Mud Pie Ice Cream with Fudge Swirl! #MyBaristaMoment

I don't think I have ever tried to hide the fact that I LOVE coffee - in all forms - hot mochas, iced coffee, blended coffee concoctions, and even, simply, with cream and sugar.

But, you know what I really love?

When you combine coffee and ice cream!

Oh yeah, I am talking about Mud Pie ice Cream!

I have made a pledge to myself to buy coffee out a little less

and make yummy sweet smelling coffee at home.

Recently I had the opportunity to try Smart and Final's Ambiance...

and I am loving it! I am enjoying a good, quality cup of coffee at my house.

I picked up the Ambiance Ground Coffee in Kona Style, Gourmet Supreme, and Italian Roast. I also picked up some Classic Roast Instant Coffee Crystals too (Instant Coffee is the key to my morning "at home" mochas, and I was so excited to see this and at a great price!). Head on over to google+ to read all about my shopping experience!

After enjoying the flavors of the coffee, I decided it was time to create a sweet masterpiece! A sweet, frozen masterpiece, as in ICE CREAM!  

Here is how to make...

Mud Pie Ice Cream

(seriously who cares if it is cold outside...this is too good to wait for!)

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons of Ambiance Kona Blend Coffee, brewed (see directions)
• 1 cup First Street Whole Milk, chilled
• 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, chilled
• 3/4 cups First Street Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups First Street sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 Teaspoons First Street Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tablespoons, Hot Fudge Sauce
• 12 Oreos (with cream scrapped out) and crushed. You can use chocolate wafer cookies - we prefer the Oreos.

Equipment

• Ice cream maker (mine has a freezer bowl..if yours does make sure it has been frozen for 12-14 hours)
• Mixer
• Basic kitchen supplies (spatula, measuring cups, measuring spoons, whisk)

COOK IT!

• Roast Almonds: (I did this in my toaster oven) Preheat oven to 400F, place 1 1/2 cups almonds on a cookie sheet ( try to get them single layer); Place cookie sheet in oven for about 5 minutes; check for doneness; remove or toast for another 1 to 2 minutes.

• Scrape centers out of Oreos and crush (big pieces are OK)

• Brew Coffee: I used Kona Style Coffee in a French Press. I made this coffee extra strong for the flavor in the ice cream. Use 3 heaping Tablespoons of Kona Style Ground Coffee in French Press; boil water; add 1 cup boiling water; let brew for 5 minutes or so (you can brew for longer...a strong coffee is good!).

• Take 1 Cup Whole Milk, and slowly add the 3 Tablespoons of hot coffee to it, while stirring. You will end up with about 2 cups of liquid.

• Combine: Coffee/Milk mixture, heavy cream, Vanilla extract, 3/4 sugar, Cocoa Powder. I tried mixing with a whisk, but found it easier to get a good mix using my stand mixer. Mix thoroughly.

• Break out the freezer bowl and place it on the ice cream maker.
• Add the mixture into the ice cream freezer bowl. Place mixer and lid on ice cream maker.

• Turn on and let run for 20 to 30 minutes. Check consistency at 20 minutes. I ran mine for 30 minutes.

• While still mixing, add in 1 cup of the toasted almonds and the crushed Oreo cookies. Let them just mix in. (Then stop machine.)

• I LOVE these containers from Smart and Final and have used them for years. 10 oz food container and vented paper lids. They are remarkable for ice cream and also work well for soups and other yumminess.

• This recipe makes either 3 very full pints or 4 semi-full pints. I choose to use 4. Place 2-3 spoonfuls of ice cream in each container. Divide remaining ice cream among the containers.
• Heat the Hot Fudge for about 15 second - just enough to make it flow.
• Place the end of a spoon in the center of the pint.
• Take 1 Tablespoon of the hot fudge and using the spoon as a guide (it kind of makes a hole in the ice cream) pour the hot fudge in the hole. (remove spoon).

• Sprinkle toasted almonds on the top of the ice cream.

• Let freeze up. 

Look at that!

Crushed chocolate cookie, a fudge center,

and toasted almond in a delicious coffee ice cream!

When ready...ENJOY!
And I do mean ENJOY!

This ice cream is a heavily requested item...

especially when placed in a chocolate cookie crust and served as Mud Pie!

So, I am off to enjoy a cup of Kona and I must mention these adorable Hot Beverage Sprinkles (cinnamon and mini marshmallows!) from Ambiance too..perfect for setting up a fun coffee bar at your next girlfriend get together!

Now, here is a deal for ya!

IF YOU SWITCH to Ambiance coffee from Smart & Final, go to 2012 Ambiance Switch Challenge; enter the code on the receipt from your purchase of Ambiance and be entered to win some of these amazing prizes:
First Prize (one grand prize per week, 3 total!): DeLonghi BCO264B Cafe Nero Combo Coffee/Espresso Maker, a $200 value!, or one of six $50 SmartCash cards (Two winners per week, 6 winners total)

PLUS visitors to the 2012 Ambiance Switch Challenge will be able to vote for their favorite Ambiance Coffee recipe (that means me, right???) and
EVERYONE who votes will be entered for a chance to win $50 worth of Ambiance products! 

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias #CBias. Opinions are my own and recipes are original.