"Vanilla Ice Cream"

Vanilla Ice Cream Equipment

For this ice cream you will need:

Ice cream maker, any brand should do fine

Mixing bowl

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Spoon

Cups to store the ice cream in

Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients

This recipe calls for:

1 qt. half-and-half

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups whipping cream (Not whipped cream, but the liquid whipping cream

First Step: Mixing

Take your large mixing bowl and mix 1 qt. half and half with 1 cup sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Second Step: Stirring Vanilla Ice Cream

Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract along with the 2 cups whipping cream to your mixture. Once you do this prepare your ice cream machine. Make sure its freezing cylinder has been in your freezer for the required amount of time your machine's instructions calls for. Starting with the cylinder completely frozen is key to good ice cream. If the cylinder is not frozen completely, the ice cream will come out soupy.

Third Step: Freezing Vanilla Ice Cream

Put your ice cream mixture in to your machine, and turn it on. Then wait for it to freeze. This took our machine around 25 minutes. Make sure you don't turn your machine off during the freezing step. Once your ice cream has been freezing for 25 minutes it should look like the lower picture. If it is still not thick enough, or you don't care for soft serve ice cream, stick it in the freezer for a few hours and its texture will become more firm.

"Chocolate Ice Cream"

Chocolate Ice Cream Equipment

For this recipe you will need:

Ice Cream Maker (any brand)

Sauce Pan (make sure it will hold 2 quarts)

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Whisk

Spatula

Chocolate Ice Cream Ingredients

This recipe calls for:

1/3 Cup of Heresy's Unsweetened Chocolate Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Cups of sugar

1 Can Evaporated Milk

2 Cups whipping cream

1 Teaspoon real vanilla extract

First Step: Mixing Cocoa and Sugar

Mix together in your sauce pan:

1/3 Cup of Heresy's Unsweetened Chocolate Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Cups of sugar

Second Step: No Lumps

Once you have finished mixing the cocoa powder and sugar together, take a spatula and press the mixture against the side of the pan. This will help remove any lumps of cocoa powder, or sugar. Once you are done this your mixture should look like the picture to the left.

Third Step: Adding Evaporated Milk

Add in the Can of Evaporated milk and stir it in with the cocoa sugar powder

Fourth Step: Heating

Now put the mixture on the a stove burner set on medium heat. Then stir the mixture constantly until all of the powder is dissolved into the evaporated milk. Remove it from the burner and place it in the refrigerator until it is at least room temperature if not colder.

Once your mixture is room temperature, or colder Mix in the:

2 Cups whipping cream

1 Teaspoon real vanilla extract

Sixth Step: Unfrozen Chocolate Ice Cream

Make sure that you mix it well enough that there are no large chunks. Continue to stir until all chunks are gone.

Step Seven: Freezing Chocolate Ice Cream

Put the ice cream in your ice cream maker. This ice cream recipe takes longer than most to freeze. It took our ice cream maker a little over 35 minutes.

Chocolate-Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate Brownie Layer

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3 oz . chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup flour

Heat oven to 325°. Grease a 8 inch square baking pan. Melt butter in a small sauce pan; remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand, stirring several times till chocolate is melted.

With the electric mixer, beat eggs and salt until frothy. Add granulated sugar; beat about 2 minutes until pale yellow and thick. Stir in chocolate mixture, then flour, mixing to blend. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Set aside.

Cheesecake Layer

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

With electric mixer, beat creamed cheese, sugar and eggs until smooth. Blend in flour then water and vanilla. Pour cheesecake mixture over brownie base.

Bake 30-40 min, until top is set but not browned. A toothpick inserted in the center will come our slightly sticky. (Don't over bake, or brownies will be dry.) Remove pan; place on rack to cool completely. Cut into 2 inch squares. Nana's Tip: Use a wet knife to make cutting this treat easier.

Hershey's Cocoa Butter Frosting

• 6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
• 1 package (1 pound) powdered sugar sifted with 6 tablespoons
• Hershey's Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 to 6 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa. Blend in cooled melted butter; add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a spreading consistency; add vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread frosting on first layer of cake, add second layer and spread frosting around the side of the cake. Make sure you save enough frosting for a generous topping of frosting to the top of the cake. Nana's Tip: To measure milk by the tablespoon, pour a small amount of milk into a small bowl then take 1 tablespoon at a time from the bowl, adding it to the sugar and cocoa mixture.

"Chocolate Fruit Cake "

Soak in 1/4 cup of brandy overnight:

• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup candied fruit

Sift together:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2 tablespoons chocolate

In a large bowl mix together:

• 1 egg
• soaked fruit
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup melted margarine or oil
• 1/2 cup strong warm coffee or brandy*

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in well greased loaf pan at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Let stand for about 1 hour and brush top with brandy. When completely cooled, remove from pan. Wrap in foil and store in refrigerator. *Nana's Tip: Try using 1/4 cup coffee and 1/4 cup brandy.

Devil's Food Cupcakes and Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• Chocolate Ganache Frosting
• Chocolate Curls, for decorating (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients

Makes 4 cups

• 1 pound good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup corn syrup

Directions

1. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.
2. Beginning near the center and working outward, stir melted chocolate into cream until mixture is combined and smooth (do not overstir).
3. Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in color. Use immediately (ganache will continue to thicken after you stop stirring).

Chocolate Curls:

Ingredients

• 1 block of good-quality chocolate

Directions

1. Use a vegetable peeler to slice strips from a slightly warm block of good-quality chocolate (heat in microwave for 5-second intervals, checking after each, until just warm to the touch; do not overheat). To produce tight curls, start from the far edge of the chocolate and move the peeler toward you. The delicate curls are best used immediately; you can even shave the curls right onto a cupcake.

"Dark Choco cupcakes with easy white Icing"

Ingredients

Makes 12-18

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Easy White Icing
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with Easy White Icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Easy white Icing:

Ingredients

Makes 3 1/2 cups, enough for 12 standard cupcakes

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened/4tbsp butter
  
• 1 pound (3 2/3 cups) confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (optional)(desired amt.)
  

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth.
2. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth. If too thick to spread, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.