I made up a song about ice cream to the tune of that famous song, which I can't recall the name of because every time I think of it, I replace the lyrics with my own. I think it's either in Italian or Spanish...
ANYWAY, here's a picture of my ice cream with strawberry compote. I boiled together fresh strawberries, water, and sugar, then simmered until desired consistency. Near the end, I added a little lemon zest and a splash of Grand Marnier (of course) to the compote. Yum!
There are so many variables in making good ice cream, but what makes good ice cream? Below are criteria for tasting ice cream as described in the book FROZEN DESSERTS by Liddell & Weir. It is most excellent for food snobs.
Appearance: No ice crystals on the surface, even distribution of fruit, nuts, etc. Color should match flavor.
Body: Note resistance of ice cream when scooping. If too firm, ice cream will be too cold and uncomfortable to eat. Body shouldn't be waxy, gummy, crumbly, soggy, or fluffy. (Cheaper ice creams incorporate AIR into the ice cream, which is why premium and homemade creams are denser.)
Texture: Smooth. Large ice crystals present = faster melting, rough on roof of mouth. Sandy texture is due to lactose crystallization. Yuck.
Flavor: Should taste like what it is. Shouldn't be too rich to swamp the flavor, nor flavor so rich you can only have a couple spoonfuls (and not because you're on a diet, in which case you don't know what you're missing.) Pleasant aftertaste, no cooked-milk flavor, or metallic or rancidness.
Melt: Should melt to a creamy liquid, not like shaving cream, or separate or worse, curdle.
Try varying the balance between fat and sugar, and total solids and water. Since taste is subjective, you can create your own specialty ice cream. Or, just buy Haagen Dazs. Never skimp on ice cream. If you're gonna eat it, then go for it.
Wish you could have a bite,
Quyen
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