Egos are fragile. Maybe not everyone's, but certainly mine. We all like to be complimented, praised, valued. And when something doesn't go our way, we can shatter like glass.
Or at least it feels that way.
One of my first recipe development projects was for a supermarket magazine. The editor over-assigned the issue, and when she called to tell me my contributions would be cut, I was ticked off. Not devastated, because this happens to freelance writers and developers all the time, but peeved. I got paid for my work, reimbursed for my expenses, and called again for another assignment within a month. I recovered.
The second assignment was splashier. The central feature for a holiday spread, it paid twice as much as the first, and it proved -- to me, at least -- that my work had impressed the right people. Guess what? The entire magazine lost its funding and folded before my piece ran. All those hours, the shopping, the prep, the cooking, testing, re-testing... gone.
One of my recipes for that spread was for a macadamia brittle ice cream. I took advantage of store-bought vanilla ice cream since I was told to create something quick and easy. Of course, the recipe never saw the light of day.
Until now.
For a truly homemade version of a brittle-based ice cream, check out Charmian Christie's twin posts today on both her personal blog and the Accidental Hedonist, where she guest-posts every Tuesday. Charmian makes me laugh nearly every day. Her writing is witty and sharp. And when she invited me to coordinate ice cream posts with her, I was immensely flattered.
I can't speak for Charmian's ego (we've never met), but mine, thankfully, has bounced back. Brittle egos, unlike brittle ice creams, serve no good purpose at all.
...
Recipe for Macadamia Brittle Ice Cream
This recipe is sweet and salty, creamy and quick. And I'm not ashamed to say it relies on store-bought vanilla ice cream. If you, on the other hand, would like to make your own vanilla ice cream and then fold in the brittle, by all means, be my guest. For a wonderful twist and a recipe for homemade pecan brittle ice cream, visit Charmian Christie's blog, Christie's Corner.
Nonstick spray
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 pints premium vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat liberally with cooking spray.
Combine the nuts, corn syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and stir well. Scrape onto prepared sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake about 18 minutes, stirring halfway through, until nuts are deep golden brown. (Mixture will look slightly creamy.) Watch carefully so nuts do not burn.
Remove from the oven. Let cool completely on the foil, about 10 minutes, until the brittle hardens. Roughly chop.
Stir three-quarters of the brittle into the ice cream. Sprinkle the remaining on top. Serve immediately.
