Beer Ice Cream

Blending beer and ice cream has endless possibilities for making cold, frosty treats. But in creating these special blends, technique is important. Two factors are key when thinking about taste. First, ice cream is cold and it numbs your taste buds, causing the flavors to be suppressed, and second, the fatty cream clogs the taste buds, again turning the flavor down a notch. So, by reducing the beer first and intensifying the beer’s characteristics, plus removing water, the flavor of the final product is enhanced. However, remember to note that when reducing hoppy beer, the bitterness increases because the hop oils do not evaporate and this will impact the overall taste of the ice cream. Give a few of these recipes a try—they are guaranteed to get a smile out of your lucky taste tester.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut Malt Cookie Dough
I love ice cream with lots of extra goodies. Building on the idea of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, I made my own frosty concoction of chocolate, peanut butter, and of course, Stout.

Makes: 1 quart

Peanut Malt Cookie Dough Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter, smooth, preferably organic and freshly ground
1/2 cup dried malt extract (DME) or Carnation malt powder
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup 60–70 percent dark chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup peanuts, roasted, salted and chopped

Peanut Malt Cookie Dough Directions:
In a bowl, add the peanut butter, malt powder, honey, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well, then add in chocolate and peanuts, and mix to combine. Divide dough into small half-teaspoon-size balls and place onto a baking sheet. Once filled, place the sheet tray into a freezer and freeze until solid, two hours.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream Ingredients:
16 oz. Chocolate Stout, such as Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
2 cup organic cream, un-homogenized
1 cup organic half and half, un-homogenized
1/2 cup dried malt extract (DME) or Carnation malt powder
1/4 cup organic sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 pinch sea salt
4 each organic egg yolks
4 each Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Ice Cream Directions:
In a medium-sized pot, over low heat, add the Stout. Bring to a low simmer and reduce by half to two-thirds. Then add the cream, half and half, malt powder, sugar, cocoa, and salt, increasing the heat to medium. Stir to dissolve the sugars, then bring mixture to 180°F and remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, add egg yolks and whisk for a minute. Whisk in 2 ounces of hot cream mixture to the yolks to temper them. Add another 2 ounces, whisking to prevent cooking the mixture. Pour yolk mixture back into the remaining cream mixture, whisking to incorporate. Bring the heat slowly back up to 165°F, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.

Strain mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl to remove any cooked yolk. Chill mixture in either a water bath or refrigerator until the mixture is very cold. The colder the mixture is before it is added to the ice cream machine, the fewer ice crystals will develop, making the texture smoother on the tongue.

Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the ice cream maker. As the ice cream is freezing, place a metal bowl and spatula into the freezer to chill. Once the ice cream is a soft, semi-frozen consistency, remove from the ice cream machine and place into the chilled bowl. Add in the chopped peanut butter cups and frozen Peanut Malt Cookie Dough, mixing well. Transfer this mixture into a sealable container and place into the freezer, letting cure to infuse the flavors for at least four hours before consuming.

Variations:

• To make this ice cream even more insane, turn it into an ice cream sandwich by splitting a raised doughnut glazed with chocolate. Then fill the doughnut like an ice cream patty and place into the freezer until solid.
• Another way to make an ice cream sandwich is to make a cookie out of the raw dough by adding an egg to the peanut malt cookie dough recipe, mixing in well. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and portion out the dough into tablespoon-size balls. Space them 2 inches apart and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 12–14 minutes. Cool completely before adding a scoop of the finished ice cream, then top with a second cookie.
• Use the ice cream as a filling to make a Chocolate Stout ice cream cake, and frost it with a malted vanilla ice cream.
• Once the ice cream is frozen and the Peanut Malt Cookie Dough and peanut butter cups are swirled in, drizzle some of the cooled Butter “Scotch” Sauce infused with peanut butter and fold in a few turns to create a ripple. Freeze.

Butter “Scotch” Sauce
Adding the Scotch back into the classic butterscotch adds depth and complexity to this sauce. Select your favorite Scotch, single malt or blended, and remember that each Scotch has its own distinct flavor characteristics that will influence the final product depending upon which region it originates from: Highland, Lowland, Speyside or Islay. Try over ice cream to create your favorite sundae, or create a great flavor ripple by swirling it into brownies or ice cream.

