SAFFRON ICE CREAM RECIPE

1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 egg
1/2 gram saffron, chopped fine
brandy
1/3 cup sugar

Soak the saffron in a very small amount of brandy (enough to cover it) for one hour. Boil the egg for exactly 45 seconds. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Then follow the usual procedure for your ice-cream maker. Serves about 3 people. The saffron flavor was very pronounced -- you would not want to increase the amount of saffron from the above, and could probably get by with less.

SMOKEY CHIPOTLE ICE CREAM

This one is good as a dessert or you can be really bold and use it as an appetizer to wake up the taste buds before a steak dinner.
To a batch of the Old Time Vanilla Ice Cream mix (see recipe), add 3/4 tsp chipotle seasoning salt. Be sure to let this mix age in the refrigerator for at least four hours before freezing.

STRAWBERRY version 1

2 cups strawberries, stemmed
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup table cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

Slice strawberries, coat with 1/4 sugar and lemon juice.
Stir and let sit for at least 1 hour.
Beat egg yolks; beat in sugar.
Heat creams together until steaming. Stir into egg/sugar mixture. Cool.
Just before adding to ice cream machine, mash strawberries and stir into cream/egg mixture.
Freeze in ice cream maker.
Notes: I used *very* ripe strawberries. If strawberries less ripe, increase sugar (to at most 1 cup total).

STRAWBERRY version 2

2 pints strawberries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Purée the strawberries in a food processor. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Pour the mixture into the bowl of the machine and freeze.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups.