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Rum Raisin Ice Cream
Makes about 1 1/2quarts
This was probably the first flavor of commercially produced premium ice cream I ever tasted. Now I make it at home, using the best quality rum and, just for fun, a combination of dark and golden raisins.
3/4 cup raisins, preferably half dark and half golden (about 6 ounces)
About 3/4 cup dark rum
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the raisins with enough rum to cover. Bring to a simmer over low heat. (Watch carefully. If the alcohol gets too hot, it will ignite.) Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the rum into a heatproof glass measuring cup and set aside. Reserve the raisins.
2. In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream and half-and-half. Gradually whisk in the sugar to blend. Whisk in the vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until very cold, at least 3 hours or as long as 3 days.
3. Whisk the mixture to blend and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. When the ice cream is at the soft-serve stage, add 1/3 cup of the rum and the raisins and process 1 minute longer. (Discard any remaining rum or reserve for another use.) Eat at once or transfer to a covered container and freeze up to 8 hours.
Raspberry Granita
Makes about 1 quart
Since raspberries vary greatly in sweetness, you really do have to taste here and adjust the sugar accordingly. Other berries can be used with the same process.
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
3/4 cupwater
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1. In a food processor or blender, combine the raspberries and water. Puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a medium bowl, pressing through as much fruit and juice as possible. Discard the seeds.
2. Add 1/3 cup sugar and the lemon juice. Stir to blend and dissolve the sugar, Taste for sweetness and add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours or as long as 3 days.
3. Stir the mixture to blend and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker, Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Eat at once.
