Recipe 5: S'mores Ice Cream

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

             Have you ever come across a recipe that fills you with so much hope and excitement that you won’t allow yourself to believe that it will be as delicious as it promises?  I mean, you assume it’s going to be really good provided that you don’t misread the quantities or make some weird, accidental substitution, but you still won’t let yourself believe it’s going to be that amazing.  You figure it will be good.  You figure you’ll be pleased with the result, but you will not allow yourself to get your hopes up.

            S’mores ice cream is that kind of recipe, and, better yet, it is about 500 times better than you allowed yourself to believe it’s going to be.  Even when you don’t put in enough s’mores stuff.  Even when the ice cream doesn’t set as firmly as you like.  Even when you’re shouting, “Jesus take the wheel!” while shoving sticky s’mores mess into your rapidly melting ice cream.  Even when there’s not nearly enough of it to satisfy you, your sister, your coworkers, and your friends it is still.  Freaking.  Amazing.

            The recipe in question comes from Robyn at Add a Pinch.  As you learned in my thrilling Saga of the Toasted Marshmallows, the recipe has a vanilla base with s’mores chunks in it, and the marshmallows are toasted in the oven, giving them a crisp, smoky flavor reminiscent of campfire-cooked marshmallows.  The base is creamy and intensely sweet but pairs extremely well with the s’mores chunks, especially the toasted marshmallow.  However, the recipe did present numerous small challenges including:

1. Broiling the marshmallows.  As I learned through a bit of trial and error, it only takes about 30 seconds to broil marshmallows.  Any more and you have a charred, blackened mess.
2. Allowing the base to churn and thicken adequately before adding the s’mores bits.  You basically need to allow the base to thicken completely before adding the bits.  In fact, a good idea would be to make the base and then fold in the bits manually.  Otherwise, the ice cream never really sets and melts very easily once served.  The melting doesn’t detract from the creaminess of the base or the wonderful combination of flavors, but I’ve always found melty ice cream just a bit sad. 
3. Figuring out how to add the marshmallows without getting huge marshmallow-only mouthfuls.  What I mean is that it’s really hard to shove gooey, melty marshmallows into the base.  They stick to your fingers as well as the spoon, pan, canister, etc, and you pretty much have to shove them in whole.  A partial solution was to smash a marshmallow between a graham cracker, pull the graham cracker apart, and then throw the chunks in.  Another option, which I plan on incorporating the next time I make this recipe (and you bet your ass there’s going to be a next time), is swirling a bit of marshmallow fluff into the base and broiling miniature marshmallows so that the chunks aren’t as big.  Obviously, the broiling time will go down if I do that, but at least you’ll get a greater profusion of marshmallows and more chances to taste toasted marshmallows in each spoonful (which is super important to me because the toasted marshmallow flavor was so, so good). 

            Keeping all that in mind, this recipe is actually fairly easy.  The addictive taste also makes any slight difficulties well worth it, and it will definitely wow your friends and family.  And now, without any further ado, here is the S’mores Ice Cream Recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Approximately 12 large marshmallows
• Approximately 6 large graham crackers, crumbled
• 1 large Hershey chocolate bar, frozen and then broken into pieces

Directions

1. Place marshmallows on a baking sheet and broil on high for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn.  Watch very carefully.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Mix together milk, whipping cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Leave in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
3. Once the base is cold, pour it into the chilled canister.  Make according to instructions.
4. Once ice cream is ready, add crumbled graham crackers and chocolate pieces.  Allow the ice cream to finish churning.
5. Remove the ice cream from the maker and place in a sealable container.  Tear apart the marshmallows and add to the ice cream, incorporating well.
6. Allow ice cream to set overnight.

            If you’ve allowed the ice cream to churn with the graham crackers chunks, you’ll get a very strong graham cracker flavor.  Don’t worry about the chunks getting soggy – they won’t.  Add some whipped cream and a chunk of chocolate and graham cracker to garnish and you’ve got yourself a delicious, delicious treat that will leave you wishing you’d doubled the ingredients.  Enjoy!

