No-Ice-Cream-Maker Salted Caramel, Bourbon, Nutter Butter and Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

by Averie Sunshine on July 3, 2013

I was so in love with the last batch of ice cream I made, and wondered if it could be topped.

This one sure gave it a run for the money.

You can’t compare Funfetti, cake batter, and sprinkles with salted caramel, bourbon, and Nutter Butter cookies. Apples and oranges.

But it sure has been fun taste-testing. Good thing I don’t mind cardio and love to run.

It’s a no-cook recipe so you don’t have to stand around whisking eggs, cream, and sugar together, then having to wait for them to cool. I love time-savers.

And the recipe is written to reflect making it with or without an ice cream maker. From the comments on my last ice cream post, most people don’t have ice cream makers. I’m just doing my part to help you beat the heat with these ice cream recipes that can be made by everyone.

It’s dangerously easy, taking just minutes to make with two main ingredients – whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk. If you can whip cream and stir in sweet milk and a kitchen sink full of add-ins, you can make this.

Whip the cream, fold in the sweetened condensed milk and bourbon. Use vanilla extract if you’re opposed to bourbon. Although, there’s just as much alcohol in vanilla extract as there is in bourbon. The bourbon is a background note, and adds wonderful depth of flavor, but skip it if you must.

Chop up Nutter Butters and dark chocolate, add sprinkles, and some salted caramel sauce.

Fold it all together. Be gentle. Don’t stir like you’re mashing potatoes. Take your time so that you don’t deflate the puffiness of the cream you just whipped. If you have an ice cream maker, the machine does the folding.

Transfer it to a container little by little, stopping to drizzle in some caramel sauce in every few cupfuls, so that when it’s done and you’re scooping out ice cream, there’s ribbons of caramel running through the ice cream.

The ice cream is beyond words creamy and rich. Cream, sweetened condensed milk, Bourbon, salted caramel, sprinkles, Nutter Butters and chocolate. Yeah. And so worth it.

There’s something for everyone, with so many textures and layers of flavor.

The chocolate sprinkles and chocolate chunks will keep the chocolate fans happy.

The salted caramel breaks up the sweetness from the sweetened condensed milk as does the dark chocolate.

The abundance or Nutter Butters in every bite add so much texture, crunch, and a pop of peanut butter flavor.

I was tempted to add actual peanut butter, but it would have dominated the flavor profile as peanut butter does. I wanted the creaminess of the ice cream, and the other ingredients to shine, too. The Nutter Butters are the perfect middle ground from both a flavor and texture standpoint.

The chocolate chunks and sprinkles stay crunchy, while the cookies soften just slightly after being soaked in the rich, luscious, creamy, salted caramel and bourbon bath.

And to think I spent most of my life not even being that into ice cream. I’ve been making up for lost time.

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This is some of the best ice cream I've ever had and it's the easiest to make with just two main ingredients - whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk. It's a no-cook recipe and the recipe is written to reflect making it with or without an ice cream maker. It's ridiculously creamy and subtly flavored with bourbon, and ribbons of salted caramel are woven throughout. The crunchy Nutter Butter cookies add a pop of peanut butter flavor and lots of texture, while the chocolate chunks round out this rich, indulgent treat.

Yield: about 2 quarts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: about 6 hours, for chilling

2 cups whipping cream or heavy whipping cream - for the No-Ice-Cream-Maker version (if using an ice cream maker, use 4 cups/1 quart)
one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup bourbon (if omitting, use 2 tablespoons vanilla extract)
1 pound (16 ounce) package Nutter Butter cookies, or peanut butter-sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped
8 to 10 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup+ chocolate sprinkles
8 ounces (salted) caramel sauce (use homemade or storebought), divided

These directions (through number 6) reflect the No-Ice-Cream-Maker method.To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or large mixing bowl and hand mixer; or lots of elbow grease doing it by hand), whip 2 cups heavy cream to very stiff peaks, about 5 minutes on high power.Add half the can of sweetened condensed milk, bourbon (or vanilla), and fold gently to combine. After it's combined, add the remaining sweet milk. Fold means turn the mixture over with a spatula from the bottom of the bowl up, rotate the bowl, repeat until the mixture is homogenous. The goal is to keep all that fluffy cream you just made as fluffy as possible. Take your time and be gentle. If your mixture has deflated or is on the soupy side, turn the mixer back on, and whip for another few minutes until it's re-puffed.Add the cookies, chocolate, sprinkles, and drizzle about half the caramel sauce over it. Fold gently to combine.Transfer ice cream mixture to a freezer-safe 2-quart container with a lid or freezer-safe bowl that can be covered with plasticwrap. When you're transferring the ice cream from mixing bowl to storage container, every few cupfuls, stop and drizzle some caramel sauce in, creating layers of caramel in the container.Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until solid. Ice cream takes about 5 minutes to come up to room temperature to scoop it out without having to wrestle with a rock. Ice cream will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.If you are Using an Ice Cream Maker - Stir together 4 cups heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and bourbon. Stir in the add-ins as indicated in step 4. Follow processing directions on your ice cream maker, noting to chill the mixture if necessary before churning. After churning and as you're transferring it into a container, layer in the remaining caramel sauce as indicated in step 5.

