One Scoop White Chocolate, One Scoop Blueberry

Summer has a way of making us crawl from the recesses of our culinary caves and venture into the bright world, now full of life. We feel adventurous and inspired once more. This is my favorite time of the year to get crafty with food and share with friends. Want to join me in the fun? I knew you did...

Nothing says "I want to share the beautiful melody that is summer and sweets with you" better than homemade waffle cones and ice cream. Your get-togethers, family gatherings, and barbecues are about to get interesting.

For these recipes, you will need a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment and an ice cream cone maker.

Homemade Waffle Cones

Remember, an overcooked cone will be crunchy, an undercooked cone will be rubbery. So, when in doubt, leave it on a few seconds.

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Oil, for the iron

In a bowl with a whisk, whip the cream with the vanilla until mousse-like (it won't form peaks.) Sift the remaining ingredients together and stir them into the cream to make a batter. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Heat up and brush with a little oil. Pour some batter in and close the lid to bake and brown. Open the iron and remove the browned batter and fold over itself, overlapping it, on a wooden cone-form into a cone. Let cool then top with a scoop of ice cream or two or maybe even three.

White Chocolate Ice Cream

• 8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream

Put the chocolate pieces in a and set a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the white chocolate. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, then stir in the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Blueberry Ice Cream

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• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 9 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated orange zest

In a saucepan, heat the blueberries and 1/4 cup of the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries pop and begin to cook down, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until ready to use.

In a saucepan, heat the cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture does not scorch on the bottom. When it reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat and set aside to infuse 10 to 15 minutes.

In a , whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the still-hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. At 160 degrees F, the mixture will give off a puff of steam. When the mixture reaches 180 degrees F, it will be thickened and creamy, like eggnog. If you do not have a thermometer, test it by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. Run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the stripe remains clear, the mixture is ready; if the edges blur, the mixture is not quite thick enough yet. When it is ready, quickly remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, half-fill a large bowl with ice water. Strain the mixture into a smaller bowl to smooth it and remove the vanilla bean. Whisk in the orange zest. Rest the smaller bowl in the ice water and let the mixture cool, stirring often, then continue according to the directions of your .