Overview

• Base prep time: 15 minutes
• Base chill time: at least 1 hour
• Marshmallow toast time: approximately 30 seconds
• Ice cream set time: overnight
• Taste: creamy, intensely sweet vanilla that brings out the strong graham cracker flavor and pairs well with the slightly-smoky toasted marshmallows and sweet chocolate chunks
• Difficulty level: low to medium
• Expense level: medium
• Makes: about 2 quarts (8 cups)

The Saga of the Toasted Marshmallows

Monday, January 26, 2015

            This past week I decided to make S’mores Ice Cream, a delicious concoction filled with gooey marshmallow, crunchy graham crackers, and tasty chocolate chunks.  While there are many different incarnations of S’mores Ice Cream, the one I chose has a vanilla base with s’mores chunks in it (differentiating from ones with a chocolate base or that mix the s’mores together for a more muddled ice cream with fewer distinctive flavors).  It also calls for broiler-toasted marshmallows, giving the marshmallows that crisp, smoky flavor that you get when toasting them over an open fire.  ‘Great!’ I thought, ‘I love toasted marshmallows!’  And it’s so easy!  Turn your broiler on high, pop in a pan of marshmallows, and in a couple of minutes you’re good to go.  However, as I (and my Facebook friends) quickly found out, it would not be so easy – heartache lurked around the corner.  And so that you may learn from my sorrows, I present

            The night started off well enough with a simple gathering of ingredients: salt, vanilla extract, marshmallows, milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar, chocolate bars, and graham crackers.  I deftly prepared the vanilla base and put it and the canister in the fridge to chill.  My captive Facebook audience waited with baited breath for my updates.

Then I turned my attention to toasting the marshmallows.

            According to Add a Pinch, the source for this recipe, the way you make broiler-toasted marshmallows is “Place marshmallows on a baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes, taking care not to burn.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.”  Subsequent sources confirm that the broiler temperature should be high.  However, I’ve broiled things before (asparagus and garlic bread), and I know how fast the broiler can cook things.  I also know that leaving a marshmallow in the microwave for longer than 30 seconds will destroy it, so I was wary and decided to put the marshmallows in for a scant 2 minutes.  Two minutes later, the timer rang, smoke bloomed from my oven, and I discovered this sad mess:

            Naturally, I posted the results on Facebook and was met with a treasure-trove of support.

            Bless my friends.

            Undeterred, I gathered my remaining serviceable pan and marshmallows and popped them in the oven, vowing upon all that was custardy and sweet that the tricksy buggers would not leave my sight.

            I watched and I waited, my eyes trained upon the tops of my marrowous mallows.  Slowly, almost unnoticeably, the tops began to expand, ballooning out like mushrooms.  The heads darkened, just a touch, then a shade, then a hue, and I shouted, “They’re done, turn off the broiler!” and whipped open the oven.

            And there they were, my precious wee ones.  My broiler-toasted marshmallows.

            And guess what folks?

            The second batch was perfect, and the hints of smoky sugar swirling in the ice cream were well worth my thoroughly ruined pan.  However, I did learn one very valuable lesson:

            Also: marshmallows broil for 30 seconds, guys, not 3 minutes.  Same as the microwave.

Recipe 4: Green Tea Ice Cream

Saturday, January 17, 2015

            I chose to make green tea ice cream this week because my sister really loves green tea ice cream (and green tea in general).  I don’t like it.  I find it very bitter, a little smoky, kind of dry, and overall unpleasant.  When I drink it, I have to add something heinous like citrus or acai or blueberry; even then, it’s barely palatable to me.

            That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious this ice cream was.  It calls for matcha (green tea powder), which is a beautiful olive green and smells very sweet and pleasant.  Once I mixed it with the other ingredients and allowed the flavors to develop, the bitter, smoky taste was evident but nicely diluted by the cream and milk.  I actually found that the more ice cream I ate, the better it tasted – and a little bit of whipped cream and chocolate pocky helped too.  Most of the people that have tried it think it’s too strong, so I’d recommend dialing the matcha down to maybe two tablespoons if you don’t like strong green tea flavor.  However, my sister absolutely loved it and even munched it down with matcha pocky.

            The texture was also very smooth and creamy.  Matcha foams up, and I think that really helped smooth out the ice cream.  In the future, I think I’ll drop the amount down to only two tablespoons and shave chocolate on top.  I personally think green tea ice cream needs something added to it to keep the taste from becoming overpowering.  I took the following recipe from Peggy Fallon’s book Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Dash of salt
• 3 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha – add less if you don’t like a strong green tea flavor)
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk and sugar.  Whisk to dissolve the sugar.  Whisk in the cream and salt.
2. Gradually whisk in the matcha 1 tablespoon at a time, blending until smooth (this will take a little while).  Stir in the vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop (I did just under 2 hours.).
3. Pour into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to instructions.  Transfer the ice cream to a covered contained and freeze until it’s firm enough to scoop, preferably overnight.

