Philadelphia-Style Chocolate Ice Cream (no-eggs)

Chocolate ice cream cone | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

When I was little, about 2nd grade, I lived in Philadelphia with my dad. As you may have gathered, from my various childhood food memories from Vermont, California, Connecticut and Massachusetts, we moved a lot.

Our time in Philly was brief, but a memorable stop on our journey. My strongest recollection was the local ice cream parlor, just steps from my house. At the time I didn’t know what Philadelphia-style ice cream was, nor would I have cared, all I knew was that it was cold, creamy and delicious.

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Honey Rhubarb Ice Cream

Honey rhubarb ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Rhubarb is one of those ingredients that people either adore or avoid. I fall into the former, and use it as much as possible during its rather short growing season. I’ve made it into crisps, pies and even eaten it raw, dipped in sugar (which is admittedly hard core). Combining the mouth-puckering sour flavor of rhubarb with sweet, creamy, honey ice cream base may just be the perfect marriage. I think this may have the power to turn even the most ardent rhubarb haters, into its biggest fans. 

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Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies with Wildflower Honey Ice Cream

Ice cream sandwiches | Oatmeal rum raisin cookies with wildflower honey ice cream

There is a rule in my house, I am only allowed to complain about one Minnesota season, and I have chosen winter. This leaves me in a bit of a conundrum this week when it is going on the 3rd day of 95°F, with humidity to match.

Do I give up bitching about winter in place of this, or just adopt an all ice cream diet? I have settled on the latter, because griping about winter is the only thing that gets me through it and I love ice cream, so this won’t be much of a sacrifice.

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Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Last weekend my folks presented me with a container of fresh strawberries they picked up at an Amish Farmers’ Market. They were ruby red and absolutely gorgeous, in a not-from-the-supermarket way. Their shapes were slightly distorted, their sizes uneven, and yet, they smelled like pure strawberry, in a way Bonne Bell Lip Smackers can only wish for. The beauty of growing your own fruits and vegetables or buying local is that they have a certain ugly beauty, which is not an oxymoron at all. The Japanese call this gorgeous imperfection “Wabi-sabi” and it is what makes a piece of pottery (or fruit) special and clearly not mass produced.

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Ice Cream 101

A sweet corn ice cream cone with caramel dripping off

When making homemade ice cream, you have to start with a really great base, which for me means lusciously smooth, with a dense and silky texture. The flavor should be rich, but not too buttery (greasy) and I always start my “French custard” ice cream base with vanilla. So start with my basic vanilla ice cream recipe below (and customize it with your favorite flavors), then try all the other amazing recipes.

If you’re more into sorbet, which is its own icy treat, check out my guide on how to make sorbet.

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