Makes: just shy of 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup sugar, preferably organic
1/2 cup Scotch whiskey
1/4 cup water, filtered
1 pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup  unsalted butter, preferably a European-style butter with a higher fat percentage
1 tsp. vanilla extract, bourbon based

Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, place over a low heat, adding the sugar. Continue to stir, letting the sugar melt, then stop stirring and let the sugar syrup turn a deep golden-brown color. This will take about 10–15 minutes. Mix together the water, Scotch, and a pinch of salt, then tilt the pot slightly and pour the liquid down the side of the pan. Be careful of the steam and some bubbling, as this could cause a very bad burn. The sugar will clump up, but bring the mixture back to a simmer and the caramel will dissolve back into the sauce. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Once melted, just add the vanilla, and the sauce is ready to serve. This sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, if it doesn’t disappear before that.

Alternatives:

• Instead of Scotch, try bourbon. This whiskey will add a different flavor profile, but still complement the sauce.
• Substituting rum for the Scotch will also change the sauce, but depending on what flavors of ice cream are used with it, can add an extra dimension of flavors, bringing out other flavors in the sundae.
•  Mix in half  a cup of creamy peanut butter and a quarter cup of heavy cream once the caramel has been dissolved. Bring back to a boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat, leaving out the butter and adding 1 tsp vanilla.

Rocky Raccoon Chocolate Stout Ice Cream with Malted Marshmallow Ripple and Candied Cashews
Using the same Chocolate Stout ice cream base above (changing out the cookie dough and peanut butter cups for a marshmallow ripple and some candied nuts), this “Rocky Road” is now a beer-inspired creation for the late-night crowd with an attitude and a thing for The Beatles.

Makes: 1 quart

Malted Marshmallow Ingredients:
3 each egg whites, large eggs, room temperature
2 cup corn syrup, light
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup dried malt extract (DME) or Carnation malt powder

Malted Marshmallow Directions:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add the egg whites, syrup and salt; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Then increase the speed, one level every 30 seconds, until high speed is reached. Once the whites are at a soft peak, about 8–10 minutes, lower the speed to medium and start adding the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, until all of it is used. Then start adding the malt powder the same way until all of it is incorporated into the whites. The mixture might deflate slightly. Bring the mixer back to high speed for 1 minute and turn off; the malted fluff is ready to use. The fluff can be used as a topping as well.

Candied Cashews:
1/4 cup Dried Malt Extract (DME) or Carnation malt powder
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1–2 oz. hoppy IPA or Nut Brown
4 oz. cashews, raw, whole
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Candied Cashew Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl, add the DME, sugar, and beer, whisking to make a semi-thick paste. Stir in the cashew seeds, coating evenly in the paste. Pour out onto a parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Spread out evenly and place in the center of the oven, roasting for 15–20 minutes. Check every 5 minutes and rotate the baking sheet to promote even browning.

Once the sugar syrup starts to bubble and turn a golden brown, remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Then, using a scraper, remove the candied cashews to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully chop the candy into smaller bite-size pieces.

Once the ice cream is a soft, semi-frozen consistency, remove from the ice cream machine and place into a chilled bowl. Add the fluff and swirl in, then sprinkle in the candied cashews.

Framboise Goat Milk Sherbet
The difference between sherbet and ice cream is that there is less milk fat in a sherbet. For this recipe, the sweet and slightly salty flavors from the goat’s milk, combined with a Raspberry Lambic, create an updated adult flavor that has an extra dimension and complexity usually not found in this frozen treat.

Makes: 1 quart

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Framboise-style beer
3 1/2 cup goat’s milk, or cow’s whole milk
1 1/4 cup sugar, organic
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 pinch kosher salt
1–2 each bay leaves, fresh (optional)

Directions:
In the pitcher of a blender, add the beer, milk, sugar, corn starch, and salt. Blend on high until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Pour into a 6- to 8-cup pot and place over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to 160°F. Remove from the heat and chill in an ice bath or cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until 36°F.

Pour into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the finished sherbet to a sealable container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Blood Orange Wheat Ale Sorbet
Sugar and alcohol only freeze at very cold temperatures, much colder than most freezers get. Making an infused simple syrup and adding the beer and juice to it creates a wonderfully textured non-dairy alternative.

Makes: 1 quart

Ingredients:
1 cup water, filtered
1 tbsp. ginger, fresh, peeled and minced
1 each cinnamon stick
1 each green cardamom pod
1 pinch kosher salt
4 each blood oranges, zested and juiced (about a half cup)
1/2 cup sugar, preferably organic
22 oz. Napa Smith Wheat Ale, or another Wheat or Wit-style ale, cold, around 4–6 percent ABV

Directions:
In a small pot, add the water, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and zest. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, making a tea-like infusion. Then add the sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup and chill in the fridge.

Mix the fresh-squeezed orange juice, beer, and syrup together in a medium-size bowl. Pour into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the finished sorbet to a sealable container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. ■