LADY GREEN and her hat

Lime Coconut Pistachio and Avocado Ice Cream Cupcake in a Bitter-Sweet Chocolate Shell topped with Pistachio Candy Brittle

This ice cream cupcake is for the 2010 ice cream cupcake contest that my lovely blog friends, Stef, Tina, and Bethany have put on for three years now. Check it out HERE at CUPCAKE PROJECT and HERE at SCOOPALICIOUS.

Well, whew! This one was a challenge but I got through it and learned a few things. I really love this contest because it forces me to get the crazy ideas I have out of my head and into the real world. Some of my ideas flop terribly and others come out beautifully. I always learn so much in the process of creating these ice cream cupcakes every year. And I always say I will make more throughout the summer but I never do. So I am hoping this year is different because I have a couple other idea I want to make, share, and enjoy. This weekend's weather was just so warm and beautiful. YAY! SUMMER IS HERE!

If you ever feel like trying your own version of this creation, here are some recipes below to give a try.

Ivy's Coconut Lime Pistachio Cake Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter, room temp
3/4 cup natural cane sugar
3 egg whites
1 cup cake flour
1 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tsp of each baking soda and baking powder
Juice of two limes
1/2 cup Coconut milk
1/2 cup toasted and chopped coconut
1 tbs lime zest
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios

What to do:
-Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
-Add egg whites until mixed well and fluffy

-Sift in flours, and baking powder and baking soda
-Add pistachio, coconut and lime zest

-Add lime juice and mix well with a wooden spoon
-Add coconut milk and beat well for 1 minute
-Fill cupcake papers 3/4 of the way and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ivy's Avocado Ice Cream Recipe:

(Avocado shell made of dark chocolate and filled with avocado ice cream)
*Avocado Ice cream with caramelized pistachio sugar and vanilla bean
Ingredients:
1 cup 2% or whole milk
1 pint(2 cups) whipping cream
1-3 tsp lime zest
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 Avocados
Juice of 2 limes
Pinch of sea salt
4 egg yolks
1/4 Caramelized pistachio sugar (optional)
1/2 cup natural cane sugar

What to do:
-Puree meat of three avocados, salt and lime juice until smooth, set aside.

-Heat milk, cream, vanilla bean paste, and lemon zest 5-10 minutes constantly whisking.
-Take off heat and let steep
-In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, pistachio sugar, cane sugar until a pale yellow

-Add 1 cup of heated cream to the egg mixture and mix until smooth
-Add the avocado puree until smooth
-Then slowly add, while whisking, the rest of the cream to the egg mixture until completely mixed in.
-Pour the mix back into the pot and heat 5-10 minutes until thick.
-Pour into a heat-proof bowl, give it one more whisk and then cover with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the custard.
-Chill in fridge for up to 4 hours or overnight.
-When ready to make your ice cream, pour into the ice cream maker and churn away.

THE END!

LAVENDER ICE CREAM

I am not CRAZY!...... about lavender but, it's slowly beginning to grow on me.
This ice cream really turned out quite lovely!
I think I tried making something before with lavender but I did't encorperate it correctly and I probably added too much lavendar that resulted in a "soapy" flavor. This time I used a couple culinary lavender tips from a friend who has much experience and love for these dainty little flower buds. She has made some awesome stuff...like...lavender lemon shortbread cookies, and  lavender mojitos.

Tips learned:
1. A little lavender goes a long way: A light and gentle hint of lavender is much better than a strong chemical-tasting blast of lavender.
2. Chop up buds into smaller pieces instead on using the whole flower
3. Blend lavender in sugars, salts, or make a simple syrup that you can THEN use to cook or bake with
or now that I think of it, Stef over at Cupcake Project did a butter infusion with lavender HERE.

So, Amy came over and we had the ice cream with her homemade strawberry-lavender jam she so graciously gave me*YUM*. The combo of the tart jam and sweet creamy lavender was really something special. It made us think that lemon curd would be an even more amazing ice cream "over-the-topper".

Try the simple recipe and enjoy. It took me an hour to prep and 20 minutes to churn the next day. The batch made about 5-6 servings.

