Orange Vanilla Frozen Custard

I've really really got to try this. We came across a dessert in Florida that I just can't forget - real orange slushie layered with orange custard. I've got to figure it out.

Here's a recipe for Orange Custard from the Food Network. I haven't tried it yet - but I will soon!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 4 teaspoons grated orange zest
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Directions

Whisk the cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan; whisk in the cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 cup milk until smooth.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 7 to 8 minutes (do not boil). Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Add the cream and stir until cool. Remove from the ice bath; stir in the vanilla, orange juice concentrate and orange zest. Cover and chill until cold.

Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe into cups.

Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I prefer dryer, more cake-like chocolate chip cookies. Somehow they feel less rich - although I guess not - this recipe has a cup of butter! But the cookies are delicious as a special treat. Made them with my granddaughters yesterday (just don't burn the bottoms like I did with one sheet - oops) 

 Recipe from The Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt (1'd use 1/2 tsp)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets; you should get about 4 cookies on each pan. Press down the tops of the dough slightly and bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.