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Coquito Ice Cream

I have been meaning to make an ice cream using my Coquito recipe for years… but recently I asked my mom for her ice cream maker and I have become a frozen dessert maniac.

I educated myself on making ice creams… proportions, flavors, textures. And the best ice creams always included some sort of egg component. And as you know, eggs are no-no’s in KarmaFree Cooking. I was willing to give this project a few tries, but making Coquito takes a few steps and I didn’t want to be wasteful.

I struck gold when I took my ice cream making inquiries to a Facebook group we have – the Serious Eats Water Cooler. There a few friends introduced me to Max Falkowitz, an ice cream guru who’s also part of the editorial team at Serious Eats. Between his recommendations and my friend Jerzee Tomato’s input, I came up with a brilliant combination of texture and smoothness.

Create a custard… without using eggs and mix in the Coquito. Genius!!! The Coquito has fat from the coconut milk, evaporated and condensed milks so all you need to do is add some more to the custard.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! My mom was in awe when she tried it… as has been each and every person who has tasted it after that. This was a home run!

COQUITO ICE CREAM

2 cups of my Coquito Recipe

1 ¼ cups half and half

2 tsp cornstarch

½ cup brown sugar

First we need to create the components… you can make a batch of Coquito first and then make the cornstarch custard.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of half and half and sugar. Add the cornstarch to the remaining ¼ cup half and half. Whisk well to create a slurry and while whisking, add to the saucepan with the rest of the ingredients.
Whisk or stir constantly using a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps while the mixture thickens. It’ll take about 5-6 minutes. The custard is done when it coats the back of a wooden spoon and when you run a finger thru it, the sides of custard will not get back together.
It may look a tad loose, but it’ll thicken in the fridge while it cools.
Transfer the custard to a heatproof bowl or even a glass measuring cup and chill in the fridge at least 2-3 hours. I place a plastic film over the custard to avoid it creating a film on top. You can do this even a few days in advance if you want. Just like making the Coquito in advance.
When you’re ready to assemble the ice cream, in a pitcher bring together 2 cups of Coquito and the cornstarch custard, which should measure just a tad more than 1 cup. Mix well to combine and add to your ice cream maker. Churn 25-30 minutes according to your ice cream machine’s instructions.
Transfer to a container to freeze in the freezer for about 2 hours before serving. It’s delicious right off the ice cream maker… but it’s at its best after a few hours in the freezer.
When you’re about to serve it… leave it a few minutes at room temperature before scooping.

The end result is a smooth, spicy and creamy ice cream that feels as rich as any premium ice cream around.

Merry Xmas, Happy Holidays and may 2014 be filled with lots of blessings.

Tags: brown sugar, cinnamon, coconut, coconut cream, coconut milk, cornstarch, custard, food, ginger, half and half, holidays, nutmeg, Puerto Rico, sweet, vegetarian

Comments 1 Comment
Categories desserts, treats, Xmas

Tembleque, my version…

23 Dec

I have several recipes for tembleque here in KarmaFree Cooking… All of them I have made, all of them I have enjoyed… but none of them I have developed myself.

My friend Aniette told me she makes a recipe she got from YouTube and that her Houston friends, who have never had tembleque, loved. Aniette has never tasted the actual recipe, because she’s allergic to coconut. And no offense to her Houston friends, but the texture of the recipe is not what tembleque should be like… IMHO. It was more like a coconut mousse, not tembleque.

What I really enjoyed about the youtube recipe was that it only had 4 ingredients. Tembleque is a simple recipe that shouldn’t be complex or difficult to make. To me, tembleque is the perfect recipe to teach at a Xmas-themed cooking class.

So I made about 4-5 batches of tembleque before I felt comfortable to teach who to make it at the most recent KarmaFree Cooking cooking class. The results are tasty, jiggly and smooth like a tembleque should always be.

TEMBLEQUE, My Way

2 cans coconut milk (one large 25oz can)

1 cup water

6tbs cornstarch

2/3 cups brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 or 2 sticks of cinnamon

Ground Cinnamon to taste

In a large saucepan or small pot at medium high heat, add the coconut milk. Feel free to use a larger pot than you think you might need so you’ll have enough space to stir the mix.
Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and stir well with a wooden spoon.
Add 1 cup of water to the cans to “wash them” from any leftover coconut milk. Add the cornstarch to this water to create a slurry. Mix well with a small whisk and add to the pot on the stove.
Stir the mixture kinda constantly to avoid the cornstarch to fall to the bottom of the pot and create lumps. When the mixture feels it’s starting to thicken, lower the heat so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Continue stirring making a figure 8 until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and when you run your finger thru the coating the side do not come together again.
Transfer to a heat resistant mold or transfer to individual plastic cups for individual servings. I like 3oz cups. They’re a nice little serving and if you want some more, just have 2.
Allow to slightly cool for about 20 minutes on top of the kitchen counter. After that, transfer to the fridge to cool and set for about 2 hours. The final product will set but still be “jiggly” when you shake the mold or cup.K

Tags: brown sugar, cinammon, coconut, coconut milk, cornstarch, food, gluten-free, Vegan, vegetarian

Comments 6 Comments
Categories desserts, Puerto Rican delicacies, Xmas

KarmaFree Cooking’s 1st Cooking Class

2 Dec

By popular demand!!!!

