Ice Cream Week: Day Five

All right folks, it's the moment we've all been waiting for: the Pièce de Résistance of Ice Cream Week.  Orange. Marmalade. Ice. Cream.  Without a doubt it is one of the tastiest and most addictive things I've ever eaten.  Definitely Top 5, right up there with Pioneer Woman's Lasagna and the to-die-for Jacqueline Le Veaux pizza at Dean-O's.  Something magical happens when orange meets creamy vanilla...the melding of the two flavors produces something greater than the sum of its parts (pardon the cliché!).  It's the stuff dreams are made of!  This ice cream tastes like a grown-up version of the creamsicle, made extra delicious by the orange peels and liqueur (What's not to like?).  It's quick to put together since it doesn't require any cooking or chilling before freezing.  But the best part? It stays soft even after staying the freezer for a while.  You can dig right in without bending up all your spoons!  :)

Marmalade Ice Cream   (makes about 1 quart)
From The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein

1¼ cups orange marmalade
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbl. orange liqueur or syrup
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream

In a large mixing bowl, combine the marmalade, vanilla, and liqueur or syrup.  Mix well.  Stir in the half-and-half and cream.  Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

When finished, the ice cream will be very soft but ready to eat.  Although this ice cream will not freeze had, you can transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze to firm up a little more.