And it is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. Each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a recipe from and in turn someone else will be assigned your blog. All you have to do is choose a recipe, make it and blog about it on the specified date. The only rule is to keep it a secret! If you are interested in learning more, or want to join the club, please visit the Secret recipe club website.
This month’s assignment introduced me to a fantastic blog: A Spoonful of Thyme. I immediately started browsing through all the posts that California blogger Kate has written and I was blown away. There are beautiful pictures and very elegant recipes. I must admit I had a hard time to choose only one recipe and I will definitely be be back to try her Stilton, Apple and Leek Tart; Crab, Mango and Avocado Towers and Mango-Chile Ice! Need I say more?? In the end I chose to make some ice cream as it is finally getting warmer down here and we love ice cream! This Date, Rum and Pecan Ice Cream is AMAZING. Rum and Raisin is my husband’s favourite flavour and this was even better, thanks to the crunch given by the toasted pecans! It is a sinful pleasure, believe me. It is a MUST TRY! Thank you so much for sharing such a fantastic recipe Kate! I have made a couple of minor changes (in red), but the recipe itself is phenomenal and I will be making it again and again this coming summer. Please, make sure you drop by Kate at A Spoonful of Thyme and check out her beautiful site!
I also want to thank Angie from Big Bear’s Wife who is my group’s hostess for all her help!!
Recipe adapted from A Spoonful of Thyme
NOTE: The pictures are for half a dose.
Ingredients (for about 1 lt – 1 ¼ quarts):
12 dates (4 ounces, 115 gms) pitted
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark rum
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2/3 cup (130 gms) sugar
Big pinch of salt
1 ¼ cups (310 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum (I used 3)
1 cup Pecans, toasted and halved
To prepare the dates, chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. Combine the date pieces with the rum in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir. [I have done this all in the microwave] Cover and let macerate at room temperature for at least 4 hours (this can be done up to 1 day ahead, like I did).
To make the ice cream, warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.
Pour the cream into a large bowl, mix in the vanilla and rum and stir. Set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (1). Slowly pour the warm mixture (2) into the egg yolks (3), whisking constantly, then scrape the warm egg yolks back into the saucepan (4).
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of your spoon.
Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream and rum mixture. Stir well and let it cool down in the fridge.
Churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the nuts and date pieces.
Transfer into a container and freeze for a few hours before serving.
Enjoy!
Just when I thought my ice cream maker was going to be put away…I read this. Your ice cream looks ridiculously good. Rum? Dates? *Swoon*. Perfect choice. 🙂
What an incredible combination of flavors! Fabulous photos and SRC pick. 🙂
Wow, great choice. I’m planning on making some holiday ice cream tomorrow. This has me sooo excited to get in the kitchen and start!
I like the idea of using dates and pecans instead of just raisins here. Not a big fan of raisins anyway. Love your picture here, who can resist this with all those big chunks of fruit and nuts in there. Yum. Awesome pic for SRC.
This sounds so delicious! I have made Rum Raisin ice cream before but this tops that with the nuts and dates instead. Beautiful photos too (as always).
This ice cream looks EPIC! It’s also my Dad’s favourite flavour and I’ve promised to make it for him next birthday. That’s not til June next year, but in the meantime I may have to make a couple of batches…for sampling purposes obviously 🙂
What a yummy and sinful ice cream, Manuela! I loved the dates in them. The photograph is so good, it is making me drool over my laptop!!
Wow, this looks beautiful and sounds delicious. Your photos really make one want to get a spoon.
Gorgeous! You honestly had me at rum 🙂
Wow. All ingredients sound perfect, and the finished product… let’s just say I am experiencing major cravings at work! One day I’ll dare make my own ice cream…
It doesn’t matter that I’m experiencing sub-zero temps, I still want some of that Ice cream. Your photos make even more enticing!
That would be awesome over our pecan pie on Thursday! Great pick!
This ice cream is amazing, I like when a touch of rum is added to ice creams, it gives a special flavor, I always saw it with raisins, but never with dates. This is an excellent idea.
Swoon… and wait, you made this without an ice cream maker???
ooooo amazing looking ice cream!!
Drooling, I am literally drooling!!!! Great SRC post!
Yum! This looks great and so refreshing!
Sounds like a great holiday ice cream!!!!
Wow, this ice cream is SO tempting! I’m a sucker for any ice cream with pecans, and once you add rum in there…YUM! 🙂
the pictures look great manuela! thanks for sharing. too bad we don’t have an ice cream maker and heavy cream isn’t really a common item in our groceries here..but anyway, there’s always a next time. 🙂
Decadent! I was just trying to decide if i should take my ice cream maker bowl out of the freezer, now I am thinking not!
What an amazing recipe to take on for this months SRC pick! I am in awe. The ice cream sounds to die for.
What a gorgeous ice cream! I have thinking about making something festive and appropriate for the holidays and I think I just found the perfect recipe! Beautiful photos! : )
Glad to be part of SRC with you! This ice cream sounds simply amazing. Just wish I had a bowl in front of me right now.
What an incredibly decadent ice cream! All those gorgeous inclusions; the photo looks fantastic! That would not last long in my house, that is for sure!
Wow! date & rum in ice cream!!! u r really great cook Manu super creation. Thanks for sharing really great ideas:).
I’m envious for your summer weather, gorgeous pictures you’ve taken, and this DELICIOUS ice cream!!!!
Thanks for bringing some sunshine to us with this gorgeous looking ice cream, Manu. That does look a fabulous recipe – the rum, the dates, the crrrrunch…
Oh!, absolutely gorgeous clicks and amazing Ice cream.., good choice for SRC..
This looks SO good!!!! I love the dates and pecans in here. This makes me miss my ice cream maker so much!
LOVE the boozy ice cream… AND that you included dates, rather than raisins!!! 😀
Fo shizzle! Love love this secret recipe club ice cream. I want to dive into it face first…YUM
Buzzed!
Thank you for being the secret chef assigned to my blog and thank you for the very kind words! The ice cream looks fabulous. It is one of our favorites. I am glad that you liked it. It is a great SRC choice!
Ooooh, creamy bliss. I loved rum and raisin ice cream when I was growing up – obviously without alcohol in it! But this seems like a great grown-up version for me!
This ice cream looks sooo good! You chose a great recipe for the Secret Recipe club. Here is what I cooked up from group C: http://su.pr/1HICCz 🙂
Manu, this looks really good! If only I’ve an ice-cream maker :<
This is the perfect cold dessert!
omg Manu this looks so amazing. I love dates!! This is the perfect summer treat!