Carvel Ice Cream Rolls Out Holiday Cakes

When it comes to Carvel Ice Cream's $9.99 holiday cakes, the only thing better than the price is the taste. Like all Carvel Ice Cream cakes the holiday cakes are handmade daily using premium Carvel ice cream, signature crunchies and memorable designs.

Joining classics like Tom the Turkey, Snowman and Santa, the $9.99 Lil' Square Holiday Cakes feature fall leaves, the Star of David or a Poinsettia design. Carvel's signature holiday cakes have been the centerpiece of family gatherings for 75 years," says Lori Peterson, vice president of marketing for Carvel. "This year, we wanted to provide the same handmade, high quality Carvel taste at a great value so everyone can experience the joy of Carvel this holiday season."

The $9.99 Holiday Cakes are available from now until December 31 at participating locations. About Carvel Ice Cream The United States' first retail ice cream franchise, Carvel Ice Cream has become one of the best-loved and most recognized names in its industry. The company is a leading provider of premium soft serve and hand dipped ice cream products, as well as the leading manufacturer of uniquely shaped ice cream cakes, including its signature Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss cakes.

Carvel currently operates over 500 franchised and food service locations, and sells its famous ice cream cakes in over 10,000 supermarket outlets. Atlanta based Carvel is a part of FOCUS Brands, Inc. the franchisor of Carvel(r) Ice Cream, Cinnabon(r), Schlotzsky's(r), Moe's Southwest Grill(r), and of Seattle's Best Coffee(r) on military bases and in certain international markets.

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Frozen Custard Ice Cream

Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts.

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Crushed ice
• Rock salt

In medium saucepan, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, honey and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat.

A metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160 degrees F. Cool quickly by setting pan in ice or cold water and stirring for a few minutes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

When ready to freeze, pour chilled custard, whipping cream and vanilla into 1-gallon ice cream freezer can. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions using 6 parts ice to 1 part rock salt. Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm.

VARIATIONS:

Banana Nut: Reduce vanilla extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Cook and cool as above. Stir 3 large ripe bananas, mashed and 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans into custard mixture. Freeze as above.

Cherry: Reduce vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. Add 2 tablespoons almond extract. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 pounds pitted pureed dark sweet fresh cherries OR 1 can (16 to 17 ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries, drained and chopped. Complete freezing.

Chocolate: Add 3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate to egg mixture. Cook, cool and freeze as above.

Plum: Reduce vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 1 1/2 pounds pitted pureed ripe fresh plums. Complete freezing.

Strawberry: Omit vanilla extract. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 cups sweetened crushed fresh strawberries. Complete freezing.

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Healthy Ice Cream- Isnt That an Oxymoron?

Healthy- I really don’t even know what it means anymore. Sugary cereals are labeled as healthy and popcorn packaged in solid butter from a bag is touted as being “whole grain!” Sure these things contain healthy ingredients, but the outstanding amount of unhealthy ingredients negate any benefits you would get from them.

This brings me to this little nugget: scientists are on a mission to create ‘healthy ice cream’. No, they aren’t making delicious creamy, fat free, sugar free ice cream- researchers are going to add dietary fiber, antioxidants and probiotics, bacteria that aids in healthy digestion, to the calorie and fat- filled dessert. If successful, the healthy ice cream will be considered a “functional food,” one that contains ingredients proven to benefit health above and beyond normal nutrition.

We don’t need nutrients above and beyond normal nutrition- we need help with eating normal healthy nutrients, like vitamins, and minerals, and lean proteins and NON FAT dairy- not ice cream with a sprinkling of digestion helper.

I don’t need help with healthy digestion- my body digests just fine, because I eat a healthy diet including full yogurt with probiotics. Antioxidants are thought to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals which are linked to causing diseases, which is fine, but you know what really helps preventing disease? Not eating a diet high in saturated fat.

“The intent is that instead of feeling guilty because you are eating this ice cream, which has received a bad rap because it is so high-fat, to really say that ‘Yeah I treated myself to a full-fat ice cream, but I did contribute to my nutritional needs in regard to my gut health, my antioxidant needs and my dietary fiber,’” said ice-cream researcher Ingolf Gruen, a professor of food chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

So basically, its a way to justify eating fattening ice cream. Great, that’s just what America needs. Why do people talk about food guilt like it is a necessary evil? I’m not knocking ice cream. I love ice cream, the real stuff, and I love a good little bowl every now and again for a snack before bed- after I have eaten a good, healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can have this nice indulgence guilt-free because I know I am doing what I need to do to take care of my body, not fooling myself into thinking its okay to eat junk food because there is some fiber in it.

What we really need to work on is helping Americans develop a healthy relationship with food. Food is not something to be feared or cause you guilt. The last thing we need is to further confuse and delude people into buying an unhealthy product by shouting from the rooftops about its health benefits, and mumbling under our breaths the fact that it is full of fat, sugar, calories and will cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it.

If it tasted the same, and didn’t cost anymore money, I would buy this ‘healthy’ ice cream. Extra nutrients added to something I eat occasionally anyway is never a bad thing. Its those people who can’t or won’t control how much ice cream they eat, and will now think that it’s ok, instead of trying to get a handle on it that I’m worried about, which is about 90% of my personal training clients. The product is supposed to be launched in the next two years.

