Friday, August 14, 2009

For My Boy

Saturday or today, depending on when you're reading, is my son's 3rd birthday. If you'll remember he was stillborn so he's not with us, but I still celebrate and honor his life. Sam this is for you, my love.

When I was pregnant with Sam I craved chocolate covered peanuts. Like seriously craved them. If I was driving around and the mood struck, I'd make an emergency stop at Walgreen's for a bag if Brach's Double Dippers. Sometimes it was life or death, or so it felt like :-)

I wanted to make him ice cream cone cupcakes, but the more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea. Well I'm still intrigued with the idea and I will make them, but I kept imagining my husband and FIL getting frosting up their noses, and having a difficult time eating the cupcake while biting through the cone. I saw some pretty irritated men in my future so I decided to make something else for his birthday.

I made this ice cream a couple weeks ago. It's called Tin Roof and is a very vanilla base speckled with chocolate covered peanuts and swirled with fudge ripple. It's heaven. Instead of making the chocolate covered peanuts, I used Brach's. I've included the recipe below, so you can decide if you're going to make them or not. This ice cream was delicious and creamy, sweet, chunky and rich. One scoop (or two) is all you need. I would definitely make this again, only next time I'd cut back on the fudge ripple, which was very good, just a little too much for my taste.

Tin Roof Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup Chocolate-Covered Peanuts (recipe below)
  • Fudge Ripple (recipe below)

Warm the milk, sugar, salt and ½ cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. With a sharp paring knife, scrape the flavorful seeds from the vanilla bean and add them, along with the pod, to the hot milk mixture. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Rewarm the vanilla-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Remove the vanilla bean, wipe it clean of any egg bits, and add it back to the custard. Stir in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

When ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean (it can be rinsed and reused). Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is freezing, chop the peanuts into bite-sized peanuts.

Fold the peanut pieces into the frozen ice cream as you remove it from the machine, and layer it with Fudge Ripple.

Chocolate Covered Peanuts

  • 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts

Put the pieces of chocolate in an absolutely dry heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water to melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. In the meantime, stretch a piece of plastic wrap over a dinner plate.

Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the peanuts, coating them with the chocolate. Spread the mixture on the plastic-lined plate and chill.

Mixing them in: Use a chef’s knife to chop the chocolate-covered block of peanuts into bite-sized pieces, then mix them into 1 quart of ice cream as you remove it from the machine.

Storage: Chocolate-Covered Peanuts can be stored for several months in an air-tight container, refrigerated at room temperature.

Fudge Ripple

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.

Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using.

Mixing it in: The Fudge Ripple should be thoroughly chilled, as it’s easiest to use when very cold. Just before you remove the ice cream from the machine, spoon some of the Fudge Ripple onto the bottom of the storage container. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, layer generous spoonfuls of the sauce between layers of ice cream. Avoid stirring the Fudge Ripple, as it will make the ice cream muddy looking.

Storage: Fudge Ripple can be stored for up to 2 weeks, covered, in the refrigerator.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy. I love and miss you always.

32 comments:

Kasha said...

OH my goodness Monica, you broke my heart today. I am so sorry for your loss. What a great way to heal though. You are truly an amazing person. Thank you for showing me what courage and love is today. I think chocolate is great for any memory. I truly believe that Sam is watching you so proudly and waiting patiently for you to be united once again. Am I ever going to stop checking on my little boy a hundred times at night to make sure he is ok? It is nerve wracking. Sorry for the long comment. You just really got to me.

vanillasugarblog said...

Oh happy birthday to your boy. you are the best Mom. I do hope someday you will get the chance to try again. I hate to let a person like you go without being a Mom.
And I'm also glad that you put lots o' stuff in the ice cream. I hate when there is not enough junk in the ice cream.

BigSis said...

Hi Monica,

Thanks for sharing this special day with us. I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope that God will bless you with peace to see you through this day, and always.

Palidor said...

Thank you for sharing your story and the ice cream with us.

Heather S-G said...

Dear Monica. What a beautiful, touching post. This is a beautiful tribute and birthday wish for your Sam. :)

Foodiewife said...

My precious Monica-- what a loving tribute in memory of your son. First, let the foodie in me compliment you on this beautiful recipe. I definitely would make this and I will think of you with every bite.
My heart is filled with a sense of motherly nurturing for you. This is hard for you, but you have a loving husband and the support of many who love you-- including me.
Debby

White Toast with Butter said...

