Thursday, September 29, 2011
Recipe File Testing the Recipe for Jeni's Salty Caramel Ice Cream
Posted by Alexis on Thu, Sep 29, 2011 at 5:47 AM
I sat down one Sunday afternoon and read the whole damn thing, front to back. If there was anything gleaned from the gorgeous pages of the book, other than the generous amount of (what should probably be secret) recipes, it was that this ice cream isn’t typical for a lot of reasons.
For one thing, Jeni waxes poetically on the importance of local, sustainable ingredients (some of which she is now sourcing from Tennessee as well). But I was surprised at the obvious chemistry that was calculated in these recipes — which is similar to what I expect from a complicated baking recipe, as opposed to the many ice cream recipes I have made in the past.
The upside to the work of making any of her recipes — besides the payoff of delicious ice cream — is that you can save up to $10 a pint, as you are likely to already have a lot of these ingredients on hand. The only thing I had to buy for her famous Salty Caramel ice cream was whole milk and heavy cream. And while the process is pretty daunting — it took about 1 1/2 hours to make, including chilling time and ice cream maker time, plus four recommended hours of freezer time (and whether you can wait that long says more about your personality than I would like to admit) — the product is much closer to the original than I expected.
Jeni tries, politely, to break down the instructions into easy steps, and to show how many of the ice cream bases are created in the exact same way. As easy as she tries to make it look, these recipes are not for amateurs, or for cooks who like to use their hands/eyes over measuring spoons. These are specific and scientifically proven to make wonderful ice cream.
Therefore, do not venture into this half-assed. Show Jeni some respect and make it right. She was nice enough to put in the work developing these treasured recipes for years, and then simply handed them off to us bozos. DO NOT FUCK THIS UP! Don’t try to be cute and use low-fat cream cheese. Do not try to "jazz it up" with some fucking Heath Bar crumbles (although you do have my permission to scoop it over a brownie or smother with homemade Magic Shell with Olive & Sinclair chocolate, à la Hot & Cold). Just keep it simple. Trust me, it will be worth it to you.
My notes would include using a larger than 4-quart pot, as you can’t turn away from the stove for a minute without running the risk of it boiling over (but that may be good so that you don’t burn the milk). I would definitely, without hesitation, prepare 100 percent of your components mise en place, as things move very quickly once you start on the stove with the caramel. In addition, I would honestly recommend buying this book for not only the recipes, but also for Jeni’s impressive first chapter where she shares her history, tips and information about her favorite ingredients.
An excerpt from the book about Jeni’s most popular flavor:
"It was at a French bakery where I worked throughout high school and college that I first heard of salted caramel, called 'salty' caramel by a chef in his thick French accent. For years it has been the most popular flavor of ice cream in our stores, accounting for more than 20 percent of sales, and we still make it the way we always have, one batch at a time, the sugar hand-stirred in a pan over a hot burner. The reward: no better flavor in the world."
Salty Caramel Ice Cream
Makes about 1 quart
INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Danger! This is the dry-burn technique. I don't add water to the sugar before putting it on the heat, as some chefs do. Caramelizing sugar dry means it goes faster, but you have to watch it more closely and be ready with your cream. Here is an overview of what you are going to do:
Stand over the pan of sugar with a heatproof spatula ready, but do not touch the sugar until there is a full layer of melted and browning liquid sugar on the bottom with a smaller layer of unmelted white sugar on the top. When the edges of the melted sugar begin to darken, use the spatula to bring them into the center to help melt the unmelted sugar. Continue stirring and pushing the sugar around until it is all melted and evenly amber in color — like an old penny. When little bubbles begin to explode with dark smoke, give the sugar another moment and then remove from the heat. Immediately but slowly pour about 1/4 cup of the cream and corn syrup mixture into the burning-hot sugar. Be careful! It will pop and spit! Stir until it is incorporated, then add a bit more cream and stir, then continue until it is all in.
Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.
Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
Mix the cream with the corn syrup in a measuring cup with a spout.
Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Heat the sugar in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until it is melted and golden amber in color (see note above). Remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, slowly add a bit of the cream and corn syrup mixture to the caramel: It will fizzle, pop, and spurt. Stir until well combined, then add a little more and stir. Keep adding the cream a little at a time until all of it is incorporated.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the milk. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
Bring back to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. If any caramel flecks remain, pour the mixture through a sieve.
Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and whisk. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
Pour into frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid.
Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Source: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. (Artisan Books). Copyright 2011.
Comments (18)
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I have no problem with 'ALEXIS' using whatever language she feels is appropriate.
I love the fun tone of this article and I appreciate the honesty about the ice cream book. I enjoy cookbooks that were written for people who have extensive food knowledge!
terence, you clearly have never had this ice cream. it's really fucking good.
When it comes to dear Jeni's ice cream, even the most horrific of vulgarities are music to the ears (and taste buds). You cannot devalue her blissful concoctions with any adjective inserted before or aft. They are truly Heaven on a spoon, and I am forever grateful she has shared her recipe for Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry. I thought this article was spot on!
Alexis, if you don't think this recipe is for amateurs, do not--DO NOT--try to make a custard-based ice cream (her cornstarch and cream cheese method is meant to replace the use of eggs). Tempering egg yolks is not for everyone and a custard is certainly not for anyone who'd look away from the stove for a moment.
I'm not offended by the language, but I gotta, say, the f-bombs really make me feel like I'm reading a college weekly instead of what should be Nashville's premier food blog.
@more coffee, please - I agree with you on the f-bomb usage. There are lots of great adjectives/nouns/verbs out there that go above and beyond the f-bomb.
I agree, Lesley. I made a particularly nasty salted caramel flavored batch of scrambled eggs last year when I turned my back on a custard for thirty seconds. But when done correctly, it sure is good.
Lesley, i agree that tempering eggs is an acquired skill, but i kind of think that catching this caramel at the perfect time while using the dry burn technique might require even more skill. ive made a lot more custard-based ice creams correctly on the first try than i have caramel recipes! i think i put a lot of pressure on myself to make this particular recipe correctly, though. maybe it's not as daunting as i made it out to be, especially if you mise en place.
I got no problm w custards and I wish more people used them, esp after last years ice cream crankin', when I tasted more greasy, tongue-coating ice creams. More butter fat isn't the answer.
On a related note, I think this recipe is pretty close to what Satsuma tearoom served (not that many Bites readers knew of it). It had a different texture than most ice cream, and I guessed at the time it had cornstarch and corn syrup in it. I'll have to try this.
im actually working on a country song called "I Got No Problem with Custards or Cuss Words."
I have been enjoying Jeni's for years because I live in Columbus. My advice to the author of this article from me (a published author): if you urge the reader to show Jeni some respect, why don't you do the same by the words you use? How does crass swearing reflect on her heavenly delights?
ah, there is no greater divide than that which separates the now from the then. Respect today comes harmlessly disguised in yesterday's verbal artillery, and it's hardest on those who are the last to know.
I got Jenni's book for Christmas, and will say that the people who try the ice cream I've made from her recipes invariably cuss when they eat it. Even the most reserved exclaim "Holy C$*P"-that's good!"
Try also visiting http://www.gourmandia.com and http://www.gourmetrecipe.com. Those sites, you will find lots of exciting and delicious array of recipes that you can choose from. Not only that you can also visit blog.gourmandia.com and blog.gourmetrecipe.com, were you can post your comments or share some of your ideas about the articles. Isn't it amazing? Try it!
