Homemade Toffee Dream Ice Cream

Ever since we bought our new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, we have really enjoyed trying out new flavors. Seriously, I'm going to have to start doing the 30 Day Shred again or crack open the Ripped in 30 DVD that my sister gave me. It will be far too easy to pack on the pounds when I make my own ice cream with this much frequency.

As my big sister Jessica shared, making your own ice cream can be affordable and healthier than the storebought options. You can control exactly what you put in it -- organic or lower-fat dairy as well natural sweeteners or sugar-free alternatives. For my family, homemade ice cream is a more afforable and convenient option. I'm able to buy the ingredients for usually less than $3 a batch, which is comparable to ice cream on sale. However, the homemade variety tastes so much better than storebought that we're satisfied with less. Also, it's easy to keep the ingredients on hand for a last-minute dessert. This saves me from spending more money on an additional shopping trip where I'd inevitably end up buying more items than I intended.

The ice cream recipe below tastes quite similar to my favorite dessert of all-time -- Toffee Dream. Mom only served Toffee Dream at the holidays, so we relished every single bite of it. This is a vanilla based ice cream with delicious bits of chocolate and toffee mixed in. Now, I'm not a huge fan of large chunks of chocolate in my ice cream. I just don't like it when the chocolate gets stuck in my teeth. But, after discovering a recipe for Homemade Magic Shell in the ebook Cooking 101 for Kids, I found my solution. Oh. So. Good.

Toffee Dream Ice Cream

3 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 cup Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits (sold in a bag in the baking aisle)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla (or 1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla)

1. Prepare the "magic shell" by melting the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish at 10-second increments until melted. Add the coconut oil, and stir to combine. Microwave if needed to melt completely. Allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ice cream.
2. Place the toffee bits in the freezer to cool.
3. In a large Pyrex measuring cup, combine the half-and-half and sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add in the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir to combine completely.
4. Pour the ice cream base into your ice cream maker and freeze according to machine directions. A few minutes before the ice cream is ready, add the toffee bits, and slowly drizzle the homemade "magic shell" into the ice cream. It will harden and break into small bits of chocolate.
5. Transfer to a freezer container. You can eat it immediately if you like a softer ice cream, but it will melt quickly. I usually place it in the freezer for a couple of hours for it to "ripen."