Another from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. This one has a gorgeous flavor and is a favorite with granddaughters Phoebe Harper Rabbitt and Maeve Hunter Rabbitt. The lovely PINK screams delicious! Serve for adults with chunks of fresh orange or candied orange peel.Remember that homemade ice cream takes about six hours before eating. 1/2 hour to prepare ingredients and 5-10 minutes to make the base. One hour to freeze and 4 in the freezer!
Roast 4 small or 2 medium large red beets in a 450 degree oven. Wrap the beets in a sheet of foil and bake until very soft, about one hour. Let them cool slightly before removing their skin. Cut into chunks and puree. Then force the puree through a sieve. Combine 2/3 cup of warm beet puree with 2 T sugar. Set aside to cool.
Measure out 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, 2-2/3 cups whole milk, and 1/3 mascarpone cheese. Set them out to sit at room temperature.
Measure out 1/4 tsp. sea salt. Measure 3/4 cup sugar. Measure 2 T plus 2 tsp. poppy seeds. Measure 1/4 cup light corn syrup. Set aside.
Fill a large bowl with ice and some water. Set aside.
Zest one orange with a peeler into long strips. Set aside.
Whisk the mascarpone cheese with the cooled beet puree. Set aside.
Make a slurry of 2T milk and 1 T plus 2 tsp. cornstarch. Set aside.
Now you are ready for some quick action making the ice cream base with the milk, cream, sugar, light corn syrup, and the orange zest. Bring to a rolling boil in a large saucepan (4-qt) and boil for 4 minutes. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Boil one more minute until slightly thickened and take off the heat.
Gradually mix in some of the hot ice cream base with the beet puree/mascarpone until smooth, adding more until you have a cup. Then add this mixture gradually to the rest of the ice cream base. Pour it all (with orange zest) into a 1 gallon freezer bag and then another, zipping up the interior one and leaving the other open to the air to release the heat. Place in the ice water bath, submerging the bottom of the bag. Let cool about 30 minutes. Take out the orange zest.
Pour into ice cream maker or compressor and freeze about one hour. If you have a slot in your ice cream maker to add ingredients, add the poppy seeds while ice cream is still creamy. Or stir in while you are spooning out.
Spoon out into a container and freeze for four more hours.