Ivy's Original Recipe

What you need:

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp culinary lavender flower buds

1 cup milk (I use 2%)

2 cups heavy cream

contents of 1 Red Lavender tea bag (or 1 tsp chopped lavender)

1 tsp lemon zest

1-2 spots of Wilton's Violet concentrated gel coloring

(Add color if you want a violet ice cream. Otherwise ice cream will have a cream color)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste(or extract)

5 egg yolks

+1-2 tbs lemon zest

What to do:
-Separate your yolks from the whites and place in a large mixing bowl

(large enough to hold your whole ice cream custard batch)

-In a food processeor mix sugar and 1 tsp lavender. Set aside

-Heat milk, cream, Red-Lavender tea bits, and lemon zest on medium-low heat for about 10 minute, stirring occasionally until little bubles start to appear. Turn off heat and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Strain and put some tea-bits back in cream if you want some to speckle your ice cream. Set aside

-Whisk egg yolks, lavender sugar, and vanilla bean paste until a dull yellow color

-Add 1/2 cup of your heated cream to the yolks and whisk

-Then slowly add the remaining cream mixture and return to the sauce-pan.

Constantly whisk to prevent burning, simmer for 10 minutes or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon and is custard ready.

-Add in violet coloring to your liking and mix well.

-Transfer custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a top-scum from forming. Chill overnight or at least 4 hours.

-Chill an empty bowl in the freezer that will hold your finished ice cream

-Add your chilled lavender custard and churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions
-Add 1-2 tbs lemon zest at this time to the churning ice cream.

-Transfer ice cream into the freezer-chilled bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent ice crystals. Chill in freezer for at least a couple hours to set.

Serve with lemon cookies if you have them Or make ice cream sandwiches.

THE END!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I just want to take a moment and honor EVERY mother out there in the world including...

YOU, mothers that are alone-you are not aone, mothers in other countries who have NOTHING but, STILL give everything to their children, mothers who sacrifice, mothers who give unconditional love, mothers in pain, mothers whos children have forsaken them, and mother's who have have had to give their children up for adoption-may your hearts be healed, mother's who adopt, happy mothers, frusterated mothers-it will pass, hopeless mothers-you have so MUCH to hope for, stressed mothers-relax, mother's who have reached out to the needy and famished children of the world, mothers who have lost or been separated from their children, and mothers in Haiti-we cry out with you, past and present First Ladies, mothers in leadership posistions, young mothers, middle-aged mothers, grandmothers, and nurturing aunties who have taken the lost under their wings-you have hearts of gold.

If you are a mother, you are a breath of fresh air! and the salt of the Earth.

You are SOOO very important and what you do is not taken lightly.

Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.

I love and cherish you!

Here are just a few mothers near and dear to me that I want to mention (in no particular order) with exception to the top four that have directly impacted my life and shaped who I am today.

Grammy LaVonne

Mrs. Peach

Mrs.Mary Carol

Aunt Marshie

April, Crystal, Dierdre, Angela, Lisa from M.O.S.T.,

Stef from C.P., Heather, Heather F., Amy S., Mimi, Tara, Erica, Erin, Dawn, Barbie, Lisa R., Rachel from D.F.M., Jasmine, Laurel P., Katie M., and Holly W.

I wish you a whimsical sun-shiny day full of happiness.

May God continue to annoint and bless you with strength, endurance, wisdom, patience, nurturing,  virtue, and love.

Have a great Sunday! 

Come join the FUN and enter an ice cream cupcake contest. 

You could win some pretty cool prizes...and it's going to be fun to jump-rope into summer creating the ice cream cupcake of your dreams.

Don't let ANYTHING  
(excuses, skills, lack of skills, fear, intimidation) 
stop you from entering! You have until May 31st 2010.
Just think of a yummy combo and do it!
You can do it all with cake-box mix and ready made ice cream or you can do it all from scratch, it's all in your hands.

See details at Scoopalicious or Cupcake Project
 My Favorite from 2008 A Lilac creation made by Michelle at Big Black Dog

My Favorite entry from 2009- A ginger rum creation made by Lisa at My Own Sweet Thyme

Below is my entry from 2008-Red Velvet Cake with Creme Brulee ice cream, Meringue frosting and a blood orange slice.

And my entry from 2009 -Brown sugar cupcake soaked with Grand Marinier, orange ricotta cheese layer, olive oil ice cream, and strawberry mousse frosting)

Can't wait to see you be creative and dive into this! :)

Picture Collage

The End! I am off to watch Amelie.