Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream and CSN Cuisinart 2 Quart Ice Cream Maker Review

Hi everyone!  It is Day Four of "ICE CREAM WEEK" at Red Couch Recipes!  Today I am serving Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream and I am also serving up a review of the Cuisinart 2 Quart Ice Cream Maker made possible by CSN Vanity division, where you can find an amazing array of vanities for your bedroom and bathroom.  I will begin with the review and then provide the recipe for the ice cream at the end of my post.

I have had a Krup's Ice Cream Maker (1.5 quart) for about 15 years and have loved the convenience and ease of using an automatic ice cream maker!  There is nothing like homemade ice cream and I love the fact that I can tailor it to my family's wants and needs.  If you are trying to watch your fats or sugars, an automatic ice cream maker is for you! 

Lately my 16 year old son has began to complain that he "only gets a teaspoon of ice cream," when I make homemade ice cream with my 1.5 quart machine.  Of course, this is a total exaggeration!  I have loved my Krup's, but I have been thinking I need to get a larger capacity machine!   When I was contacted my CSN with the opportunity to do a product review, I knew immediately that I wanted to review the Cuisinart 2 Quart Pure Indulgence Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker.  It retails for $69.95 at CSN and ships for free in many locations.  My machine was shipped for free and came packed safely and arrived quickly.  It is also competitively priced.

Here is my review highlighting the benefits of the 2 Quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker:

1.  It makes ice cream in about 20-25 minutes!  Yes, it really does!  There is no ice and salt to deal with!  The important thing to remember is to make sure that the liquid inside your canister is frozen.  If you hear liquid sloshing around, it needs to be frozen more.  If after mixing your ice cream in the freezer and you prefer harder ice cream, then take the ice cream out of the canister and put it in an air-tight container with a cover for about 2 hours more!  Just always keep your canister, wrapped in a plastic bag to avoid freezer burn.  When you are finished making ice cream, wash the canister and pop it right back into the freezer.  If you do this, you will always be able to make ice cream on a whim!  Also make sure the ingredients that you are using for ice cream are also cold.  Here's a picture of the canister.

2.  The Cuisninart hums along quietly while you are making ice cream.  It is a much quieter machine than my 15 year old Krups!  The base has a sleek, modern design and the motor is strong enough to make ice creams, sorbets, and yogurts.  It is easy to operate; there is only an on/off button.  It has rubber feet to help keep the base stationary during use.  The cord conveniently stores underneath the base.  Here's a picture of the base and lid.

3.  It has a transparent lid to allow you watch the freezing process and an ingredient spout so that you can pour ingredients, like mix-ins, into your ice cream without interrupting the freezing process.  This came in handy when I added the Reese's Peanut Butter cups.

Disclosure:  I did receive a $60 gift certificate to purchase this machine.  I was not compensated for my review; the review is my own opinion.  I want to thank CSN for giving me this opportunity to review one of the great products they sell.

Recipe and Instructions for Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream -- PEANUT BUTTER LOVERS UNITE!

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe included with the Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine.  If you are a peanut butter and chocolate lover; you will love this ice cream!

First of all, I want to reiterate that one of the great things about making your own ice cream is that you can control the amount of sugar or fat!  You may want to use cream (as the recipe was written)  instead of the fat-free half and half or full-fat half and half.  You could also use whole milk (as the recipe was written) instead of the 1 percent milk.  Because of the fat in the peanut butter, I don't think these other fats are needed.

1-1/8 cups good quality, but NOT natural peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1-1/4 cups 1 percent milk
2 cups fat-free half and half
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped in small pieces.  I used about 9 small cups (the ones that come eight to a package for about $1)  and additional ones to garnish.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a handmixer to combine the peanut butter and sugar until smooth.  Add the milk and mix on low speed until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the half and half and vanilla.  Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl; turn on the machine.  Mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the chopped candy though the top and let mix in completely.  The ice cream will have a soft texture.  If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours.  Because I like a harder ice cream, I usually freeze it for about 2 more hours.  Remove from freezer about 15 mintues before serving.  Garnish with additional Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

To view my other "Ice Cream Week Posts," click on the links below:

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

Chocolate Malt Ice Cream

We All Scream For Ice Scream Tablescape

I have posted this with Foodie Friday.

We All Scream for Ice Cream Tablescape!

"I Scream You Scream We All Scream for Ice Cream!"

Welcome to Day Three of "Ice Cream Week" at Red Couch Recipes!  Today we had a fun afternoon snack on the deck with my husband and my two daughters...my son is at a High Adventure Scout Camp.  As were were eating ice cream, one of my daughters said that she "likes mom doing her blog!" 

My nine year old daughter bought several of these ice cream plates for my birthday in May, and I bought a few more, and I have been saving them for "Ice Cream Week!"  They come in two "flavors" and they are both delicious!  She bought them at Robert's Arts and Crafts.

We set the table on the deck. I don't know about you but I love eating ice cream with sterling silver spoons! The ice cream makes the spoons so cold!!   I received the "Damask Rose" pattern from my parents when my husband and I were married. I would love to find some spoons at a thrift store or tag sale just for ice cream!

How about an Ice Cream Sundae?   This is Rocky Road topped with Whopper's Chocolate Malt Sauce and Slivered Almonds.

Hurry Up!  Come and eat the ice cream is melting!

Here's a close-up of the yummy ice cream!

Thanks for stopping by Ice Cream Week at Red Couch Recipes.  You might want to check out the following posts for "Ice Cream Week!"

