July 25, 2013

Ice Cream Terrine


When making dessert, my default is homemade ice cream. So imagine my delight when I got the idea of making ice cream terrines from the book Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer (of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams based in Ohio). The ice cream terrine is as easy as making ice cream (just takes a bit longer, as you make three flavors) and showier than just a scoop of ice cream. You can use any flavors you like. Think about what colors and flavors will complement each other. Some ideas about flavors and accompaniments:
  • Do a trio of similar colors. I imagine a terrine of three sunset colored sorbets-- maybe lemon, mango, peach. 
  • Sandwich a darker-colored flavor between two lighter-colored flavors or vice versa. 
  • Jeni suggests placing a slice of sorbet terrine in a shallow bowl and dousing with Champagne to serve. 
  • Jeni suggests thinking of terrines as "sliceable frozen candy bars" with just vanilla ice cream layered between or mixed with caramel, chocolate, and nuts.  
  • When you slice and plate the terrine, drizzle with sauce if desired (chocolate, caramel, peanut butter?), and/or garnish the plate with berries, nuts, chocolate chips, or herbs.
  • After making the terrine, you can roll the whole thing in chopped nuts or candies if desired before slicing. 
  • Last summer I made a terrine of chocolate, raspberry, and lavender ice creams.
  • Last fall I made one with the combination of pumpkin, cinnamon-rum, and vanilla ice creams, garnished with pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and a rum-caramel sauce:
 
*Containers: Jeni calls for two (9x5x3") loaf pans, which fits three batches (about three quarts) of ice cream perfectly. This time I decided to experiment with getting a different finished shape, so I made a single small terrine in a Pyrex glass cup as well (see below). It worked fine but the sides were wrinkled as it was hard to get the parchment smooth enough. You could do the layers in a bowl if you wanted a dome shape to upend and slice more like a cake. You could layer the ice creams in a brownie pan for more cube-like finished pieces. Whatever you choose for shape, this is a fun way to serve ice cream and sample multiple flavors.

*Ice cream maker: It helps to have two bowls with your ice cream maker to do this. Even having two bowls, I made this over the course of two days. Don't try to rush it or the layers won't be as neat and pretty.

Since this is a process rather than a recipe, I thought I'd do something different and show the pics with the steps:

1. So, after you've chosen a vessel and three flavors and assembled ingredients and decided in which order you want the flavors to appear, make and spin your first batch of ice cream. I made blueberry:





2. While that is spinning, line each of two loaf pans (or containers of your choice) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides. Fit the paper neatly into the corners of the pan.

3. Spread the soft first batch of ice cream into the pans. Ice cream slightly on the soft side helps achieve nice neat layers in the finished terrine. Cover with parchment pressed directly on the surface of the ice cream and freeze for at least an hour.
4. Make and spin the second batch of ice cream. I made mint:






5. Remove the pans from the freezer and peel the parchment paper off the ice cream. Spread the soft second ice cream on top of the first layer, cover with clean parchment (I just flipped the same piece over), and freeze for at least an hour.
6. Make and spin the third batch of ice cream. I made this favorite chocolate with help:








7. Remove pans from the freezer and peel parchment paper off the ice cream. Spread the third batch of soft ice cream on top, cover with parchment paper, and freeze until completely, solidly frozen.

8. Remove each terrine from the freezer and unmold by running a knife between the ice cream and the short ends of the pan to loosen it. Remove the parchment. (At this point roll loaf in chopped nuts or candies if desired.) Wrap the terrine in plastic or place in a freezer container to store.


9. Slice the terrine. If you're slicing it in advance of when you're serving it, layer the slices with parchment paper between them and freeze until serving.




 

2 comments:

  1. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post ice cream rolls machines

    ReplyDelete