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I screamfor Ice Cream!

The other day, I heard the D’Onofrio ice cream bugle or “corneta” blaring in my quiet neighborhood.

I suddenly realized that here in Peru it is springtime. A few days earlier I arrived from Canada, where winter has already made an appearance, so the thought of spring and ice cream made me very happy.

The ice cream sold by the traveling vendors on their tricycles may be fine for a quick fix, but I prefer to go to a heladeria, gelateria in Italian or ice cream parlor in English.

My passion with frozen treats started long ago when I lived in Italy. In the summer, I remember my grandmother and I going to the nearby gelateria to treat ourselves to a cold refreshing Italian ice cream better known as gelato. The gelato is a delightful experience and a driving force in the Italian culture!

As a matter of fact, the first big ice cream company here in Peru was D’Onofrio which was operated by Italian immigrant, Pedro d’Onofrio. He founded and developed the company at the start of the twentieth century. With its temperate climate and abundance of fresh fruits, it’s no wonder the market for ice cream in Peru increased by 11.9% between 2001- 2006

If you are wondering how ice cream is different than gelato, here are some basic facts. The word gelato means ice cream in Italian, but it directly translates as “frozen.” The main difference between the two desserts lies in the percentage of fats and the production process. Gelato contains less butterfat and less air than ice cream, making gelato smoother, more flavorful, and less caloric than ice cream. But one thing is for sure, whether you choose ice cream or gelato, one scoop is never enough.

Fortunately, ice cream parlors or heladerias abound in Lima. On any given day, you will find that the popular ice cream parlors are brimming with people who enjoy a long chat while savoring a frozen dessert. The most prominent gelaterias such as 4D and LaritzaD present mounds of ice creams that are impossible to resist.

But if you are anything like me, you may want to enjoy ice cream made from fresh, delicious exotic Peruvian fruits. For purity and freshest exotic ice cream flavors nobody does it better than the tiny Cafeteria Suarez on the streets of General Suarez and Junin.

This place is not a posh ice cream parlor, but you will find an abundance of unique flavors from the jungle such as Taperiba, Coca, Sachainji, aguaje to name a few. Lucuma is one of the country’s top exotic ice cream flavors, and it happens to be my number one choice at Cafeteria Suarez. Another one of my favorite ice cream is made from the tiny fruit camu camu. It is a sophisticated and incredibly tasty cold delight.

It is a lot of fun seeking out the best place in Lima to savor ice cream or gelato. While the choices of exotic flavors like guanabana will make you feel opulent, you may just crave a plainer, classic flavor such as vanilla or strawberry.

Did you know that these traditional ice cream flavors reveal something about your personality type? I am not kidding! Dr. Alan Hirsch wrote a book entitled “What Flavor Is Your Personality?” In the book, Dr. Hirsch shows how your ice cream flavor can speak volumes about your personality type.

To find out more about your personality based on your choice of ice cream preference, click here. After having fun with the test, let me know which heladeria you will go visit for your favorite decadent ice cream!

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Vanilla ice cream

Over the years I have tried many recipes for homemade ice cream, which I have enjoyed making and without exception enjoyed eating.

Anything rich and cold gets my vote. In the last few years, thanks to modern technology, ice cream machines are readily available and have come down in price.

They are not a new invention by any means but I cannot recall anyone in my childhood who owned one. Regarded as a luxury item, they were generally found in hotels and grand houses.

As cooking programmes have taken centre stage on television, most home cooks are now aware of how ice cream machines work. But you don't need a machine to make an excellent quality product. I have never owned one and, with my ghastly gadget track record, it would probably just gather dust at the back of a cupboard.

I have two rules for making ice cream. The first is to have the bowls and the storage container as cold as possible and two trays of ice cubes in the freezer. The second is to enjoy the whole experience. Homemade ice cream is more about technique and less about ingredients, which tend to be few. But, as with most food, the better the ingredients, the better the end result.

Today's recipe is simple and, because there is a little custard power in the mix, the chance of splitting is minimised. I like to use vanilla paste for the "little black seed effect", not to mention the flavour, but vanilla extract or essence is fine.

Ingredients


600ml cream
5 egg yolks
3 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp custard powder
1 tsp vanilla paste or essence

Method: Place a suitable plastic or polythene container with lid in the freezer. Check that you have ice cubes.

Beat 300ml of the cream until soft peaks form. Do not over-whip.

Set beaten cream aside in the fridge.wPlace ice cubes in a large bowl then add about 300ml of water to make an icy slush.

Pour the remaining cream into a heavy-based pan. Heat slowly and gently.

Whisk together egg yolks, vanilla, custard powder and caster sugar. When cream is almost at boiling point, pour into the egg yolk mixture and whisk thoroughly until blended.

Return the resulting custard to the pan and reheat until the mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat just before boiling point, pour into a clean bowl and sit bowl in the iced water. Stir until custard is cold and smooth.

Add cold custard to the whipped cream and stir gently until completely combined.

Fill chilled container and place in freezer for about two hours. wRemove then beat ice cream to break up any ice crystals.

Cover and refreeze.

Cook's tip: Use hard ice cream if serving with a hot sauce. If serving as an accompaniment, remove from freezer and let it stand for about 20 minutes.

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