It’s always a crapshoot, moving to a different residence and then accommodating overnight guests for the first time. As a host, you have to wonder: Is the bed comfortable? Is the room cool/warm enough? Did I remember to put that extra roll of toilet paper in the bathroom?

In the aftermath of The Daughter’s visit, during which The Son-in-Law was here for the last four nights, the answers are: not especially, yes, yes, and—for a question that hadn’t occured to me—the improperly-installed shower door leaked water all over the guest bathroom floor.

But who can fret too much about such trifles when there’s homemade ice cream?

In this part of Texas, it’s been a warmish summer. Twenty-eight days so far of 100°F or higher, and we still have six weeks to go until fall. Such heat demands (screams for!) ice cream. But not from the grocery store, or from any specialty ice cream shop. No, I’ll make my own, thanks. Why bother? Because it’s so good it leaves store-bought ice cream melting on the sidewalk.

A machine like my Cuisinart here (one of Cuisinart’s more basic models) makes ice cream quickly (in about 25 minutes) and easily, and requires no ice or salt. It has a removable cream can that I store in the back of my freezer so that I’m always ready to take on ice cream emergencies. (Which arise more often than you might think.) With this machine in my pantry, I can walk right by the frozen foods section at the grocery store. And continue on my way to the wine section.

The two recipes I’m sharing today are for uncooked ice cream, which is the easiest of the easy. There’s no custard necessary, just the fundamentals of half-and-half, heavy cream, sugar and a pinch of salt, then the flavorings of your heart’s desires. Here’s what our hearts desired (minus the cinnamon, because it was a honking big bottle from Costco that wouldn’t fit in the frame) when I made them:

These resulted in:

• Coffee Cinnamon: a bowl of assertive, sophisticated ice cream, best enjoyed after dinner with perhaps a small tot of cognac or sherry cask-aged scotch alongside
• Chocolate Pecan Brickle: an uncomplicated, eat-it-straight-from-the-container-with-a-trowel spoon ice cream for chocolate lovers

In the future I’ll share a cheat I use to make a “cooked custard” ice cream without actually cooking anything. Using that method, I make a pistachio ice cream that will roll Glen’s eyes back in his head. But today, it’s straightforward simplicity, no cheating necessary:

COFFEE CINNAMON ICE CREAM

In a large mixing bowl, stir together:

1 c. sugar
3 Tbs. instant powdered coffee (see photo above)
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt

Add:

2c. half-and-half

Beat together until the dry ingredients are mostly dissolved. A hand mixer is fine for the job. Then add:

2c. heavy cream

Stir all together until thoroughly blended and pour into the cream can of your ice cream maker. Process according to manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to a suitable container and finish hardening the ice cream in the freezer. Makes a bit more than 1 ½ quarts.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BRICKLE ICE CREAM

First: Toast ½ c. pecan pieces (broken-up halves) in a 350° oven for about 7-8 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together:

1 c. sugar
6 Tbs. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa (see photo above)
1/8 tsp. salt

Add:

2c. half-and-half
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Beat together until the dry ingredients are mostly dissolved. A hand mixer is fine for the job. Then add:

2c. heavy cream

Stir all together until thoroughly blended and pour into the cream can of your ice cream maker. Process most of the way according to manufacturer’s instructions. About 5 minutes before the ice cream is ready to remove from the cream can, add:

The ½ c. of toasted, cooled pecans
½ c. Heath Brickle bits (see photo above)

Continue processing for the last few minutes, then transfer to a suitable container and finish hardening the ice cream in the freezer. Makes a bit more than 1 ½ quarts.

There are certain basic recipes from which you can create almost endless variations. For instance, I like to say that “anything you like can be quiche.” Not literally true, of course, but if you’ve got a few bits of compatible savory leftovers hanging around in the refrigerator, you might be surprised at what standard proportions of eggs and milk, plus a buttery pie crust can do for them. (Quiche will be a future blog post. I’ve been wanting some.)

It’s the same with ice cream. In the Chocolate Pecan Brickle recipe, even just switching from Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa to the regular stuff and subbing macadamias for the pecans will yield something very different but equally delicious. Factor in toppings (salted caramel!) and the possibilities boggle the mind.

Katie and Wesley are back in Colorado now. We had a wonderful time, despite their less-than-comfortable bed and the leaky shower door. Glen and I miss them terribly already.

But we know they’ll be back. I said I’d make ice cream.

Chocolate Pecan Brickle left, Coffee Cinnamon right. Enjoy!