my wife just bought me a subscription to your fabulous newsletter. I’ve been working through recipes in your great book the Perfect Scoop. Several months ago I bought an ice cream machine called a Lello, made in Italy by a company called Musso. If you ever get a chance to score one I highly recommend it. It’s a workhorse. Also gorgeous Italian stainless steel. But I digress; my question today is about the prune Armagnac ice cream page 78 of the Perfect Scoop. I think the prunes i used (from Whole Foods) were maybe a little too dry. Because the resultant ice cream mixture when chilled is too thick to run in the machine. Should I just add small progressive amounts of water until it seems thin enough to churn? Also in the instructions you bring the Armagnac to a boil and then immediately add the prunes and turn it off. The resultant ice cream is going to have a pretty strong (ID check) Armagnac kick to it. I think it would take a minute or two to cook off the alcohol. Anyway, I’m OK with the alcohol just a comment. Also I made the dark chocolate chocolate truffles page 211 (yum) as an mix-in and I used Armagnac in place of cognac just to be consistent. Thanks! Richard
I made this for a dinner party last night. It was a big hit. My guests said it was delicious and I found it very easy to make. Bonus: it was also light and refreshing. We all loved it!
In fact, and I heard it from Valrhona in professional circumstances, cocoa butter is the most expensive component in chocolate, and by far. And I love white chocolate and can't stand the highbrow who look upon you because you happen enjoy milk chocolate. Just think it is anthor product, not to be compared.
Dorie Greenspan put out a recipe for little mini strawberry cupcakes with white chocolate and rose water that she made for her granddaughter's first birthday. I think they were called Baby Cakes. There was white chocolate in the batter and a white chocolate glaze and a piece of strawberry in the top of each cupcake under the glaze, a surprise little burst of flavor. So I googled white chocolate, then sent off to amazon.com for some and paid $16 to get the best they had. It was Callebaut. You had to get rose water too. (Why not, you've already spent $16 on a cupcake.) I spent a whole day making those Baby Cakes. They. were. amazing. My neighborhood loves me. But anyway... I put the remainder of the Callebaut in the freezer, but it kept calling my name, it was so good. I learned it doesn't take long to bring a handful Callebaut white chocolate to room temp in your mouth. I bought another bag of Callebaut, but I never remade the Baby Cakes although I did eat all the chocolate, and I probably will refrain from ordering more Callebaut. It was a fun project, though.
I agree with you on the green peppers and black licorice…and I also love white chocolate. Will be trying this out as soon as the berries come into season.
Disliking something on the basis of it's flavour is totally fine but the "oh it's not chocolate therefore I will actively disapprove" is ridiculous. I truly don't understand the hate against white and milk chocolate (or any other food thing on those grounds for that matter!). Like anything, if you get very good quality chocolate both white and milk chocolate can be delicious. I am so glad we appear to be moving past it being in vogue in the food scene to turn ones nose up at anything under 70%. My friend who is a chocolatier in the UK said it was only this year she felt she could release a milk chocolate bar and feel like she wasn't going to ruin her reputation as a serious chocolatier because of the attitudes in the industry. Think of all the deliciousness we have been denied! The attitude that you were somehow a heathen and not a true lover of dessert or chocolate for enjoying anything but the most bitter dark chocolate! So ridiculous! I rejoiced when Molly Yeh proudly stated "I LOVE MILK CHOCOLATE. IT IS DELICIOUS!" and somehow gave permission for people to start admitting that they too enjoyed milk and white chocolate. This sorbet sounds delightful and I look forward to making it. Good luck with the tedious task of formatting everything David!
David, In your list of other ice creams at the end of the article, you omitted one of my favorite recipes from you, Buttermilk Ice Cream. This confection is so rich and delicious with a tart edge to it; my guests love it, and I make it all year.
Sounds delish but BUT I was actually hoping for dairy free sorbet since my husband is lactose intolerant. Any suggestions or are we just out of luck for a chocolate sorbet?