Happy Birthday Sam. I'm lucky to have two sons (one 24 and one 5)and I've suffered countless miscarriages - never to the point of term. I'm so sorry. Jenny

Lissaloo said...

What a beautiful post, Happy Birthday to your sweet Angel.
I am sending lots of comforting thoughts and hugs to you my friend.

Laura said...

Oh (((Monica))) love the recipe! Hugs girl!! that last shot with the sauce dripping is so you :) great post

Denise said...

Monica, Im so sorry, but so glad you keep his spirit alive in the things you do. God Bless. and what a great ice cream.

Heidi said...

My heart goes out to you. My son Matthew was stillborn Nov 15, 2000. I wish I were holding him in my arms instead of my heart. I went on to have 3 amazing children and his spirit lives on within each of them. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him and I'm sure the same goes for you. We always light a candle and release balloons with a special message to him on October 15 (which is infant and stillborn awareness day). Know that I'm thinking of you.

A New England Girl said...

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. What a special way to remember him and his birthday today, though. Sending so many hugs and prayers your way.

Julie said...

Oh Monica, who ever thought a post about ice cream would make me cry? What a beautiful way to remember him every year.

Holli said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Holli said...

Happy Birthday to your son! I to lost my newborn daughter (she was 8 days old) so I do truly sympathize with you. I also still celebrate and remember her on her birthday... I have for every one of the 8 years that it's been. I truly am sorry for your loss.....

Valerie Gamine said...

Nothing can mark an occasion better than food. It comforts and unites us in ways nothing else can. Especially when ice cream and chocolate are involved.
What a beautiful way to mark your son's birthday. Peace and happiness to you and your family. :)

Anonymous said...

Dee from Tennessee

Tender, tender post....

Selba said...

I believe that your son is smiling from up there knowing that his mom is making a very yummy ice cream for celebrating his birthday *big hugs*

Kerstin said...

I'm so sorry for your loss Monica. Your post is such a lovely tribute to your son. *hugs*

Coleens Recipes said...

Happy Birthday baby Sam, you have a priceless mommy.

Gillian R said...

I'm a first time reader and I'm blown away by such a sweet post. Happy, Happy Birthday to your much loved gorgeous boy. And what a gorgeous mummy you are for making him such a beautiful treat!! I'll be back to read more for sure.

Donna-FFW said...

My heart is with you today. Happy Birthday Sam!! You have the best type of mom there is. Love you Monica!

Zsofi Anna said...

Oh sweetie. This brought tears to my eyes. What a gorgeous treat you've made. You are a wonderful, wonderful mom. Hugs.

Treehouse Chef said...

You are really a special person and God has used you to bless others. Great reicpe! Thanks for sharing.

Amber said...

Happy Birthday to your little angel, Sam. I admire that you continue to celebrate and honor his life with your cooking which btw is amazing.

Unknown said...

I am so sorry for your loss. I think it is beautiful to celebrate his birthday. This really pulled at my heartstrings. I have no words, but just wanted to share my admiration and sympathy.

Smitten Sugar said...

Happy Belated to your sweet angel! What a sweet post, what a great way to celebrate him!

A & W said...

You're such a wonderful, inspiring, talented, and thoughtful person and that clearly shows in your cooking. This ice cream looks delicious and wherever Sam is I'm SURE he wishes he could eat this ice cream. Goodness, this brought tears to my eyes. I hope you continue to honor the people you love with your cooking it really makes it so special and enriches the lives of those around us.

Erin said...

The icecream looks mouth watering! And I loved your insights into the cupcake in a cone idea - maybe a kids party perhaps... :)
A very sweet post.

NeedANap2 said...

I'm sorry about your loss(es). Tin Roof Sundae ice cream by Hiland dairy is my favorite! Used to buy it in Missouri but we've moved away and no company seems to make it. Blue Bunny has something close but not the same!! I would definitely buy the premade choc covered peanuts b/c the ones you make yourself would probably be clumped together (like choc Chex Mix). Praying that God eases your loss today and fills you with His love and hope.

Joy Tilton said...

I missed this post and want to wish sweet Sam a Happy Birthday and to you Monica a Happy BIRTHday. The angels surely make him a cake each year, I just hope angel food is not the only flavor we can get in Heaven! I have a baby waiting on me in Heaven too...

FFXIV Gil said...

I truly believe that Sam is watching you so proudly and waiting patiently for you to be united once again. Am I ever going to stop checking on my little boy a hundred

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