ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Of course the only real way to make ice cream is in one of those old churns filled with ice and salt that your grandmother used to have. However, if you have to use a mere freezer, the only way to avoid lumps of ice is to whip the mixture every half hour when it is freezing. So start early in the morning unless you are one of those night-people. If you have your own cows and chooks, use cream and eggs to make the real thing.

One of the key ingredients in ice cream is cream / milk of course! Normal milk is usually made from cows treated with antibiotics.

The use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) which stimulates milk production is now outlawed in almost every Western nation. Organic milk is defined by the USDA as having been produced by cows not treated with antibiotics or bovine growth hormone. The animals must have access to pasture, and their feed must be grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Supporters of organic milk say organophosphates used in chemical fertilizers have been linked to a variety of woes, including cancer and fetal abnormalities. Most Ecobiters would be aware and use only organic products. We don’t mean to sound paranoid but only want to help get the word out on what we may be putting into our families bodies.

Basic Ice Cream

Half pint organic cream + 4 egg yolks.
Put them in a double saucepan over hot water and stir (keep the pan on a low heat, but don't let the mixture boil). When it thickens take off the heat and keep stirring for a few minutes. Beat in 3 oz of organic icing sugar and the flavouring and freeze.

Flavorings

Mix these into the basic custard when it cools.

Banana: Mash 6 bananas to a smooth pulp and add 1 teaspoon lime juice.

Coconut: Grate and wring a fresh coconut and add the juice to the ice cream. You can also use frozen organic coconut cream from whole food stores.

Ginger: Use organic ginger syrup / grated fresh ginger.

Nuts: Add organic nuts - Soaked almonds, raw cashew pieces etc, sunflower or pepita seeds.

Guava: Peel 10 guavas and scoop out the seeds. Boil with just enough water to cover, including the seeds, wrapped in a cloth. When soft, discard seeds and puree mixture: add to cream mixture.

Mango: Use 1 cup puree mango (about 4 mangoes).

Other Soft Fruit are treated the same as mango just use 1 cup of pureed pulp for soursop, passionfruit, granadilla, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, etc.

Juices such as orange, lemon or lime should be thickened with organic arrowroot, before being added to the mixture.

Honey Ice Cream  beat 2 egg whites until stiff, add 1/2 cup honey, 2 beaten egg yolks, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind. Fold gently. Beat one cup of cream until stiff and add to the mixture. Fold gently. Pour into trays and place in the freezer. Honey-based products will take longer to freeze than other similar products.

Lavender Honey Ice Cream 2 cups organic cream, 1 cup of half and half, 1 cup of honey, 3 eggs, 1/8 teaspoon of celtic salt and 2 tablespoons of FINELY GROUND organic lavender flowers. Use a wooden spoon for stirring.

In a large saucepan add cream, half and half, honey and lavender to a slow boil. Stir, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove lavender petals. The flavor will have been absorbed. Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat to slow boil again. Whisk together eggs and salt into a large, heat safe bowl. Pour the cream mixture in slowly and continually whisk. Return the saucepan and heat again on medium and stir often for about 5 minutes.

Pour into a clean bowl and let cool completely. Stir once again, cover and chill in refrigerator for three hours. Transfer ice cream into ice cream freezer and follow directions. Transfer to an airtight container to freeze. You should end up with a quart of smooth, delicately flavored ice cream.

Honey + Berry  Ice Cream

2 cups organic cream, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 egg yolks. Bring the cream just to the boil. Whisk in the honey and return to just boiling point. Beat the yolks and whisk into the cream. Cool, then freeze. Beat twice while mushy during freezing. Serve with slightly mashed strawberries, raspberries or in season berry of choice, soaked in the juice of an orange.

Coconut Ice Cream

Beat 4 organic egg yolks with a dash of honey until creamy.Grate one fresh coconut (can use the blank blade in champion juicer).
Whip one pint of organic cream until thick. Whip 4 egg whites until stiff. Blend all together and freeze.

Chocolate Ice Cream
Frozen bananas (peeled and sliced into chunks)
Organic carob/cacao powder
This is so gorgeously wonderful and simple - just mix the ingredients together in a food processor until smoothly whipped, and eat immediately. Can omit the chocolate powder and add frozen berries etc.

10 very soft bananas 1 1/2 cups organic dried apricots 1/4 cup carob powder. Soak apricots until plump.Blend all ingredients in a processor / blender.Pour into a tray and freeze until nearly set.Beat with a wooden spoon and return to tray and freeze until solid.

A champion juicer is the perfect tool for frozen fruit icecream. Freeze any fruit or berries, in season and put through the champion juicer with the blank blade and enjoy nature's best natural organic icecream. Can also add organic coconut oil / raw organic virgin red palm fruit oil / organic vanilla powder.

Fruit Yogurt Ice Cream 2 cups any fresh in season organic fruit or a mixture (sliced fresh apricots  or peaches, berries or crushed pineapple or pre-soaked pureed dried organic fruit). 1 1/2 - 2 cups yogurt, 4 tablespoons organic honey, or to taste, 1/3 cup fruit or orange juice.

Blend all ingredients at low speed until smooth (about one minute). Turn into freezing tray. Freeze. Beat once or twice while freezing. If you do not have a blender just mash the berries or mince dried fruit and blend well by hand, or use an eggbeater.

Tip: Keep ice cream covered in the freezer or it will taste 'furry'.

Enjoy!