Adapted from No-Ice-Cream-Maker Funfetti Cake Batter Golden Oreo Ice Cream

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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Do you make ice cream? With or without an ice cream maker?

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July. I’ll be posting giveaways and recipes over the weekend – business as usual – so please check back.

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Bourbon Maple Slow Cooker Baked Beans

by Averie Sunshine on May 30, 2013

I had a craving for baked beans that hit me like a ton of bricks over Memorial Day Weekend.

And these are the best beans that have ever passed my lips.

I was walking around my San Diego neighborhood, and the smells from neighborhood cookouts were wafting through the air, music was playing, people were laughing with beer bottles clanking, and the early summer evenings that stay light until 8pm reminded me of my childhood summers.

Because I grew up in Minnesota, summer was painfully short and each day was cherished. It meant as much time outdoors as possible and cookouts and grilling were an integral part. The nice thing about grilling was that it kept the mosquitoes the size of golf balls somewhat at bay.

Baked beans were always served at picnics and barbeques, and since I was never a meat eater, I made meals out of baked beans, corn on the cob, watermelon, and white grocery store-bakery sheet cakes. I’d like to get back to that diet, actually.

It’s funny how certain smells set off my cascade of memories, and I had to make baked beans. I had never made them before, but necessity was the mother of recipe development.

This is an easy and nearly work-free recipe. The only caveat is that it takes forever. Like 16 hours or so, but it’s just waiting around, no active work. They don’t call it a slow cooker for nothing. Set it and forget it.

I kept the recipe vegan, and free from garlic, onions, or added salt. Most baked bean recipes start out with bacon, pork fat, stinky spices, and enough sodium to make me retain water until Christmas. No thanks. You won’t miss one ounce of flavor or pig fat.

If you have another method for making beans, use it. Bean recipes are like chocolate chip cookie recipes. Everyone has one, everyone thinks their family recipe is the best, and why another recipe isn’t as good or isn’t the traditional way. I happen to love everything about these beans and wouldn’t change a thing.

After soaking the beans (overnight or for an hour, details in the recipe), and simmering them for about 45 minutes, the mostly-cooked beans go into a marinade that uses everything but the kitchen sink. Mix and match based on what you have.

The key elements include maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, molasses, vinegar, and Guy Fieri Bourbon Brown Sugar Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce. Since I was already using brown sugar and bourbon, and because his BBQ sauce had roughly half the sodium as any others I checked,  it was an easy choice, and I loved it. Highly recommended.

Bourbon is the other key ingredient and you’ll need a cup. As I poured 1 cup of Jim Beam into my Crock-Pot, it felt so wrong. But so right.

The finished beans do not taste like alcohol and all traces of alcohol are removed. There’s no way any traces survive 16 hours of simmering, and no one will get tipsy from beans. The bourbon adds wonderful richness and depth of flavor, and I can’t imagine the beans without it. Although I’m wondering how beans with tequila or scotch would be. I may have to find out.

If you have reasons to skip the bourbon, you may replace it with water; however, your beans won’t taste like mine and I loved everything about them.

The beans simmer in their black hot tub for 12 to 16 hours. I set my slow-cooker to low and let them cook for 12 hours. I didn’t bother stirring them the entire 12 hours.

When I checked them, the marinade had reduced and thickened, but was no where thick enough. Still pretty liquidy and soupy.

So I set my Crock-Pot to high, took the lid off, and let them simmer on the hottest setting for 4 hours. Between the increased heat and the evaporation from having the lid off, they thickened up considerably and were ready. If you’re having soupy issues, remove the lid and crank up the heat. Because slow-cookers and their cooking temperatures vary greatly, tinker with the settings as you see fit.

The beans are done when they’re tender, the sauce has thickened and the flavor is rich and robust, the smell in your house is driving you nuts, and you just can’t take it any longer.

Before Simmering for 16 Hours

16 Hours Later

The beans are slightly sweet, with a touch of heat and tanginess. They’re tender, but not mushy.

The already robust flavors of molasses, maple, and bourbon become concentrated and are intense yet smooth. Although the sauce thickens, it’s still plentiful. I’m a sauce lover and made sure they stayed juicy and saucy.

They’ll make a bean lover out of even those who say they “don’t like beans”. They’ve even begun to convert my husband, a lifelong bean hater.

In the meantime, I’ve never been so excited about beans in my life. It’s the little things.

