The Asier Dessert Ice Or Ice Cream

Summer demands cool desserts. However there can  be a sweat in creating them.  Which is easier?Is a bowl of frosty flavored ice? Or a cone of creamy , custardy ice cream? Is gelato easier to make than these both? There are differences and easy options any home chef can choose.

First of all what is ice. It can be shaved or pebble or fork sifted as with the Italian granite.Keep in mind you will need some kind of ice machine, whether it's for shaved or snow cone kind of ices.They're both very different thanks to the texture of the ices.Most home chefs opt for the snow cone one. They're great for kids parties and you can create an adult version of snow cone with a shot of some alcohol. Any ice machine does require maintenance . Both types eventually will need replacement blades as well as cups and plastic spoons.They do have kits that come with already made bottles of syrups. The syrups can be made at home.You will need two cups of sugar , one cup water and any unsweetened fruit flavored drink mix.Fresh fruit can be used for purists along with agave or syrup for flavoring.You can try a pound of strawberries, blue berries and or blackberries for a fresh , flavorful, spoonful. A simpler ice is the Italian granite. This is a fun quick dessert.It's two cups of strong brewed coffee or espresso mixed with sugar and then frozen in a tray (usually an ice cube one)It's scrapped every two or three hours to create a gritty texture.Granita is usually served with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa. There's really zero effort in making it and it's the easiest frozen dessert to make..

Is there an easy ice cream recipe? Yes there are a few no cook recipes you can use. Most , however, do use a custard recipe that requires cooking egg yolks and cream.Non-custard versions do require heavy cream for body and smoothness. A classic chocolate  one has a blend of cocoa powder, heavy cream, sugar, whole milk and vanilla.It's beating the cocoa powder and heavy cream first  The vanilla is added in , then the milk and sugar.It's chilled first and then gone through the ice cream maker. Can you make this without an icecream maker. Yes, you can,. You can sort of create your own ice cream maker by using a plastic bag and a bigger plastic bag. Fill the larger ine with four  cups of fresh crushed ice and four tablespoons of coarse salt. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra cold atmosphere. This squeezes out all the heat and makes for a better ice cream. Fill the smaller bag with the ice cream mixture and then wrap the larger bag in a towel and shake vigorously until frozen. The more you shake the more frozen it will be. You can also buy an ice cream ball from Wal-Mart or Amazon for a quicker freeze.

what is easier to create? Ice, especially granita is the simplest. Yet if you want a quick ice cream then go for a non custard one for a sweet and fast dessert.

Plant Butter Versus The Real Thing

All this talk of planet abuse  and climate crisis has gotten some home chefs as well as professional ones to think about their cooking habits. Many feel that giving up meat and dairy will lower their carbon imprint. It will. The biggest hurdle is the idea of trying plant butters.

Guess what? They're the same. Use them.

I saw Country Crock's avocado oil based plant butter and decided to try it. I've already tried the faux beurre from Miyoko. Miyoko Schinner's plant butter is also a creamy sub in, and it's made from cashews, coconut and sunflower oils. It did have a lovely delicate taste but was a bit expensive and could only be found in Target. The Country Crock plant butters can be found in Stop & Shop and  not that expensive. Like regular butters they come four sticks to a package, perfect for baking and cooking.

As you can see, it's no different that the real deal.I've put in on a Popeye's biscuit and have used it in everything from sautes to topping the squash soup I made the other day. There was a very slight avocado taste when I first tried it but it's not that overpowering. I will be trying their almond oil based butter, definitely for butter cookies and homemade buttercream frosting. The texture will be the same so my frosting will still have that perfect creaminess.

It is time to think about how your eating habits are affecting our planet? Yes. You can start small by subbing in these plant based butters for the traditional dairy ones. 

Sensual Cooking

A good dinner is a feast for the eyes and the palate. However to make that dish happen all five senses need to be employed.It may be sensuous but more than that it's necessary to create the perfect meal.

Julia Moskin wrote about this method in today's New York Times Food section.It's based on ASMR  or autonomous sensory meridian response.It is a newly defined sensory state that is a kind of pleasurable shivering or tingling that spreads along the scalp, upper back and shoulders in response to soothing repetitive sounds.Originally it  included  soft whispering, pages turning, or having one's hair brushed but now it has expanded to food. There are even videos that cater to this such as Silently Cooking and Peaceful Cuisine have no sounds - no how to voiceovers so home chefs can listen to "cooking sounds" like a knife's rasp against chocolate, a whisk whipping egg whites and the glug glug of olive oil being poured. Blind home chefs have been relying on this along with taste and texture.They know the difference between a boil and a hard boil along with the different feels of a rare and well done steaks. The mouth feel of pasta is important because it signifies when it's half cooked or done.Sadly there is nothing to help those with impaired taste and smell problems or anosmia.

How can we sharpen our senses to make for better cooking and baking? Ms Moskin gives a sidebar of tips that can home a home chef's senses. Notice the steady sizzle of  frying food in a skillet. Popping or uneven sounds mean's the heat's turned up too high. Practice picking up a teaspoon of salt in your fingertips so  you can accurately measure without measuring spoons.Listen to liquids as they cook to differentiate between what  simmering , boiling and hard boiling sound like.Also listen to cakes baking as famed Southern chef, Edna Lewis recommends Cakes make little bubbling and ticking sounds when they're in the process of being baked. Cookies need the sense of touch to determine if they're done. Touch their tops. They should feel crispy and crusty  - and not soft and dought. Silence means they're completely done.Use the blade of a small sharp knife to gauge when a fish is cooked. Slide it gently into the flesh and then press against your lips.It should feel pleasantly hot like a hot shower - not warm - and not scalding. Touch is very important when it comes to making a salad. Toss greens with your hands to make sure they're fluffy and cool. Any limp leaves should go back to the fridge for refreshing with a damp paper towel.

Cooking should be a sensual experience . To make that happen use all the senses - not just taste and smell. Listen. Touch . It'll make for a much better tasting meal.