7/3/2014

The Master Ice Cream Recipe - NYTimes.com

http://nyti.ms/1qvKNWC

DINING & WINE

NOW

THE ICE CREAM ISSUE

N YT

The Master
Ice Cream
Recipe
Melissa Clark created this rich, silky ice cream
base to accommodate nearly any flavor you
can imagine. Consider the ideas below, and
directions for incorporating them into the base
recipe, a jumping-off point for your own
innovations.

WATCH THE VIDEO

JULY 1, 2014

ICE CREAM BASE

Time: 20 minutes plus several hours
cooling, chilling and freezing
2

cups heavy cream

cup whole milk

cup sugar

teaspoon fine sea salt

large egg yolks

Your choice of flavoring

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(see grid below, or invent

your own)

1. In a small pot, simmer cream, milk,

sugar and salt until sugar completely
dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove
pot from heat. In a separate bowl,
whisk yolks. Whisking constantly,
slowly whisk about a third of the hot
cream into the yolks, then whisk the
yolk mixture back into the pot with
the cream. Return pot to medium-low
heat and gently cook until mixture is
thick enough to coat the back of a
spoon (about 170 degrees on an
instant-read thermometer).
2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve
into a bowl. Cool mixture to room
temperature. Cover and chill at least 4
hours or overnight.
3. Churn in an ice cream machine
according to manufacturers
instructions. Serve directly from the
machine for soft serve, or store in
freezer until needed.
Yield: About 1 1/2 pints
Video: How to Make the Recipe

AROMATICS
VANILLA,
COFFEE OR
GREEN TEA
If making vanilla
ice cream, slice 2

MINT OR BASIL

CINNAMON

In a food

Break a 4-inch-

processor, pulse
together 1 cup
clean and dry mint

long cinnamon
stick (preferably a
fragrant variety

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LEMON OR
LIME
In a food
processor, pulse
together zest of 3

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The Master Ice Cream Recipe - NYTimes.com

vanilla beans in

or basil leaves

like Ceylon or

lemons or limes

half lengthwise

with 2/3 cup

canela) into a food

with 2/3 cup

and scrape down

the sides. Add

granulated sugar
until pulverized

processor. Add
2/3 cup granulated

granulated sugar
until smooth and

seeds and pods; or

1/2 cup whole
coffee beans

and bright green.

Use herb sugar
instead of plain

sugar and pulse

until finely
ground. Use

brightly colored.
Use citrus sugar
instead of plain

ground coarsely in
a coffee grinder or
food processor; or

sugar to make the

base. Let custard
steep off the heat

cinnamon sugar
instead of plain
sugar to make the

sugar to make the

base. Let custard
steep off the heat

1/4 cup green tea

leaves to the cold
milk and cream
mixture. Let
custard steep off
the heat for 30
minutes before

for 30 minutes
before straining.
Chill.

base. Let custard

steep off the heat
for 30 minutes
before straining.
Chill.

for 30 minutes
before straining.
Stir in the juice
and zest of 1
lemon or lime.
Chill.

straining. Chill.

FRUIT
STRAWBERRY
OR RASPBERRY

PEACH OR
APRICOT

Make the base

without milk. In a
blender, pure 1
pound berries, 3
tablespoons sugar,
1/2 teaspoon
lemon juice or
balsamic vinegar

Pit and dice 3

pounds peaches or
apricots (no need
to peel them). In a
saucepan over
medium heat,
gently simmer
fruit with 1/2 cup

and a pinch of salt.

Taste; add more
sugar and/or
lemon or vinegar

sugar until fruit is

tender, about 10
minutes. Pure in
a food processor

if necessary. Pure
should be on the
sweet side, with
some underlying

or blender. Make
the base without
milk. Stir 1/2 cup
buttermilk and the

CHERRY

BANANA

In a saucepan over
medium heat,
simmer 6 cups
pitted cherries
(from 2 pounds)
with 1/3 cup sugar

In a blender, pure
4 very ripe
medium bananas,
2 tablespoons
sugar, 1 teaspoon
lemon juice and a

until cherries are

very soft, about 10
minutes. Pure in
a food processor
or blender. Make

pinch of salt until

smooth. Make the
base without milk.
Stir 1/2 cup
buttermilk and the

the base without

milk. Stir 1/2 cup
buttermilk and the
cherry pure into
warm, strained
base. Add a few

fruit pure into

warm, strained
base. Add a few
drops of vanilla
extract if desired.
Chill.

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tartness. Stir into

base before

fruit pure into

warm, strained

chilling. Strain
before churning if
using raspberries.

base. Add a few

drops of almond
extract if desired.
Chill.

drops of kirsch if
desired. Chill.

