Easy Red Bean Ice Cream Food

EASY RED BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until pale yellow in color.
• Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan and remove from heat. Slowly stream milk into the egg mixture while beating with a whisk to integrate completely.
• Pour milk mixture into the saucepan and place over low heat; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened but not yet boiling, about 10 minutes.
• Stir red bean paste into the thickened milk mixture; pour into a large bowl and let cool for several minutes. Stir cream into the slightly cooled mixture until smooth.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ice cream base is chilled completely, 1 to 3 hours.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer direction.

RED BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• 1. Set aside 1/4 cup of the milk in a small bowl. Combine the rest of the milk with the heavy cream and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a heavy, medium-large pot over medium heat. Let the milk mixture get very hot but not quite scalded.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, and the egg yolks in a heat-proof bowl, and whisk until the yolks thicken slightly and get lighter in color.
• 3. Add the cornstarch to the milk you set aside in the small bowl, smushing it in with your fingertips to make an absolutely smooth paste.
• 4. When the milk and cream mixture is almost boiling, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, which should thicken the milk almost immediately. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
• 5. With a ladle in one hand and a whisk in the other, and a wooden spoon next to the stove, ladle some of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking for all you're worth as you do so. After two ladlefuls have been whisked into the yolk mixture, pour the now-tempered yolk mixture into the pot of hot milk, and whisk the whole thing hard.
• 6. Now stand there and stir constantly, watching carefully, until the eggs further thicken the milk, though only slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Because we're doing this over direct heat rather than in a more time-consuming double-boiler, stir mindfully, alternating between the whisk to incorporate everything and the wooden spoon to get into the corners, where the eggs would otherwise tend to cook first.
• 7. The minute the custard has thickened, transfer it from the pot to a clean heat-proof bowl and whisk in the anko and the vanilla, if using. Let cool to room temperature (if you want to speed this up, set the bowl in a sink partially filled with ice water), then cover it and refrigerate it overnight.
• 8. The next day, transfer the custard into your ice cream maker and let 'er rip according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is done, remove the dasher, fight over who gets to lick it, be nice and share, and transfer the finished ice cream to a storage container. Place the container in the freezer and store until you're just about ready to serve (like all ice creams, this is most full-flavored when softened slightly).

VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• With a knife halve vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape seeds into a large heavy saucepan and stir in pods, cream, milk, and sugar. Bring mixture just to a boil, stirring occasionally, and remove pan from heat.
• In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Add hot cream mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, in 2 batches if necessary. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

QUICK AND EASY RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Bring the rice and water to boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and green bell pepper, and cook until tender. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Mix in beans and tomatoes, and continue cooking until heated through. Serve skillet mixture over the rice.