A Good Ice-Cream

Forrest and I have fallen into somewhat of a chocolate-malt habit as of late. It's our little treat after the kids are in bed (providing they aren't woken by the sound of the blender.) However, I must confess that I am somewhat of a snob when it comes to ice-cream. I am very particular about the quality, and so many (if not all) of the ice-creams found in grocery stores are loaded with fillers and artificial colors and flavors. Anyone who's had homemade ice-cream knows that ice-cream is supposed to taste really good, and can attest to the difference between homemade and store-bought. However, I can not justify pulling out the ice-cream maker in April, so we have settled for the next best thing: Trader Joe's Super Premium French Vanilla Ice-Cream.

The ingredient list:

cream
milk
sugar
egg yolks
natural vanilla flavor
carob bean gum
guar gum

Not sure about the carob bean gum and guar gum, but I love that the first four ingredients are cream, milk, sugar, and egg yolks. This is as darn near close to homemade as you'll get.


The other thing I love about this ice-cream is that it is a "true" half-gallon. If you pick up the carton you'll notice that it is heavier than most half-gallon ice-cream containers. Other brands fill their ice-cream with air, which creates a fluffier consistency but yields less ice-cream per container. Trader Joe's ice-cream, on the other hand, is dense and rich and gives you more bang for your buck. At $5.99 per half gallon it's a little bit of a splurge, but worth it every time. Who says you have to wait until summer to enjoy the simple goodness of pure vanilla ice-cream?

Oh, and just for good measure, I'll share my recipe for chocolate malts:

4-5 scoops good quality vanilla ice-cream
small amount of milk (adjust for creaminess)
2 heaping Tablespoons Carnation brand Malted Milk powder
Generous drizzle of chocolate syrup (sometimes I'll add caramel as well)

Blend until smooth (makes 2.)