Book reviews by Mobilism's Book Review team
Mar 14th, 2019, 9:38 pm
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TITLE: The Artisanal Kitchen: Perfect Homemade Ice Cream - The Best Make-It-Yourself Ice Creams, Sorbets, Sundaes, and Other Desserts
AUTHOR: Jeni Britton Bauer
GENRE: Non-Fiction, Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Desserts > Frozen Desserts
PUBLISHED: March 5, 2019
RATING: ★★★★☆

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon iBookStore
MOBILISM LINK: Read Here

Review: Charles M. Schulz said, “Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time.” Whereas Betsy Cañas Garmon says, “Ice cream cravings are not to be taken lightly.” I take my ice cream seriously, extremely seriously. Hence this book on Ice Cream. Why this book for me? Because I have already two hardbound books in my collection authored by Jeni Britton Bauer, now three.

Jeni Britton Bauer is the co-owner and brains behind the artisanal ice-cream company ‘Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams’, featured nationally in the press as an artisan ice cream maker, and winner of two Sofi Gold Awards. Her first book Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home (2011) earned Jeni Bauer a James Beard Award (2012) in the "Baking and Dessert" category and was positively reviewed in the Wall Street Journal. The book was also nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Food & Cookbooks that year.

I heard about her by accident actually, I was fed up with all these American Ice Cream cookbooks that have recipes based on egg-based custard. A vegetarian, it is unacceptable for me that I couldn’t find a book that does not follow this pattern. During my search, I found ‘Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams’, which contains recipes with cream cheese instead of egg yolks and were ingredient-driven.

One of the reasons she is my favourite go-to author for Ice Creams is because 99 percent of the ingredients listed in her recipes can be easily found at the local grocery. Her instructions are precise, crisp, clear and comprehensive. The Artisanal Kitchen is all about making the perfect ice cream at home with your basic ice cream maker. The 112 pages of The Artisanal Kitchen has a compilation of foolproof homemade ice creams, frozen yogurts and custards, sorbets, and sundae recipes taken from her previous award-winning books. Before getting started, I would always recommend reading the first chapter of the book consisting of Jeni's notes, tips, and explanation of the science behind making the perfect ice cream.

Flavours some regular and some not…Bourbon Buttered Pecan, Pistachio and Honey, Wildberry Lavender, Gorgonzola With Candied Walnuts, Olive Oil With Sea Salted Pepitas,Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry, Parmesan Ice Cream with Zucchini Bread, Goat Cheese With Cognac Figs to name a few … my favourite however is the THE DARKEST CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD as in the author’s words ‘it tastes like the inside of a chocolate truffle.’

THE DARKEST CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD

MAKES A GENEROUS 1 QUART
CHOCOLATE SYRUP
1 CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
2⁄3 CUP BREWED COFFEE 2⁄3 CUP SUGAR
2 OUNCES BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE (55% TO 70% CACAO), FINELY CHOPPED

ICE CREAM BASE
2 CUPS WHOLE MILK
1 TABLESPOON PLUS
2 TEASPOONS CORNSTARCH
11⁄2 OUNCES (3 TABLESPOONS) CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED
1⁄8 TEASPOON FINE SEA SALT
1 CUP HEAVY CREAM
1⁄2 CUP SUGAR
2 TABLESPOONS LIGHT CORN SYRUP


PREP
For the chocolate syrup:
Combine the cocoa, coffee, and sugar in
a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Boil until the syrup begins to bubble (about 10 seconds), then immediately remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir the syrup until smooth. Set aside.

For the ice cream base:
Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese, warm chocolate syrup, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

COOK Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

CHILL Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

FREEZE Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.


One of the things I like immensely about the book is the suggestions provided at the end of recipes to make variations of the recipes given above. Also in case you cannot find some of the specified ingredients like Ugandan Vanilla Bean, in my experience switching it with your local quality best vanilla bean is fine. This book is a must-have addition if you like making Ice Creams at home or you want to make them at home.
Mar 14th, 2019, 9:38 pm
Apr 5th, 2019, 9:43 pm
Thank you for the review
Apr 5th, 2019, 9:43 pm
Apr 10th, 2019, 12:31 pm
Thank you, always want to the, and now I'm ready)
Apr 10th, 2019, 12:31 pm
Jun 5th, 2019, 11:57 pm
Having lived close enough to be able to get Jeni’s ice creams from both the original stall area in the Short North Market, and the (relatively) newer scoop shop on High Street, in Columbus, I can unabashedly say that the stuff is AMAZING.

Thank you for the review!

For anyone unsure of the flavor combinations, each recipe usually only makes a little over a quart, so you’re not married to it if you don’t care for the flavors. Some of my favorites from the previous books:

- Goat Cheese Ice Cream with roasted candied cherries
- Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Black Raspberries
- Savannah Buttermint
- Cardamom Lime Frozen Yogurt
- Pear Riesling Sorbet

I would highly recommend picking up her books, as well!
Jun 5th, 2019, 11:57 pm