ICE CREAM BR RECIPES

Steps:

• Put the canister from the machine into the freezer a day before you want to make the ice cream. Next day, pour the cream and milk into a medium heavy-based pan, then tip in half the sugar. Slit the vanilla pod down its length with a small sharp knife and scoop out as many of the tiny black seeds as you can into the cream mixture. Cut the pod into three and drop it into the pan.
• Heat the cream and milk over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it almost boils – you’ll see a few bubbles at the edge. Take off the heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the vanilla can infuse.
• Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the rest of the sugar and beat with an electric hand beater for about 2 minutes until the mixture has thickened, is paler in colour and falls in thick ribbons when you lift the beaters. Using a measuring jug, scoop out about 125ml/4fl oz of the cream mixture and beat into the egg yolks to slacken them. Reheat the cream until it just comes to the boil, take off the heat and stir in the egg yolk mixture.
• Return the pan to a low heat and cook, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Watch that it doesn’t boil – as soon as you see any bubbles about to burst to the surface, it should be thick enough, so take the pan off the heat so the mixture doesn’t curdle.
• Pour the custard into a heatproof bowl, then sit it in a bigger bowl one third full of iced water to cool (this takes about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally to stop a skin forming. Put the bowl of custard in the fridge for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight, so it gets really cold.
• Get the ice cream machine running, scoop out the vanilla pod pieces, then slowly pour in the cold custard. Leave it to churn for 10-30 minutes (depending on your machine). When it stops, it is probably too soft to eat, so spoon into a plastic container, cover with cling film, then a lid, and freeze for a minimum of 3 hours. (It will keep in the freezer for 3 months but don’t take it out, then refreeze.) Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.
• To make it by hand: in step 1, heat the milk, vanilla, and half the sugar without the cream (the custard will be slightly thicker). At the start of step 6, whip the cream so it’s light and floppy, not too stiff, and fold it into the cold custard. Freeze for 3-4 hours, stirring once an hour until almost frozen, then freeze as above.

Steps:

• French Toast Casserole: Spray 9 X 13-inch dish with Pam. Cut or tear bread into cubes and arrange in the bottom of dish.
• Cut up cream cheese into 1-inch cubes. Drop the cream cheese cubes over the top of the bread. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the top.
• In mixing bowl, combine 12 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup. Pour this mixture, a little at a time until the bread soaks up the milk but not soggy. You don't want it to be soggy before you bake it. If it's soggy before you bake it, it will be soggy after you bake it. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Blueberry Sauce: You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then warm up before serving. Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp corn starch in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water and stir until smooth so corn starch won't be clumpy. Heat to boiling and stir 2-3 minutes until thickened.
• Add 1 cup blueberries. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until blueberries start to burst. Don't let them all burst. I like some of the blueberries whole.
• Turn heat off the blueberry sauce and stir in 1 Tbsp butter. Store in plastic or glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• The next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the casserole out of the refrigerator. Place covered casserole in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Then uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and the center is set.
• While the casserole is baking, you can heat up the blueberry sauce on top of the oven or microwave until warm. Serve over top of casserole.
• Prep time: 30 min to put everything together 8-24 hours - refrigerate several hours or overnight until bread is soaked through with egg, milk mixture. Cook time: 1 hour
• Alternate Sauce, I call it cheating. Take jam or preserves, whatever flavor of fruit you are using to make this. Put preserves in a small saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp corn starch. Mix until smooth. Add additional fruit if desired. Warm in a saucepan until smooth and thickened. Serve over the french toast, ice cream or anything else you can think of.