CHOCOLATES AND CARAMELS

CHOCOLATE
In a saucepan,
bring 3/4 cup
cream and 3
tablespoons
Dutch-processed
cocoa powder to a
simmer. Put 1 cup
chopped chocolate
in a mixing bowl.
Pour hot cocoa
cream over
chocolate and stir
until melted and
smooth. Make

CHOCOLATE
HAZELNUT

SALTED
CARAMEL

BUTTERSCOTCH
BOURBON

Make the base

with 2 cups milk, 1
cup cream and 1/4

In a medium pot
over medium
heat, melt 3/4 cup

Make the salted

caramel variation
using 1/2 cup

cup sugar. Whisk 1

cup chocolate
hazelnut spread
(such as Nutella)
and 1 teaspoon

sugar with 3
tablespoons water,
swirling pan
frequently, until
sugar turns

sugar for the

caramel and not
letting it get too
dark in color (it
should be reddish

vanilla extract into

mahogany brown

brown rather than

warm, strained
base. Chill.

in color (almost
but not quite
black). Continue
making base in
the same pot,
using 1/2 cup
sugar. Make sure

dark mahogany
brown). Stir 1
tablespoon
bourbon into base
before chilling.
Omit the flaky sea
salt.

base using 1 1/2

cups milk, 3/4 cup
sugar and no
cream. Stir
chocolate mixture,
3/4 cup crme
frache or sour
cream and 1
teaspoon vanilla
extract into base.
Strain and chill.

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caramel melts and

cream mixture is
completely
smooth before
adding egg yolks.
Sprinkle 1/4
teaspoon flaky sea
salt (such as
Maldon) into base
during the last 2
minutes of
churning.

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The Master Ice Cream Recipe - NYTimes.com

NUTS
ALMOND

PISTACHIO

In a medium
saucepan over
medium heat,
cook 1/2 cup

Make the base

using 2 cups milk
and 1 cup cream.
Whisk 1 cup

sliced almonds
with 2 tablespoons
sugar and a pinch
of salt until deeply

unsweetened
pistachio paste
and 1/4 teaspoon
almond extract

golden and
caramelized, about
10 minutes.

into warm,
strained base.
Chill.

PEANUT
BUTTER
Make the base
using 2 cups milk
and 1 cup cream.
Whisk 1 cup
natural smooth
peanut butter and
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract into
warm, strained
base. Chill.

COCONUT
In a medium
saucepan, toast 1/2
cup sweetened
shredded coconut
until deeply
golden, about 5
minutes. Transfer
to a plate; reserve.
In the same pot,
toast 1 cup
shredded

Transfer to a plate;
reserve. In the
same pot, toast 1

unsweetened
coconut until
deeply golden, 5

cup sliced
almonds until
deeply golden, 5

minutes. Proceed
with base recipe in
the same pot,

minutes. Proceed
with base recipe in
the same pot,
using 1 1/2 cups

using 1 cup cream,

1 cup milk and 1
cup coconut milk.
Let custard steep

cream and 1 1/2

cups milk. Let
custard steep off
the heat for 1 hour
before straining
(press down hard
on solids). Add
1/4 teaspoon
almond extract to

off the heat for 1

hour before
straining (press
down hard on the
solids). Add
reserved coconut
to base during the
last 2 minutes of
churning.

base before
chilling. Break
reserved nuts into
pieces and add to
base during last 2
minutes of

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The Master Ice Cream Recipe - NYTimes.com

churning.

THE ICE CREAM ISSUE

The Only Ice

Cream Recipe
You'll Ever
Need
By MELISSA CLARK

A custard base
you can flavor any
way you like (and
16 ideas to get you
started).

Ever True to
You, Local
Parlor
By KIM SEVERSON

Old-school
regional ice
creams dont have
to sell the latest
flavors to please
their local fans.

Chocolate
Ganache, an
Easygoing
French Treat

You Say Soft, I

Say Serve

You Say Soft, I

Say Serve

By JENNIFER
STEINHAUER

By JENNIFER
STEINHAUER

By JULIA MOSKIN

Somewhere
between frozen
yogurt and
artisanal ice
creams, there is
soft serve, a staple
that is due our
love.

Somewhere
between frozen
yogurt and
artisanal ice
creams, there is
soft serve, a staple
that is due our
love.

Elegant and
simple to make,
ganache is the
most impressive
thing you can
serve over ice
cream.

CITY KITCHEN

A Crush of
Summer
Flavors
By DAVID TANIS

Make your own

sweet or savory
sorbet, or a fresh
take on shaved ice.
HUNGRY CITY

A Journey
Begins With a
Single Scoop
By LIGAYA MISHAN

Parlors tucked
away in ethnic
enclaves offer
exotic flavors that
are occasions for
nostalgia.

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7/3/2014

The Master Ice Cream Recipe - NYTimes.com

Produced by TROY GRIGGS and TIINA LOITE

2014 The New York Times Company

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