(#98) STROOPWAFEL & LIMBURGSE VLAAI: Double Dutch

My Junior year of college I studied in the Netherlands in a little village called Well. I lived with 80 other students in a 14th century castle--"Kasteel Well"-- owned by my alma mater (Emerson College). It was all too good to be true. The castle was a dream. It was surrounded by drooping trees and a moat with swans. My room overlooked the moat and behind it, a garden where you would usually find...the peacock.....

I wish I could go back! It was such an inspiring three months. What a blessing it was to have had this opportunity and to be exposed to such a hospitable culture. That is why flavor #98 is Dutch-overload: A stroopwafel ice cream base (cinnamon and brown sugar) with pieces of Limburgse Vlaai and bits of stroopwafel in a stroopwafel ice cream sandwich. Okay, it's more like quadruple dutch! 

The Limburgse Vlaai is the first pie I have ever made (thanks to THIS Dutch grandma! please watch the video!) and is native to the province that I lived in. It is eaten on special occasions, which is fitting because I'm almost ready to celebrate the completion of my project!

Kasteel Well on a beautiful Spring day! 

On the Kasteel grounds...Verboden Toegang!

Eating Chocolate Gelato in Amsterdam. Want those sunglasses (crushed in 2008) and gelato right now!

Down the street from the Kasteel. You know there is a cute Dutch grandma making a vlaai in there! 

Ahhh!

(Amsterdam)

Stroopwafel & Limburgse Vlaai Ice Cream in a stroopwafel sandwich:

Scoopsies' Stroopwafel & Limburgse Vlaai Ice Cream: is made with: Limburgse Vlaai (this one was made with apples & apricots), cinnamon, nutmeg, dark brown sugar, stroopwafels, egg yolks, salt, heavy cream, and whole milk. 

(#57) APPLE CINNAMON: Scoopsies Goes Apple Picking!

Oddly enough, Sarah and I rarely get to spend time together unless, of course, it's Scoopsies-related. Excluding business, it feels as if we go out together only once or twice a month. It sounds ridiculous because we are best friends and business partners, but when the rare occasion of us both being free arises, it's always really special! 

Carlson Orchards, Harvard, MA

A few weeks ago, we reserved the day for apple picking in Harvard, MA.  We brought along two of Sarah's Korean friends who had never been apple picking before (see cute photos below!)  The day was a delight, as is this rich apple cinnamon ice cream!

Sarah, Younji & Hyun

 

For this recipe, we baked four (peeled and chopped) apples for about 20 minutes, glazed with a bit of maple syrup, cinnamon and butter.  We let the baked apples sit in the cream and milk mixture for about an hour and strained them out.  After letting the mixture ripen in the fridge overnight, we cooked two sliced apples smothered with butter and cinnamon in a pan over medium heat, and mixed them in to the ice cream base a few minutes before it was done churning:

Scoopsies' Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

(yields 1 quart)

6 apples, peeled and chopped, divided

1 tbl maple syrup

1 tbl butter

2 tbl ground cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cloves

4 egg yolks