Strawberry rhubarb sherbet

Dad: What's that in the tub???
Me: It's strawberry & rhubarb coulis
Dad: Oh cool! But... that's a whole tub, what are you gonna do with all of that?
Me: Well, I can decorate dessert plates, pour it over ice cream & cake
Dad: Right. But... that's a whole tub...
Me: Well, I can freeze the rest into ice cubes you know!
Dad: ... (still staring at the tub)

3 days later

Me: (pulling out the tub from the fridge) Ok, fine dad! I'll make sherbet with the coulis.
Dad: What's that in the tub?

Strawberry & Rhubarb sherbet

• 2 cups of chopped strawberries
• 2 cups of sliced rhubarbs
• 2/3 cup of sugar (the coulis I made only had 1/3 cup, but it'd be sour so add 1/3 or more)
  
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp of Ice wine cider (optional)
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup chopped strawberries

Put the first four ingredients into a sauce pan over low heat. Cover and let cook for a few minutes. Turn off heat. Cool, then blend until smooth and add Ice wine. Add the cream and chill in the fridge a few hours or over night

When ready, churn mixture in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instruction, add the chopped strawberries in at the last 5 minutes of churning.

Serve with home-made waffle bowls, some chocolate-covered almonds or an Oreo cookie :) Yummy!

Ice-cream cake

It was that time of the year again, when I know I should make a Pralines & Cream ice-cream cake with Oreo cookies base. It's called The BF's birthday. Yup, he's specific like that (I love you!!! :P)

Since last year's experience with pralines still left me traumatized, I decided I was going to avoid it at all cost (1st batch burnt, 2nd batch not caramelized enough, 3rd batch was ok but there was not enough pecans left to call it an actual batch) I figured if I was gonna make an ice cream cake, it should definitely be, well, ICE CREAM, so I made what else but David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop" both Philadelphia style Vanilla and Chocolate (Philadelphia style ice cream means there is no egg)

OH!!!
MY!!!
GOODNESS!!!
SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!

Now..., I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post his recipes here since they're from the book and all. But if you're pressed for time and you want to make an ice cream cake, you can definitely make it from store-bought stuff. Use any cookies or cake for the bottom layer, and a couple of your favorite ice cream flavors. And for the mold, use anything you have: cake pan, bread pan, round, square or rectangle. I used a springform pan, I find it easier to release the cake.

• 18 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint of chocolate ice cream
• 2 oz dark chocolate, melted, and piped into desired shapes on waxed papers. Let cool.

Line wax paper on the bottom, and the side of mold (A cut out 9inch round and a long strip in my case) Spread the crushed cookies and press them down to pack them together. Take one box of ice cream, let soften in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes for easy spreading. Spoon into pan and spread out evenly. Put the whole thing in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up and do the same with the other flavors.

Top cake with cooled chocolate shapes. Or pipe directly on top once the cake has been well frozen. As you can see, I went with hearts because, well, isn't it obvious????

My BF certainly knew that I would make him an ice cream cake because that's just his non-negotiable ultimate favorite. So the only thing left to surprise him with was his birthday present that I painted with love. That is him when he was a baby, how cute right? No wonder he always gloats about it. LOL!!!

On another note, the cookie sale for Amnesty International Fundraiser is going very well. I'm really happy that everyone is so supportive. It will end on Sunday with the Yoga Mala event in the Old Port and I can't wait to see how much we've all raised for this great cause.

Cookies for charity

So, there might never be a cookie that brings world peace, but there will always be these cookie pops for a great cause.

Lemon lime sugar cookies, 50% whole wheat, 100% love :)

I'm participating in a Yoga Mala fundraiser organized by the awesome Dawn & Zazen. 100% of all proceeds go straight to Amnesty International for stopping "Violence Against Women".

Today was technically my 1st day of selling them, and it's been great! Everyone has been very supportive & I'm so happy!!! I sell them for $2.00 each, but 1 was actually sold for $20, LOL!!!! Then there were $6.00 & $5.00 ones. Ah, such joy in my heart! They will also be in the goodie bags for all the volunteers who are donating their time & energy.

Thanx to everyone who gave their support!!! I hope you know how much I appreciate it. I'm off to make another batch & I hope they will sell just as fast as the last ones. Keep your finger crossed and spread the love!