Smoked Ice cream
Over the last year desserts with a smoke flavor have become popular. I wanted to make a plan vanilla smoke ice cream and find the best way to impart a smoke flavor. From there you could add all types of flavors. I made my simple vanilla base (recipe at bottom) and tried several ways to impart smoke flavor.
Smoking the milk and cream
I cold smoke the milk and cream in a small electric smoker for two hours. I then made my base as usual and froze in beaker. When the base was spun it had a light smoke flavor and very pleasant after taste.
Smoked the finished base
I prepared the vanilla base then chilled down to 40 degrees. I then cold smoked the base for two hours in an electric smoker. This had a stronger flavor and a hint of the wood flavor than smoking the cream and milk prior to preparing the base. The smoked flavor stayed on the pallet longer. I think this would be fantastic with a roasted pear dessert. Or smoke an alcohol flavored base.
Smoked the base using the smoking gun
I prepared the vanilla base and chilled to 40 degrees. I then added smoke to the beaker using the smoking gun from Poly Science and placed the lid on immediately. I then chilled in the refrigerator for 4 hours before freezing. This had the lightest smoke flavor out of the three natural smoked methods but still were present. I do not think the flavor would hold up on a plated dessert but would be nice in a single ice cream flavor or a savory intermezzo.
Liquid smoke
I generally do not like artificial flavoring agents and stir away from them but I realize not everyone has a smoker. I added 1/8 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the base.The flavor was smoky but the wood flavor was a little strong. I may try cutting back to just a few drops. I have to say this was my least favorite flavored method but not bad. In a pinch it would work.
Toasted Wood
I made my vanilla base. I took a piece of untreated wood and toasted it, not burned, with a blow torch, a cream brulee torch would work. Lolly pop sticks or wood skewers would work also. Then placed the wood in the beaker with bas and let sit for 8 hours before freezing. This was by far my favorite flavor. It was smoky, nutty, and had a great woodsy flavor. You can control the amount of smoke flavor by toasting more or less. Customize the wood used for different flavors also. I am going to try pear bourbon with cedar wood this week.
Vanilla base
3 cups milk
1 cup cream
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
pinch of salt
