I got my first taste of Jeni's ice creams on small business Saturday in December 2014. Using the Amex deal, Justin and I went in to buy a $10 gift card essentially for free. We were just hanging out around Decatur waiting for a 'Friendsgiving' to start and I was a tad bit hungry. I usually try to eat something before going to a new restaurant (unless I've chosen it) or to a friend's house for dinner or a party; I'm a picky eater and I don't like going hungry simply because I didn't like any of the food available to me. (Plus, I always have the excuse of "I just ate" when the host or hostess ask why I'm not eating…) So anyway, long story short, Justin and I hadn't had time for me to grab something to eat so when we walked into the store with the smell of handmade waffle cones overwhelming our senses, we certainly couldn't say no to one of the most delicious treats in the world – ice cream. :)
Needless to say, that was the beginning of the end.
We bought a scoop of milk chocolate and salty caramel to share, but, honestly, it was not something either of us really wanted to share. The ice cream was creamy and thick, much more delicious than any ice cream I had ever had.
So when Amazon had a sale a few days later on books I knew which one I had to get.
When we went to purchase dry ice and the cashier asked why, we weren't given too weird of a look because we live in the southern US. Perhaps if we lived further north, she would have voiced her concerned opinion and determined that we needed to go to a mental institution for even considering making such a cold dessert during such a cold time of year.
While mistakes were made (like not putting sugar in), Justin conquered the caramel, milk chocolate, and Ugandan vanilla recipes with ease. I admit I was a bit confused by the use of cream cheese, but it all turned out wonderfully with the cream cheese barely (if at all) noticeable. In fact, the ice cream was so much like what we bought that fateful day in December that Justin has made many more batches since, getting better with time and practice. Our favorites are the vanilla and salty caramel, but we are looking forward to trying the others!
I highly, highly, highly recommend trying a few recipes from the Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream At Home book or taking a mini trip to a location near you (3 locations in Atlanta and a few in other parts of the US as well). The recipes are fairly easy to follow (as far as ice cream recipes go) and work well if you have an ice cream maker that actually freezes you concoction. (Kitchenaid does not.) There are so many unique flavors that you will never get tired of trying different and exciting recipes! And as I said about Justin, the more you practice making the delicious desserts, the better they get.
The Kitchn has a recipe from the book that you can try before purchasing the book if you'd like. :)
Have you ever had Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream? Will you be purchasing it in the near future? (Hint: the answer is YES!)
