Fruits and Nuts of the Forest Kefir Ice Cream
We have had some really scorching days lately! The past several of them have been in the 90’s! I thought I left Florida to get away from the heat, but it looks like it must have followed my mom up here. She arrived on the coolest day we’d had in weeks, lending credence to her idea that we live in The Great White North, but in less than 48 hours, it became an absolute inferno. She loves the heat, so she’s not complaining, but the rest of us are lethargic, even the pets!
So naturally this kind of weather calls for ice cream! But really, we love ice cream and have it quite often no matter what the weather. When I was in Italy, I fell in love with what I called my perfect combination of gelato – one scoop of Frutti di Bosco and one of Nocciola – “Fruits of the Forest” or mixed berries and hazelnut. Such a dreamy combination. Light yet rich at the same time. So I decided to make my own perfect flavor at home, using kefir, a fermented, probiotic dairy drink as the base. We make kefir here at the homestead fresh every day and I love finding new uses for it, beyond a glass straight up for breakfast! So I can now confirm it makes a really delicious ice cream! Next time I will probably add an egg or two to the mix, for a more creamy consistency. But there was nothing lacking in the taste department here! So if you are as hot as we are, or just looking for a different kind of ice cream flavor to cool off on a hot summer day, give this one a try! I promise you will love it!
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of plain whole organic dairy kefir
1/3 cup of fresh organic heavy cream
¼ cup Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
½ cup of raw hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup frozen or fresh organic raspberries
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp ground cinnamon
METHOD:
I have a Vitamix, so I placed all the ingredients, in order listed into the Vitamix and blended just until the nuts were pulverized. I was looking for a creamy consistency. Then I placed all of it, in my ice cream maker and made it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can serve it before placing in the freezer for a more “soft serve” texture, or freeze for a harder consistency. I have also found that adding a ¼ cup of alcohol also lends to better scoopability.
Elle - July 6, 2010 at 11:35 am
Oh wow, hazelnut and raspberry? That sounds incredible! Try and stay cool–doesn’t look like the temps will cooperate any time soon.
Rosa - July 6, 2010 at 11:50 am
That is an interesting combination! I bet it tastes wonderful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free - July 6, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I love my VitaMix for ice cream – I’ll have to give your version a whirl. It sounds fabulous…I love kefir. When I make my ice cream, I add a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and a teaspoon of arrowroot. It requires you cook at least part of mix to dissolve the gelatin and active the arrowroot. But, it makes for a much more scoopable ice cream.
vanillasugar - July 6, 2010 at 4:58 pm
i know, what’s up with all these raging heat? did you get humidity like this in FL? i don’t mind the heat so much as that humidity.
i have been craving ice cream like crazy but with this ear infection i cannot have any dairy…you have know it’s killing me.
this looks so good, and what a great flavor-combo
crankycheryl - July 6, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Lovely! But please ask your mom to pack up this heat and send it back to FL, where she could maybe just shoo it out to one coast or the other.
bellini valli - July 6, 2010 at 9:15 pm
I have heard of them being called fruits of the forest, which they are..and oh so good in ice cream Jenn.
Arlene - July 6, 2010 at 10:43 pm
You guys are wimps. 🙂 But any excuse for an icy treat works for me.
jenn (Bread + Butter) - July 7, 2010 at 1:48 am
I’m really loving the flavors in this, Jenn. I could go for some ice cream for a snack right now. 🙂
tasteofbeirut - July 7, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Frutti di bosco and hazelnut would have been my favorite combo too! I ma going to look into this Vitamix (looking for a new appliance here); love your ice-cream, need to make some soon.
Juliana - July 7, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Oh! This look so refreshing and I love the idea of kefir in it…hazelnut liquor? YUMMIE!
pam - July 7, 2010 at 4:01 pm
My husband loves keffir. He would completely love this ice cream!
Peter G @ Souvlaki For The Soul - July 7, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Looks interesting Jenn..great combo of berries and nuts too. Enjoy the warmer weather.
nina - July 7, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Keffir is a new concept to me, but ice-cream isn’t! This flavor looks really awesome!!
Simone (junglefrog) - July 8, 2010 at 4:04 am
It’s almost a 100F here today so yes, perfect weather for icecream and since I have recently started using my icecream machine (finally!) I am always looking for new ideas on making interesting icecream and this sounds like a great flavor combo. I am sure it is not gonna be as good as the fabulous icecream at DiPiazza (we have all started calling San Gimignano, San G. after your comment on my blog! Thought it sounds great and it conveniently short..lol) but I am definitely gonna have a go at it, once I finished of the icecream I made earlier this week!
peter - July 8, 2010 at 9:59 am
It’s freakin’ hot and humid here and your ice cream sounds wondeful with just that tartness from the kefffir.
Erica - July 8, 2010 at 10:48 am
Wow! What a wonderful summer treat. I love all the flavors.
lisaiscooking - July 8, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I’ve made blueberry kefir ice cream before, but the addition of Frangelico and hazelnuts sounds amazing!
maybelles mom - July 9, 2010 at 1:17 am
can i ask, do you use the kefir for the flavor or nutrition or just b/c?
sippitysup - July 9, 2010 at 11:20 am
I have been hearing about the heat in the NE. Here is CA were are strangely cold and gloomy. But this still seems like it would hit the spot. GREG
Stella - July 9, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Oh Jenn, this sounds wonderful! I prefer yogurt made into an icy treat any day to ice cream-it’s just more refreshing and wholesome. I like that it has probiotics too. I was just reading about how the ‘gut’ of the average person is so disturbed and abnormal on a microbial level due to our lifestyles and such…
p.s. Fruits of the Forest!?! That is the most romantic sounding frozen dessert ever! I want some…
erinmidwife - July 9, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Oh that sounds so so good Jenn! I want to be magically transported to your homestead! I can’t really do dairy though, even kefir, or sheep or goat. I have my VItamix now….I wonder how coconut kefir might work?
The Leftover Queen - July 9, 2010 at 9:09 pm
HI ERIN!!! I think that coconut kefir would be so so good made into ice cream!
Dharm - July 10, 2010 at 12:25 am
This looks just fantastic!!
kat - July 12, 2010 at 10:00 am
Oh I have some strawberry kefir in fridge, I should totally try this
The Leftover Queen - July 14, 2010 at 10:37 am
Maybelle’s Mom – All of the above! 🙂
Michelle - July 14, 2010 at 3:23 pm
WOW…never thought to use Kefir in Ice Cream before! I’ve been using Kefir for almost 5 yrs now, but mostly in my baked goods as a substitute for milk and sometimes I even use it in my breads. Kefir makes everything so much better. I’m off to try my first Kefir Ice Cream!