            Honestly, this ice cream was so delicious that it’ll even convert staunch anti-green tea drinkers like me.  Adjusting the matcha will help for really finicky eaters as will adding whipped cream, chocolate, pocky, and shortbread.  I absolutely recommend this ice cream.  A+ all the way.

Overview

• Base prep time: 20 minutes
• Base chill time: 1 to 2 hours
• Ice cream set time: preferably overnight (at least 3 hours)
• Taste: a little bitter and smoky but very creamy; pairs well with chocolate; bitterness will increase the more matcha you use
• Difficult level: low
• Expense level: medium (matcha is a bit pricey)
• Makes: about 1 quart (4 cups)

Recipe 3: Easy (?) Vanilla Ice Cream

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

                I was hesitant to post this recipe because it did not turn out the way I wanted.  In fact, I would say that it was my least successful recipe to date.  There were quite a few ice crystals in it, which messed with the texture, and the flavor wasn’t as rich as I would have liked (In fact, I thought the flavor got a little diluted as I went from base to ice cream.).  That being said, I brought it to a friends’ night and everyone loved it so… maybe I’m starting to suffer from being an ice cream perfectionist?

                The original recipe, as you will see, calls for three ingredients.  However, I tweaked the recipe, using a combination of 2% milk and heavy cream – mostly because I already had those ingredients but also partially because that combination is pretty similar to half and half so, in theory, it shouldn’t matter.  However, as I learned in my cinnamon-basil recipe, whole milk is best to use for ice cream.  The higher fat content creates a creamier, smoother taste and texture.  Given that there were only three ingredients in this recipe and none of them were eggs, I should have used either straight cream or whole milk.  That would have smoothed out the texture and prevented, at least partially, the large ice crystals I was feeling.

                Another problem, at least for my highly refined palette, is that there weren’t any eggs.  I’ve just read a really cool article about the necessity of eggs in ice cream, and I learned a lot.  Apparently, eggs make ice cream thicker, creamier, and more resistant to melting.  That explains why I loved the texture of the cinnamon-basil ice cream so much: it used eight eggs.

                Finally, I’m not confident that I had the base cold enough or the ice in the maker small enough.  It took approximately an hour to churn the ice cream to appropriate thickness, and I had only left the base in the fridge for five or ten minutes.  I should have kept it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and crushed the ice more thoroughly for even thickening.  Alas, I suffered from Ice Cream Maker’s Hubris and the ice cream paid the price.

                I’m willing to try making this version again, but I’d also like to compare it to a vanilla that actually uses a custard base.  The taste was simple but good: it reminded me of Kroger’s Value Ice Cream.  The recipe was also extremely cheap and quick to make, and I could quite literally whip it together in 30 minutes (if I’d gotten the base colder).  The original recipe comes from here, and, if you read the comments, you’ll learn that it’s so simple you can actually make it while throwing it like a football.  Still, this isn’t my favorite recipe.

Ingredients (Based on the Original Recipe)

• 4 cups half and half or light cream
• 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract (I used 1; vanilla can be overpowering)

Directions

1. Combine the half and half/cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Stir well.
2. Put vanilla base in fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
3. Once base is cold, pour into ice cream maker canister and freeze according to directions.
4. Once ice cream is churned, place in freezer to set for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

As I will be having an Ice Cream Sunday event very soon, expect an update on the vanilla.  I definitely need a good recipe in my repertoire for mixing and events.

Overview

• Base prep time: 5 minutes
• Base chill time: at least 30 minutes
• Ice cream set time: at least 4 hours, preferably 24
• Taste: Creamy but a little thin; tastes a lot like Value Ice Cream
• Difficulty level: low
• Expense level: low

Recipe 2: Cinnamon-Basil Ice Cream

Sunday, January 11, 2015

            This week I chose a recipe from the book Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts by Peggy Fallon: Cinnamon-Basil Ice Cream.  The book itself is a fun read and contains a plethora of ice creams, sorbets, and desserts to choose from, including soy-based desserts, Rainbow Ice Cream and Sorbet Torte, Ice Cream Spaghetti, and Ice Cream Fairy Cakes.  Ms. Fallon does a good job of presenting easy-to-read recipes and has a very readable writing style.  However, the book isn’t necessarily written for beginners and doesn’t tell you much detailed information like how to keep your eggs from curdling or how to fix small beginners’ mistakes.  For things like that, you’ll have to do a bit of Internet detective work.  Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to using Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts for several recipes; the Cinnamon-Basil Ice Cream was delicious and a surprising hit.

