For seasonal grocery shoppers, winter can feel rather bleak. Yes, the first crop of squash is exciting and pumpkin pies are always a fall favorite. But after months of root vegetables, the flavor selection can seem painstakingly limited. Your brain might be screaming “Eat local” but your tongue is salivating at the thought of slightly less fresh fruit trucked in from very far away.
Ice cream lovers: have no fear! There are plenty of ways to add a touch of fruit into your wintery dessert. One of the best fall decisions you can make is to stock up on a selection of apples from your favorite stand at the farmer’s market. Apples require just a little bit of coolness in order to stay fresh in storage for a longer period of time. Cool temperatures alone will be enough to keep apples fresh for weeks. Tarter varieties, such as Jonathans, Granny Smiths, and Fuji, are excellent for longer terms storage. (Think in months, not weeks!) Simply wrap each apple individually in a piece of newspaper and store in a cool place.
Obviously, you can use cooked apples for an excellent ice cream topping topping. Some of our favorites are:
Rachael Ray’s Warm Apples and Ice Cream
She Know’s Brown Butter and Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream Topping
Brown Sugar’s Baked Apple Ice Cream Bowls
Another way to store a little bit of fresh away for the winter is by freezing apple cider. Seriously, it will taste just as good as the day you bought it and there is no prep involved- just stick the container in the freezer. If you are interested in DIY ice cream, apple cider makes one seriously addictive flavor. Here is a favorite:
Apple Cider- Cinnamon Ice Cream
Adapted From Saveur Magazine
Makes One Quart
You Will Need:
2 cups apple cider
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks
Instructions
Whisk apple cider and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. Reduce until you have approximately 2/3 cup of juice. This should take about 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the milk and cream until it is smooth. Add the cinnamon and egg yolks and then, again, whisk until smooth.
Return to heat and cook until the mixture can coat the back of a spoon.
Pour custard through a fine strainer and refrigerate until cool.
Process chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a storage container and freeze until firm.
Don’t let the winter season leave you hopeless. Remember: every season is the right season for ice cream.