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These are the best baked beans I've ever had and the recipe is nearly work-free. If you've never made beans or made beans in a slow cooker, it's so easy. You do have to have some patience, but the best things come to those who wait. The flavors of bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, BBQ sauce and more intensify and concentrate over time, and the resulting beans have incredible depth of flavor. They're sweet with a bit of heat, robust yet smooth, and extremely satisfying.

Yield: about 8 cups

Prep Time: about 15 minutes active work

Cook Time: 12 to 16 hours simmering

Total Time: 12 to 16 hours

1 pound dry Great Northern beans (or navy beans)
1 cup bourbon
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup barbeque sauce
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup water
heaping 1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mustard (I used yellow, if using stoneground or dijon, consider using slightly less)
1/4 cup molasses (use mild/light/medium, not dark/robust/blackstrap)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (omit if keeping vegan, or substitute with Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce)

Rinse and sort dry beans in a colander over the sink.Add beans to a large pot and cover with 8 cups water and let soak overnight (about 8 hours). OR to save time.......Use the 1 hour rapid soak method. Bring beans and 8 cups water to a boil. Allow beans to boil rapidly for 3 minutes, uncovered. Shut the heat off, cover the pot, and let stand for 1 hour.In either the overnight soak method or the 1 hour rapid soak method, drain soaking water and rinse beans well under running water in a colander over the sink.Return beans to pot, cover with 6 cups water, and allow to simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes, or until quite tender; cooked about 80% of the way. They'll be transferred to a slow cooker where they'll cook for 12+ hours so you don't want them or need them to be totally done, but they shouldn't be overly hard either (taste a few beans, you'll know when you bite into them)While beans are simmering, combine all remaining ingredients in the slow cooker, and whisk to combine until smooth.After beans are done simmering, drain them, add them to the slow cooker, and stir.Cover and cook on low heat for about 12 hours (start checking at about 8 hours), or until beans are tender, the sauce has thickened and reduced dramatically, the flavor is concentrated and robust, and the smell in your house is intoxicating. If after 12 hours your sauce is still liquidy or on the soupy side, remove the lid, increase the heat to the highest setting, and cook uncovered until thickened to desired level (this took 4 hours for me; 12 hours covered on low and 4 hours uncovered on high, for 16 hours total). Note - Because slow-cookers and temperatures vary greatly, you can tinker with the temperature settings as you see fit. You could possibly cook on medium for 10 to 12 hours, or cook on high for 8 to 10 hours, or do a combination of settings until your sauce has thickened and beans are tender.Serve immediately. Beans will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, and taste better on days 2 and 3 as the flavor marry even more. I would anticipate finished beans could be frozen for up to 6 months, however I have not tested it. Take care all ingredients used are suitable for your dietary needs if keeping vegan and gluten-free, reading labels and selecting specific brands that meet your needs.

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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Have you ever made baked beans?

Fan of beans, in general?

These beans were right up my alley because I especially love the flavors of brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, the tanginess of vinegar, and the sweet-with-heat. The depth of bourbon flavor just pushes them over the edge.

View the original article here

Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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It’s the holidays, right? We still have time to sneak in a few indulgences? Good, just the excuse I need for these creamy garnet sweet potatoes splashed with smoky bourbon. Funny thing is, if you looked in our liquor cabinet, you would find all sorts of wonderful things to drink—vermouth, marsala, madeira, rum, calvados, JD, Maker’s Mark—yet nobody in our family actually drinks anything beyond an occasional glass of wine or beer. Or maybe a small glass of sherry or port. All those high octane bottles are for use in cooking, including the bourbon. I love the taste of bourbon, with its slightly smoky edge. But I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, so only use it for flavoring something wonderful, like chocolate bourbon cake, a New Orleans bread pudding, or these sweet potatoes.

For those of you who avoid alcohol in cooking, I’m afraid this recipe is not for you. Obviously you can easily make the mashed sweet potatoes without the bourbon; it will be great, just add some nutmeg and cinnamon to spice it up a bit. I did experiment with reducing the alcohol content in this recipe by boiling the bourbon first, to accelerate the evaporation, but while the alcohol was reduced, so was the taste of the bourbon. So if you want the wonderful note that the bourbon provides, you’ll just have to add it as is.

3 pounds garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunksSalt3 to 4 Tbsp of bourbon whisky4 Tbsp butter (more or less to taste)4 Tbsp brown sugar (more or less to taste)2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Place the sweet potato chunks in a large (5 quart) pot, cover with water.  Add a tablespoon of salt to the water. Bring to a boil.  Cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

2 Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and return them to the pot on the stove. Lower the heat to low. Add the bourbon and the butter to the pot and stir. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract and stir.  Mash with a potato masher until smooth.  Add more salt, bourbon, butter, and brown sugar to taste.

Yield: Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Indexed: Bourbon, Sweet Potato, Vegetables

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