!! You have such a nice balance to your blog: healthy salads, vegetarian stews, seasonal dishes,and then full-fat ice cream. Life is about balance and yours seems perfect :) I am going to get this book--you've convinced me! Mind if I ask: where do you get your plates and bowls? What camera do you use?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Paulina! That's so nice to hear. I appreciate the kind comments! I try to have a nice balance-- but living in Colorado we also have a lot of hiking opportunities where one can "work it off!" Definitely get the book. It's wonderful. I got these particular bowls at Anthropologie. A few of my other bowls and plates are from Wobbly Plates in Brooklyn, but I buy them here in Denver at Hazel & Dewey (my absolute favorite place to get kitchen goods). My camera is a Canon Rebel EOS xSi-- it's about 5 years old and I'm thinking it might be time to upgrade. But the key is great light. That's what I'm told :) Thanks for chiming in!
DeleteI loved reading this! We are East Coasters (Philly) who are now in Seattle and have considered Denver. Why did you wind up there?
ReplyDeleteHi there, everydaymaven (I think your name is Alyssa?). Thanks for your comment and glad you liked the post. I love Philly. It's a great city-- Vetri is the best and the art museum is wonderful. As for Seattle, it's a great city too. I'm almost done watching this cycle of Top Chef-- it has me thinking I should hop a plane:)
ReplyDeleteHere's my answer about Denver (and pardon the length of this response!): accessibility, weather and lifestyle. We moved here when Theo (the younger) was 6 weeks old. I had spent a total of just 48 hours in Denver before moving here, and that was for a wedding. It was a total leap of faith. But after spending just a few months here, I was totally convinced that it was a good place for us. Denver is nothing like New York or Chicago (those are real megalopolises)-- but it has everything we need: a few terrific museums (Denver Art Museum, Clyfford Still) that were really forward-thinking, a contemporary art center, an historic downtown (i.e. there's some charm), professional sports teams (Rockies, Nuggets, Broncos, etc.), a wonderful library system, lots of open space, access to beautiful mountains and hiking, 300 days of sunshine and politics that are going in a direction that we prefer. I'm also a big fan of the food truck and seasonal dining scene here-- there are some really creative people opening some really fabulous restaurants (not that we dine out as much as we used to...) We are closing on a beautiful historic home next week-- something that wouldn't have exactly happened had we stayed in New York, and probably wouldn't have happened in Seattle either. We are buying in the school district we want for our kids-- so that was a huge part of our thought process. Our boys will go to summer camp in the mountains one day-- and learn about their environment, which here-- is nothing short of spectacular. There's also lots of great skiing and outdoor activities year round. Jobs are not so easy to come by in Denver, which is why it took almost a year to make the move permanent. But there you have it. I'll always love Seattle. But my husband had a nice circle of friends already living here (most from the East Coast originally) and that helped tip the scale. Are you in Seattle permanently or just checking it out? Let me know if you find yourself in Denver :)
I think I'm going to have to buy this book for that salted caramel ice cream recipe--oh my goodness does that look good, especially on top of a brownie. My ice cream maker has been gathering dust over the past few months (sad!), but this is inspiring me to break it out again soon. :)
ReplyDeleteDo it, Kiersten! It's such a great book. Now go dust off that ice cream maker...spring is the perfect time to get it done :)
DeleteIce Cream and Thin Mints! I'm so happy that we have you in Denver, but so happy that you discovered this great looking ice cream in Seattle :) My sister-in-law lives in the Wallingford area so I will have to tell her about this place if she doesn't already know Molly Moons. I too think I need to dust off my ice cream maker--- now isn't that what spring is all about! Love your blog and those gorgeous photos...++
ReplyDeleteHi Chloe, Thanks so much for your comment and the compliments (!). If your sister-in-law lives in Wallingford (which is where Molly Moon's is), I'd bet that she knows about this ice cream shop. It's kinda legendary. We are happy to be in Denver too! And there are some great ice cream shops here-- but I don't think any of them (Sweet Action, Little Man, that new one coming to the Highlands) has a cookbook just yet :)
DeleteAhhh Molly Moon's ice cream. I'm one of those people that isn't in love with the salted caramel... I can take a lick of it, but after that it's just too much for me. I had a scoop over a brownie at Smith in Capitol Hill though once, and THAT was awesome. Scout Mint is my favorite though. Lovely pictures of everything, and your making of the ice cream looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy! Not in love with salted caramel?!! Huh :) I do think the brownie pairing is something special! But I'm with you that the mint is the best :) I'm making another batch tonight-- and in case you're wondering...yes, I am shlepping over to the Girl Scouts of Colorado office because they sell the boxes from their small store. Desperate times call for desperate measures!
DeleteMy book just arrived and I can't wait to make this one! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it, Angela. It's really great! And, sure....you're welcome!
DeleteGorgeous photos and an ice cream idea just in time for spring! thank you, Batya :)
ReplyDelete