Click HERE for Key Lime Pie Ice Cream.

Click HERE for Chocolate Malt Ice Cream.

I am posting this with Susan at Between Naps at the Porch where you will be inspired to set a better table!

Chocolate Malt Ice Cream

Hi everyone, it's day two of "Ice Cream Week" at Red Couch Recipes.  I think you are going to love this Chocolate Malt Ice Cream even if you are not a chocolate ice cream lover!  My love affair with malt powder began years ago when I was a waitress, sundae maker, and ice cream scooper during high school and college summer breaks for an ice cream parlor-type restaurant named Bridgeman's.  The Bridgeman chain used a malt base for the malts and shakes they served; they didn't use ice cream.  They served malts and shakes in a glass with the remainder in the metal shake container that was used to make the malt or shake.  I learned to love malts while working there.  This ice cream tastes like an old-fashioned chocolate malt!

Bridgeman's restaurants were famous for their Turtle sundaes and their Lalapalooza Sundaes -- a massive amount of ice cream and toppings.  My cousin Mary Kay ate a Lalapalooza and then just to show her strength she topped it off with a hot fudge sundae!!  I believe there are still some Bridgeman's restaurants operating  in Minnesota.

Chocolate Malt Ice Cream with Whopper Chocolate Sauce and Malt Powder

Recipe and Instructions for Chocolate Malt Ice Cream
Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa -- I used Hershey's
1 cup boiling water
1 cup malt powder -- I used Carnation's Malt Powder. 
6 cups milk -- I used 1 percent milk

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. It is important to stir thoroughly so that the chocolate really gets mixed in well.  While mixture is still warm, add malt powder, stirring until dissolved. Stir in milk. Cover and chill. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.  This makes a relatively large batch of ice cream.  Depending on your ice cream maker, you may have to make two batches.  A 2 quart or larger machine would be great for this recipe.  

 Notes:  I really liked this ice cream with 1 percent milk, but you can use 2 percent or whole milk if you would like.  You can find Carnation's Malt Powder in your grocery section that sells hot chocolate.  I found this recipe HERE which was from a Cooking Light Recipe.

I will be doing a CSN review for the Cusisinart 2 Quart ice cream maker later this week,...yahoo!! My teenage son always complains when I don't make enough. He always says, "I only get a teaspoon of ice cream!"

I will be posting this recipe with the following:

Tasty Tuesday
Kitchen Bouquet's Ice Cream Social

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream..."It's Ice Cream Week!!

"I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!"  This week at Red Couch Recipes it's "Ice Cream Week! " I will be posting ice cream recipes in recognition of July's designation, by President Reagan in 1984, as National Ice Cream month.   

I love making my family home made ice cream.  I especially like that I can make recipes with lower fat or sugar content.  Today's recipe has been a big hit with my family and everyone that we have served it to.  I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe I found on the website My Recipes.

Ingredients and Instructions for Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed juice from Key Limes
1/2 cup whipping cream
Dash of salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 prepared Graham cracker crust
Key lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Pour mixture into freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Stir graham cracker crumbs from pie crust into ice cream, reserving some crumbs to garnish ice cream. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container, and cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. Sprinkle each serving with graham crackers. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Notes:  If you like a fuller fat ice cream you could make this with 2 percent milk, as the original recipe calls for. We like it with the 1 percent milk.  To save time, you could also use Key Lime juice in a bottle, such as Nellie and Joe's, as the original recipe calls for; we like the flavor of the freshly squeezed Key Limes.

I am posting this with the following:

I also am posting this with Kitchen Bouquet's Ice Cream Social.

"Watermelon" Ice Cream for Watermelon Week!

It has been WATERMELON WEEK  at Red Couch Recipes.  Today I bring to you "watermelon" ice cream.  I have made this several times over the years.  It is very refreshing on a hot summer day!  It is simple to put together although it takes some time for freezing.  Even though I am not a fan of semi-sweet chocolate chips I did use them for the "seeds"; they just look more like seeds than milk chocolate chip.  I figured that was okay, since I will spit them out just like I do with watermelon seeds!  My nine-year old daughter knew where to hang out while I was taking pictures for this post; she has had two slices of "watermelon" already! 

Instructions for "Watermelon" Ice Cream

1 container raspberry sherbet -- at least 1.5 quarts
1 container lime sherbet -- at least 1.5 quarts
About 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Soften the container of lime sherbet for the rind.  Be careful and don't soften too much or you will have a gooey mess!  Take a larger size mixing bowl; I prefer to use metal, and spread it evenly around the bottom and sides of the bowl.  Freeze until hardened.  Depending on the temperature of your freezer, that can take up to six hours.

 When the lime sherbet rind is frozen, soften the raspberry sherbet and stir in chocolate chip seeds.  Put raspberry sherbet mixture inside of the lime sherbet rind and then freeze for at least six hours.

 When you are ready to serve, you can put the mixing bowl in a pan of hot water for about 2 to 3 minutes; then invert on serving tray.  If your watermelon is unfrozen too much, refreeze for a little longer.

It has been a fun week at WATERMELON Week!  Glad you could join me!

Click here for the recipe for Watermelon Frappe.

Click here for directions on Watermelon Rice Krispies.

Click here for my Watermelon Tablescape.

I am posting this with Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

I am also posting this with Just Something I Whipped Up Monday.

I am also posting this with Market Yourself Monday.