Well, it's August.
What a summer it's been so far.
I haven't gone away for vacation - I might still but I might not either.
So far I've been keeping myself occupied but not busy with lots of stuff.
Here's a little run-down of things that I've been doing and/or working on:
 - Starting my half-marathon training nice and early... 'cause I want a good time this year, Oh Yeah.
 - Trying to figure out why one of my tomato plants is drying up.  Figuring out that it's getting too much water and then nursing it back to health.
 - Reading... lots. Trying to read things that make me think without getting me too dark.  It's hard and it often doesn't work 'cause I'm not terribly interested otherwise.
 - Going here... and here... and seeing this at a cheap theatre... and getting together with lots of friends.
 - Trying to figure out how not to be completely broke by about the middle of August (might almost be successful this year)
 - Actually taking Kid #2 to a park (!) on two different occasions.  It really is a big deal.
 - Making lots of birthday cakes and presents (July is birthday central around here)
 - Not cleaning my house.
 - Making ice cream.


Yeah.  I made ice cream... again.  Peanut butter... again.  With Caramel ripple this time... I burnt the caramel.  That sucked.


The peanut butter ice cream recipe is good but this one was better.  I think that the honey thing changed the texture too much for me.  I used a creamy honey rather than a clear, runny variety.  I wouldn't do that again.  Generally though the other peanut butter ice cream recipe was just a more pleasant taste and texture for me.  I also wasn't in love with the caramel ripple thing.  I think that the chocolate worked better.  Quite honestly I think that the caramel ripple idea would work better with vanilla ice cream or something like it.  A simpler ice cream to showcase the caramel.  Caramel is special and shouldn't be competing with a strong flavour like peanut butter... I know, right?
Seriously, I have a cue of ice cream recipes that I want to try out.  I'm not sure where to go first.  Coffee maybe... I don't know.  There are so many.  Maybe this one?  Either way, if you want to make peanut butter ice cream I wouldn't honestly go with this one.  I would make the other one... and if caramel sounds like the perfect addition for you then by all means go for it - add the caramel recipe below.


Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Caramel Ripple
adapted from The Kitchy Kitchen

2 cups heavy cream
2 cup milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 or 4 (I used 4 because I had an extra yolk leftover from something else that I forgot about until the last minute so I threw it in)
3/4 cup regular peanut butter
4 tbsp clear, runny honey (if you use honey infused peanut butter  - like I even knew that existed - then decrease the amount to 2 tbsp)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla

Caramel:

1 cup sugar
4 oz butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Using a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the cream, milk and sugar until the sugar is melted and the mixture is just under a boil.  Turn the heat down to low.
Mix together the egg yolks and set aside.  Add in a little of the heated cream/milk to the egg yolk bowl, stirring  constantly.  Once the cream/milk has warmed the yolks then add the whole bowl back into the saucepan.  Heat again over medium heat until the mixture reaches about 170 degrees F or is thick enough to do the finger test successfully.
Remove from the heat and add in the peanut butter, honey, salt and vanilla.  Stir until everything is well blended.  Run the mixture through a seive.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, placing the wrap right onto the custard so that it won't form a crust on the top.  Refridgerate at least 3 hours but overnight is best - the mixture needs to be completely cooled.
Churn in an ice cream maker as per normal.
Layer the churned ice cream and the cooled caramel (directions below) alternately beginning with a little caramel on the bottom of the container.
Freeze... and then serve.

Caramel:
Heat the sugar in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over med. heat until the sugar liquifies and turns brown but doesn't get burnt (like mine did) - as soon as it starts turning colour you could try turning the heat down significantly to prevent the burning.  Let it turn med/dark brown (it will get dark and burnt very fast so watch it carefully)
Remove from the heat and add in the butter (the stuff will bubble a lot so be prepared).  Mix well.
Add in the cream and vanilla and mix well.
Cool.