Ice Cream Sundae

Makes 4

We decided last minute to make these, but I did have homemade ice cream on hand. Your favorite store-bought ice cream works, too! People here wanted bananas, but we were out, so we subbed raspberries... again any fruit works.

1-quart vanilla ice cream, store-bought or homemade (see recipe below)

Fresh Fruit of your choice

Whipped Cream, recipe below

Chocolate Sauce, recipe below

Scoop ice cream in a bowl, add fruit, top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Serve.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

I use 3/4 cup sugar, but you could use 1/2 cup or even 1 cup

6 large egg yolks

3/4 - 1 cup granulated sugar

1 quart half and half

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, optional

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl whisk together the yolks and sugar.

In a saucepan combine the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla bean, heat over medium heat until hot to touch. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Strain out vanilla bean from milk mixture and whisk into the yolk mixture.

Return to medium heat and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Chill over an ice bath until cool. Freeze in an ice cream machine

Whipped Cream

I don't add sugar to my whipped cream because there is sugar in all the other components. You can add 1 or 2 tablespoons if desired.

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine cream and extract in a large bowl. Whisk by hand with a balloon whisk or use a handheld mixer, until soft peaks form.

Chocolate Sauce

We threw a handful of chocolate in a bowl, poured about an equal amount of cream on top, and microwaved for 30 seconds, removed and whisked, microwaved another 20 seconds, whisked, and done! If you want to measure, use equal parts chocolate and cream (4 ounces of each) and follow the instructions above to microwave. There will not be any leftovers, but if there are, refrigerate.