You know how every woman’s weakness tends to be chocolate? Yea, well… not mine. For as long as I can remember, I can always turn down chocolate or candy, but when it comes to Ice Cream. This girl cannot say no. So it just seemed fitting that the lovely folks at the California Milk Advisory Board invited me for an afternoon with my favorite dairy product of all- Ice Cream.
They had some fun crafts laid out for the kiddos to enjoy before we got to the thing we all came for, the ice cream presentation. Then our lovely presenter was brought out. Television host, food writer, and award-winning cook, Kristina Vanni came to show us a few of her ice cream and gelato recipes (which you can find at Better Recipes: Daily Dish, among other great recipes).
Below are just the recipes and delicious ice cream we got to sample at the event. Please note, these are not my recipes, but they are my pictures- just sharing what Kristina created for us so that you too can make it at home.
Cannoli Gelato Sandwich
Makes 1 sandwich
Ingredients
1/2 cup Real California gelato (vanilla or pistachio flavor)
1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 Italian pizzelle waffle cookies
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Powdered sugar
Directions
- In a small bowl, gently combine the gelato, mini chocolate chips, and orange zest.
- Place one of the pizzelle cookies on a flat surface.
- Carefully spread the gelato mixture all the way to the edge and top with the other pizzelle cookie.
- Roll the edges of the gelato sandwich in the chopped pistachios.
- Place in freezer until gelato is firm.
- To serve, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Layered Peanut Butter Brittle Ice Cream Pops
Makes 8 ice cream pops.
OK.. so this picture isn’t mine 
Ingredients
1 cup finely crushed peanut brittle
8 five-ounce paper cups
1 quart vanilla ice cream
8 Tablespoons smooth or crunchy peanut butter
8 plastic spoons
Directions
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the peanut brittle into each paper cup.
- Pack in part of the ice cream to half fill each.
- Layer 1 Tablespoon of the peanut butter, then remaining ice cream, and peanut brittle on top.
- Repeat layering with remaining cups. Pack each down firmly with the back of a spoon.
- Insert a plastic spoon, bowl end down, into each cup. Freeze until firm.
- To serve, peel off cups. Enjoy the layered pop from the spoon stick!
Makes One Glass
Ingredients
Vanilla ice cream
Blueberries
Blueberry flavored soda (such as Izze Sparkling Blueberry)
1 sugar cookie, crushed (about 1 Tablespoon)
Cinnamon
Directions
- In your serving glass, alternately layer ice cream and blueberries.
- Pour blueberry soda into the glass until it reaches the top and the ice cream is floating.
- Top with the crushed sugar cookie and a dash of cinnamon. Sip and smile!
My friend Caryn of Rockin’ Mama enjoying her Floating Cobbler
The event as you can see, was fabulous! We got to taste great recipes and learned awesome facts such as the fact that California is the nation’s number one ice cream producer, making over 142 million gallons of it in 2011 alone. Approximately 12 pounds of Real California Milk are used to make just one gallon of California ice cream! Wow… so I guess it wasn’t too horrible to eat all that ice cream growing up. Ha!
Let me know if you try any of these recipes at home and have a Great National Ice Cream Month in July!
Disclosure: I was invited to a media event for the California Milk Advisory Board. All opinions are my own.
Those look delicious, but nothing beats homemade ice cream IMO!
You’re so lucky to be able to attend this! I’m jealous.
Those sandwiches look delicious!