            This recipe was my first attempt at making a custard, and I experienced some trouble – nothing that ruined the recipe/taste/texture but enough to fluster me, so I’ve got a few tips for everyone out there.

            The first is to monitor how much basil you use.  The original recipe calls for 25 grams of basil (or 1 oz); I used 18 grams/.66 oz and found the taste overpowering.  My sister loved it, but I had a hard time tasting the cinnamon beneath it and have been reluctant to eat a lot of it.  So be warned: steeped basil packs a powerful punch (But, hey, if you like that sort of thing, go for it.).

            The second tip is to watch your custard mixture while cooking it; I very nearly curdled the eggs.  As you’ll see in the recipe, you’re supposed to heat the egg yolk/sugar/cinnamon-basil milk mixture on the stove and stir it until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.  You’ll know your eggs have curdled because you’ll start to get small chunks in the mixture, like very fine curds.  If that happens, remove the mixture from the heat and beat it swiftly until the bits even out – this will take a few minutes.  That saved the custard, but I’ve also heard that you can pop the mixture into an immersion blender to smooth it out again – and that a little bit of curdling is inevitable in handmade ice cream.  Finally, I found a few different ways to make custard that should prevent curdling.  You can read all these tips and tricks here to figure out what works best for you.  I plan on trying some of these tips in the future, and I’ll be sure to let you know what works for me.

           

            The third tip is that this isn’t really a same-day kind of recipe.  Unless you’re making it early in the morning, you’re not going to be able to eat it same day.  The reason for this is that custard needs to get really, really cold before you put it in your ice cream maker; the colder the custard base, the smaller the ice crystals and the smoother/creamier the texture.  The original recipe didn’t tell me that either so I was a little bit disappointed.

            A final tip is that, apparently, you’re supposed to use whole milk when making ice cream.  Anything less might melt too easily or end up containing too many ice crystals when churning, resulting in a weird texture.  I didn’t see that before making this recipe and ended up using 2% milk.  However, I don’t think the 2% adversely affected the taste or texture.  My cinnamon-basil ice cream ended up super creamy, possibly the best texture of any ice cream I’ve made thus far (which, to be far, is only four but there ya go).  When I remake this recipe, I plan on using whole milk (and half the basil).

 

            Below is the recipe, but I’ve also found an online copy, which you can look up here.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups whole milk (2% will work)
• 9 – 18 oz of fresh basil, well-rinsed (use to taste; basil is powerful)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• Optional: 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1.  Bring the milk to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the basil and cinnamon stick, cover, and remove from the heat.  Let steep for 15 minutes then strain through a sieve, pressing down on the basil to extract all liquid.  Warning: basil will be strong.
2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly whisk in the cinnamon-basil flavored milk.  Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.  If you have a cooking thermometer, try to get the temperature to 170 to 175 degrees F (75 to 80 degrees C).  Do not let boil, or the egg yolks will curdle.
3. If the eggs do begin to curdle (you will have fine chunks in the mixture), remove immediately from heat and beat with a whisk until the custard can coat the back of a spoon.  A little bit of curdling is okay.
4. Immediately pour the custard back into the mixing bowl and let cool, either over a larger bowl of ice with a little water or in the refrigerator until the custard is very cold.  The refrigerator method will take approximately 24 hours, but the bowl method may only take an hour.
5. Remove custard from refrigerator and whisk in heavy cream.  If you want, add in the extra teaspoon of ground cinnamon for greater cinnamon flavor and to have small speckles in your ice cream.
6. Pour the base into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to directions (will take approximately 30 minutes).  Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and freeze until it is firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight. 

Making a custard is a little bit stressful, but I think it’s one of those things that once you practice it a few times you’ll get the hang of it.  It mostly just requires using good ingredients, taking your time, and watching it like a hawk.  It’s definitely not one of those things that you can just do in thirty minutes.

However, like I said, the recipe had a good flavor and excellent texture.  The taste is a little bit weird (It literally tastes like a big ole bowl of basil), but it’s one of those weirds that you really like.  I personally wanted less basil and more cinnamon so a good way to offset it was adding a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon on top.  It looks pretty and tastes great.

Overview

• Mixture prep time: 1 hour, not including chilling
• Mixture chill time: 24 hours (approximately) in the fridge
• Ice cream set time: at least 3 hours, preferably 24
• Taste: a little weird but complex and creamy – great with extra cinnamon, whipped cream, and gingersnap cookies (pairs well with others)
• Difficulty level: medium
• Expense level: low to medium, depending on what ingredients you already have