KarmaFree Cooking will offer its 1st ever official cooking class, this coming Saturday, December 7 at the Centro Cultural Yoga Devanand in Caparra Terrace, Puerto Rico.

Together with my friend Angie, I will be offering the class featuring a traditional Xmas menu classics with a vegetarian twist. The holidays need not be celebrated by harming anyone or anything…

Our class menu will consist of:

Arroz con Gandules / Rice with Pigeon Peas
Pastelón de Yuca Cruda / Raw Yuca Pastelón – It’s the flavors of a pastel, but in a much easy to make format
Green Salad with Delicious Dressing that will have everyone craving more raw foods…
Frituras de Yautía / Yautía Fritters – it’s like an alcapurria, without the filling
Tembleque – the holidays easiest dessert, and vegan to boot!!
Rosemary Almonds – Perfect for a snack for yourself or to give away!

Course will be given in SPANISH. But if someone interested has limited Spanish knowledge, please let us know and we could make arrangements for those interested.

This is a practical course, you will get your hands dirty and cook alongside me and Angie. Please bring an apron, pen and paper to take notes. You’ll leave with a copy of the recipes so you can replicate them with confidence at home.

When: Saturday, December 7, 2013

Where: Centro Cultural Yoga Devanand, Caparra Terrace, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Contribution: $35

Limited seating for up to 15 students… so please click on the link and reserve your space today. You can call 787-273-0236 for more information. Or email me at karmafreecooking{at}yahoo{dot}com.

Te esperamos…

Tags: cooking class, cooking classes, food, Puerto Rico, traditional, vegetarian, Xmas menu

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Categories MY EDITORIAL

Black Sesame Gomasio

22 Nov

Have you ever had gomasio?? It’s a seasoning made from sesame seeds and salt. I was under the impression it was something that came from India, but according to Wikipedia, apparently is more Japanese.

I learned to enjoy gomasio thanks to Mili at the Yoga Center. She loves it and she would make some and bring to the center. She taught me how to eat it as a condiment sprinkled over salads, but you can certainly enjoy it over soups, rice or anything you want to give a nice salty flavor to.

You can find prepared gomasio in any gourmet or health food store or supermarket like Whole Foods. I even saw gomasio over at La Grande Epicerie in Paris. But why buy it if it’s so easy to make yourself???

Black Sesame Gomasio

1 ½ cups black sesame seeds

3 tbs kosher salt

In a large sauté pan over medium heat toast the sesame seeds. Toasting black sesame seeds is a bit challenging than toasting the regular white ones. Just keep toasting until the seeds start to pop and jump a little bit out of the pan. Transfer to a heat resistant bowl and allow for the seeds to cool completely. They turn a tad ashy…

2. Transfer the cooled sesame seeds to a food processor. Pulse to pulverize the seeds a few times. Add the kosher salt and pulse a few times again until everything combines and becomes a unified powder mix.

Keep in a tight container. I save it in the fridge as the warm temperatures of Puerto Rico can make the seeds rancid very quickly.

Tags: black sesame seeds, condiment, food, india, Japan, kosher salt, salads, seasoning, sesame seeds, vegetarian

Comments 1 Comment
Categories basics, treats

Whole Wheat Bread Budín

20 Nov

I had not shared this recipe with you guys because at some point… this recipe was helping me make a living. When I was still figuring out this thing of working by myself, on the side, I was baking some things under the KarmaFree Cooking banner. I baked lots and lots of carrot cakes, made tons of hummus, veggie dips and red bell pepper dips. I also baked a lot of these budíns… especially for my friend Vanessa, may she rest in peace! She would order one from me almost every week…

This whole wheat bread budín is the Puerto Rican version of a bread pudding. The cool thing is it needs no egg custard to cook or any pre-soaking, like many recipes I have seen made at the Food Network. Just whiz the bread on the food processor, mix the rest of the ingredients and BAKE!!!

See why this was so cool to make for sale?? I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends enjoyed it when I was cooking for them…

Whole Wheat Bread Budín

1 lb package of 100% whole wheat bread

1 quart of milk, I usually use a box of Parmalatt milk

2 cups brown sugar

6 tbs melted butter or you can use 5tbs of coconut oil too

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla powder or extract

Cinnamon to taste

1 cup of raisins

8oz guava paste

Process the bread in a food processor until you get crumbs.

2. Transfer the bread crumbs to a large bowl and mix the rest of the ingredients, except the guava paste.

3. Transfer to a 9 x 13 pan. I used to make this whole recipe to make 3 smaller size pans for sale. A lasagna pans is what the supply shop used to call this size. If I had one here I would measure it.

4. Bake in a 350F oven for 45 minutes. I turn off the oven at 45 mins, but leave the pans in for an extra 10 minutes with the residual heat. That will ensure the budín is cooked, yet not too dry on the outside.

5. After the budín has cooled off a bit, in a small sauce pan, add the guava paste with a little bit of water to make it into a pourable spreadable sauce. Pour on top of the budín as a glaze.

You just serve it directly from the pan… cut it into squares and serve your guests or bake sale customers.