Hi David,
my wife just bought me a subscription to your fabulous newsletter. I’ve been working through recipes in your great book the Perfect Scoop. Several months ago I bought an ice cream machine called a Lello, made in Italy by a company called Musso. If you ever get a chance to score one I highly recommend it. It’s a workhorse. Also gorgeous Italian stainless steel. But I digress; my question today is about the prune Armagnac ice cream page 78 of the Perfect Scoop. I think the prunes i used (from Whole Foods) were maybe a little too dry. Because the resultant ice cream mixture when chilled is too thick to run in the machine. Should I just add small progressive amounts of water until it seems thin enough to churn? Also in the instructions you bring the Armagnac to a boil and then immediately add the prunes and turn it off. The resultant ice cream is going to have a pretty strong (ID check) Armagnac kick to it. I think it would take a minute or two to cook off the alcohol. Anyway, I’m OK with the alcohol just a comment. Also I made the dark chocolate chocolate truffles page 211 (yum) as an mix-in and I used Armagnac in place of cognac just to be consistent. Thanks! Richard
I made this for a dinner party last night. It was a big hit. My guests said it was delicious and I found it very easy to make. Bonus: it was also light and refreshing. We all loved it!
It looks delicious !
In fact, and I heard it from Valrhona in professional circumstances, cocoa butter is the most expensive component in chocolate, and by far. And I love white chocolate and can't stand the highbrow who look upon you because you happen enjoy milk chocolate. Just think it is anthor product, not to be compared.
Dorie Greenspan put out a recipe for little mini strawberry cupcakes with white chocolate and rose water that she made for her granddaughter's first birthday. I think they were called Baby Cakes. There was white chocolate in the batter and a white chocolate glaze and a piece of strawberry in the top of each cupcake under the glaze, a surprise little burst of flavor. So I googled white chocolate, then sent off to amazon.com for some and paid $16 to get the best they had. It was Callebaut. You had to get rose water too. (Why not, you've already spent $16 on a cupcake.) I spent a whole day making those Baby Cakes. They. were. amazing. My neighborhood loves me. But anyway... I put the remainder of the Callebaut in the freezer, but it kept calling my name, it was so good. I learned it doesn't take long to bring a handful Callebaut white chocolate to room temp in your mouth. I bought another bag of Callebaut, but I never remade the Baby Cakes although I did eat all the chocolate, and I probably will refrain from ordering more Callebaut. It was a fun project, though.
I agree with you on the green peppers and black licorice…and I also love white chocolate. Will be trying this out as soon as the berries come into season.
Disliking something on the basis of it's flavour is totally fine but the "oh it's not chocolate therefore I will actively disapprove" is ridiculous. I truly don't understand the hate against white and milk chocolate (or any other food thing on those grounds for that matter!). Like anything, if you get very good quality chocolate both white and milk chocolate can be delicious. I am so glad we appear to be moving past it being in vogue in the food scene to turn ones nose up at anything under 70%. My friend who is a chocolatier in the UK said it was only this year she felt she could release a milk chocolate bar and feel like she wasn't going to ruin her reputation as a serious chocolatier because of the attitudes in the industry. Think of all the deliciousness we have been denied! The attitude that you were somehow a heathen and not a true lover of dessert or chocolate for enjoying anything but the most bitter dark chocolate! So ridiculous! I rejoiced when Molly Yeh proudly stated "I LOVE MILK CHOCOLATE. IT IS DELICIOUS!" and somehow gave permission for people to start admitting that they too enjoyed milk and white chocolate. This sorbet sounds delightful and I look forward to making it. Good luck with the tedious task of formatting everything David!
David, In your list of other ice creams at the end of the article, you omitted one of my favorite recipes from you, Buttermilk Ice Cream. This confection is so rich and delicious with a tart edge to it; my guests love it, and I make it all year.
I definitely remember “Light and Lively” ice milk. Not much flavor. Heavy on the “ice!” Made me chuckle!😂😂😂
This would be wonderful with your divine chocolate sorbet.
Being a die hard New Englander, I strongly believe in eating ice cream/"sorbet" in freezing cold weather. This looks heavenly.
Since I tinker in the non-dairy world, wouldn't oat milk be the best choice for lactose free?
Black licorice and green bell peppers😝😝😝….but this sorbet, Ima make it!!!
Sounds delish but BUT I was actually hoping for dairy free sorbet since my husband is lactose intolerant. Any suggestions or are we just out of luck for a chocolate sorbet?
Your older photos were good but it was very interesting to see your photos evolve to what they are today. I'm a long-term fan.
I’m adding this to my copy of The Perfect Scoop! And making it this week!
Good tutorial on what "real" white chocolate is, and the recipes are great.