Treats & Trinkets: Raspberry Red Wine Ice Cream

I've never really claimed to be a grown up. Ever. I mean, technically that's what I am, being twenty-mumble years old and with a respectable job and I car that I bought with my own money. But honestly, what's so great about being a grown up? Sure, there's the whole staying up as late as you want and eating ice cream for dinner and pizza for breakfast, but that kind of loses its shine when you've got to wake up at 5:30 to get ready for work and pizza and ice cream give you a tummy ache.

I don't even like grown up things. I don't drink coffee-- I used to buy juice in the campus convenience store while everyone was fighting for the coffee machines-- I'm not a fan of most veggies, and I'd much rather watch cartoons than be depressed by the news. I go to the comics first in the paper, I like to play board games, and I prefer something bright and colorful and sparkly over something "tasteful" any day of the week. Dinosaur chicken nuggets are cool, carrots are stinky, and Harry Potter rules.

And then there's grown up drinks. I think most anything with alcohol in it is icky, unless it's sweet and fruity, and even then I'll probably just stick to my sparkling apple cider, thankyouverymuch. But then every so often, my inner adult will rear its head and say something like, "Psst. Psst. Hey you. How about some raspberry red wine ice cream? Doesn't that sound good? Don't you want to make it to bring to a classy dinner party, where there's real plates and fancy cocktails and no popsicles? Where people talk politics instead of debate whether Batman or Iron Man would win at chess? Where there's no Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot? Where people talk about depressing adult movies instead quoting Monty Python and Dr. Horrible and The Princess Bride?"

Then the rest of me will go, "Whoa, whoa, that's taking it too far, buddy. If I make you that ice cream, will you let me play Final Fantasy in peace?"

And the adult part will concede with an ominous, "For now."

So I made a grown up dessert. It's classy. And alcoholic. Meant to be served all fancy in an expensive wine glass, not in a plastic dollar store bowl. And drizzled with dark chocolate syrup instead of the normal stuff. This is most definitely not a kid-friendly dessert. I could have cooked off some of the alcohol, but this way I can call it boozy ice cream and pretend it's not all classy and grown up.

Well, as the Doctor says:

What's the point of being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes?

Drinking? No officer, I haven't been drinking. I just ate some *hic* ice cream.

Raspberry Red Wine Ice Cream {Printable Version}

Ingredients
1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
Approx. 1½ cups red wine
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1½ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half

Directions
In a large bowl, add the raspberries. Toss with 2 tbsp. sugar. Add enough wine to cover the berries.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Mash the berries with a fork or in a food processor.
Press through a fine mesh strainer to achieve 1½ cups liquid. Discard solids or save to add to the ice
cream.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and ¾ cup sugar until fluffy. In a medium saucepan,
heat the cream, half and half, and remaining sugar over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar is completely
dissolved. Continue to heat until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add
the milk mixture to the eggs 1 ladleful at a time, whisking constantly. When all the milk has been added,
return the mixture to the pan and heat over low, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F on
a food-grade thermometer. Do not let it boil.

Mix the berry/wine puree with the custard. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, 4-6 hours or
overnight. Add to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If
desired, add the berry solids to the cream a few minutes before fully frozen.

Tip: I used a Zinfandel wine because that’s what I had in the house. First rule of cooking with wine: never buy anything you wouldn’t drink. Also, adding the berry solids to the ice cream will add texture and a more intense flavor, but feel free to skip if you don’t enjoy the seeds.

Recipe by Kim

This recipe is featured on Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party