Celebrate National Ice Cream Month With Gourmet Frozen Desserts

I know that it’s impossible to love an object, but I seriously love ice cream.  So much that with all of the hot weather we’ve been having, we might have eaten it before a meal…as a meal…in between meals…twice!

Ice cream is one of those foods that’s definitely considered an indulgence in our household.  In order for ice cream to be deemed as such, it has to contain at least 10 percent milkfat (and very often you’ll find varieties much higher than that).  That smooth, sweet, creamy flavor is achieved by combining cream, milk, sugar (or another sweetener), flavoring, and eggs.

A few weeks ago, we attended an ice cream social with Real California Milk and television host, food writer, and award-winning cook Kristina Vanni, who created delicious, gourmet frozen treats for the occasion.  Her recipes and cooking tips are featured on The Daily Dish.

Since July is National Ice Cream Month, I thought I’d share some of Kristina’s recipes as inspiration to create your own frozen treats this summer!

CANNOLI GELATO SANDWICH

Makes 1 sandwich
½ cup Real California gelato (vanilla or pistachio flavor)
1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
½ teaspoon orange zest
2 Italian pizzelle waffle cookies
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Powdered sugar

In a small bowl, gently combine gelato, mini chocolate chips and orange zest. Place 1 cookie on a flat surface. Carefully spread with
gelato mixture all the way to the edge and top with second cookie. Roll edge of sandwich in pistachios. Freeze until gelato is firm. To serve, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

FLOATING BLUEBERRY CALIFORNIA COBBLER

Makes 1 float
1 scoop Real California vanilla ice cream
¼ cup blueberries
½ cup blueberry-flavored soda (such as Izze Sparkling Blueberry)
1 sugar cookie, crushed (about 1 tablespoon)
Ground cinnamon

In a serving glass, alternate layers of ice cream and blueberries. Pour soda into the glass until it reaches the top and ice cream is floating. Top with crumbled sugar cookie and a dash of cinnamon. Sip and smile!

PEANUT BUTTER BRITTLE ICE CREAM POPS

Makes 8 ice cream pops
1 cup finely crushed peanut brittle
8 five-ounce paper cups
1 quart Real California chocolate ice cream
8 tablespoons smooth or crunchy peanut butter
8 plastic spoons

Spoon 1 tablespoon peanut brittle into a paper cup. Fill with ice  cream half way and pack down. Spread with 1 tablespoon peanut
butter, fill with ice cream and sprinkle 1 tablespoon peanut brittle  on top. Pack down firmly with the back of a spoon. Insert a plastic spoon, bowl end down, into the cup. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 8 pops. Freeze until firm. To serve, peel off cups.  Enjoy the layered pop from the spoon stick!

For additional recipes, just visit Real California Milk and The Daily Dish!

No compensation was received for this post.  I was invited to a media event to learn about the new recipes.

Photos:  Rockin’ Mama

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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