RECIPE: BUSHWACKER FROZEN COCKTAIL

Summertime… the time of year for a frozen cocktail on the deck, dock- or maybe just in the backyard. There are tons of frozen drinks to choose from but here in Alabama, the unofficial state cocktail is the Bushwacker. You can find them at many places around L.A. (Lower Alabama) and while the recipes are all a little different, the basics are the same: chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream, and rum. While most places drizzle chocolate syrup inside the wall of the glass as seen in the photo from Sunset Pointe in Fairhope, Alabama on the left, the world-famous Flora-Bama does not add chocolate to the glass but adds the chocolate to the ice cream.

You can dress these up for a summer dessert with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Some places offer a “float” on top of 150 proof rum but proceed with caution as this takes the drink from fun to potent.

BUSHWACKER FROZEN COCKTAIL

Yield: 2-4 drinks, depending on the portion size

INGREDIENTS

1-pint vanilla ice cream, softened

1/2 cup half and half

1/3 cup chocolate syrup plus more to drizzle the glass

4 ounces light rum, chilled

1/2 ounce 150-proof rum on top, optional

Whipped cream, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Mix ingredients in a blender with a small amount of ice. Pour into glasses which have been drizzled with chocolate syrup, if using. Float the 150-proof rum on top, if using. Add whipped cream and more chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings, if desired.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK NO-COOK ICE CREAM

Growing up, making homemade ice cream in the summer with fresh fruit was one of our weekend traditions. I love making homemade ice cream for a little get-together but I don't always have the time to make and chill the custard. This is one of my very favorite ways to make homemade ice cream in a hurry since you don’t have to cook the custard. Fresh and delicious!

You can make ice cream without cooking a custard with this Strawberry Buttermilk no-cook recipe.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM    (NO COOK ICE CREAM)

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: no cook but 10-15 minutes to spin the ice cream

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 pinches kosher salt

3 cups buttermilk

3 cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the berries and let them sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Reserve ½ cup berries and set aside. Pour in buttermilk and cream. Add a ¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice. Use an immersion blender to puree. Add the reserved berries. Freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.  

RECIPE: HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

My mom used to make homemade ice cream for us all the time. There was just nothing like it and we’d all fight to get to lick the paddle. When I was really young, we had one of those crank kind of ice cream churns. I used to think it would never freeze. When I got a little older, we graduated to an electric freezer, but it did not make as much... a problem for an ice cream loving family.

The vanilla bean is my addition. We certainly never had a vanilla bean in our house growing up. You can add fresh fruit, chocolate chips, or other flavorings to this recipe if you want but add it in right at the end after you spin the ice cream for best results.

MOM'S HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

Skill Level: Easy  

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Cook Time: 25 minutes

Makes approximately 4 cups of ice cream base mixture

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup whole milk (you can use 2% if you prefer)

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, optional

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Add the milk, cream, salt, and the vanilla bean to a heavy pot or saucepan. Heat for one minute and stir in the sugar. Heat over medium heat just until the sugar is totally dissolved and just as little bubbles start to form around the edges but do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat.

Whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until frothy. Whisk a cup of the hot mixture into the eggs; slowly whisk in another cup which will temper the eggs.

Whisk the egg mixture back into the remaining milk in the pot. Change to a wooden spoon. Cook the mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat back of the spoon. You will know it is done if you use your finger to draw a line down the back of the spoon and it holds. This will be around 160 degrees if you are using a thermometer. Do not let the mixture boil. (If it goes over 180 degrees F, it will likely curdle.)

Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large heat-proof glass bowl. Split the vanilla bean, scrape it and add about 1/2 of the seeds to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until cooled. Taste. Add additional vanilla or other flavorings as desired. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled; up to 24 hours before freezing.

Freeze according to manufacturer instructions.