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This vanilla ice cream is anything but boring with 3x the toastiness and all the same ingredients as the classic. That is: toasted milk, toasted sugar, and toasted vanilla bean. Yes, you can toast vanilla beans! It lends a smokier, dried fruit flavor reminiscent of raisins and figs.
This was originally a potluck item meant to accompany other desserts people were bringing (think pies, crumbles, and bars). So know that this ice cream not only holds its own but will make the best pie a la mode you’ve ever had.
There are some trickier techniques involved in this recipe, including a dry caramel and a cooked custard. They’re not inherently complicated, but they do require your full attention since just one minute may be the difference between the perfect golden caramel and a burnt mess. I know, my attention span is shrinking too, but better safe than sorry on this one. When in doubt, turn the heat down, give yourself plenty of time, and pay attention to sensory cues like texture, color, and smell.
Character Lore (Since when does Mei make ice cream?)
I promise I’m not writing this just to meet an essay word count; I thought it would be interesting to share what little qualifications I might possess regarding making ice cream. Ice cream was really my first medium for flavor; it seems I took the word quite literally at the time. I would spin a quart once a week and bring it to my 7th-grade friends on Wednesdays. The base has largely remained the same: I’m an advocate for custard-based ice creams but not opposed to Philadelphia-style. Some honorable mentions for worst ice cream flavors include the following: salted black licorice, seaweed, bacon bits, and Sichuan spice. So, know I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum from excellence to frankly concerning flavors.
What kind of ice cream machine did you use?
I’ve been using the same entry level ice cream machine at home for years and haven’t gone amiss yet. It’s the Cuisinart ICE21-P1, you can find it on Amazon here. If you want the Rolls Royce of countertop ice cream appliances the Musso Lussino 4080 has a built-in compressor that can quickly churn out flawless ice creams.
Toasted Milk = Pastry MSG
If you take away one component from this recipe, it shouldn’t be toasted vanilla; it should be toasted milk powder. I originally learned about toasting milk powder from Chefsteps and have since incorporated it into cookies, crumbles, sauces, you name it. In recipes calling for a small quantity, I find it fastest to toast the milk powder in a dry saucepan. You can also toast it in the oven on a lined sheet tray. The sugars and proteins in the milk powder undergo the Maillard reaction as it toasts, taking on a golden hue to indicate its transformation.
I consider this the pastry equivalent of MSG, adding another dimension of flavor apart from salt and sugar. Much like how tomato paste has a concentrated, cooked tomato flavor, toasted milk powder has a concentrated browned butter flavor. I will caution that milk powder affects the hydration of your recipes and will no longer reconstitute well into milk, so adjust your recipes accordingly.
Skim milk powder has been an essential part of my ice cream base recipe since it absorbs water. Water freezes into ice crystals, so too much, and you’ll have a grainy result, but it’s still necessary for freezing. Therefore, adding milk powder results in a creamier, smoother final product with a pleasant chew. All that to say, milk powder is not optional, but I assure you it is much easier to find than specialized hydrocolloids. All conventional grocery stores should carry it in the US, or you can order it online from Amazon.
Triple Toasted Vanilla Ice Cream
5 from 9 votes
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Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean
- 30 g skim milk powder
- 150 g sugar split into 50g and 100g
- 450 mL heavy cream
- 250 mL whole milk
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 egg yolks
Instructions
Add dry milk powder to a cold sauté pan and set it over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a spatula to ensure even browning and to avoid sticking. Toast for 3-5 minutes until it becomes a golden color, like a graham cracker crumbs. Set aside.
Toast the vanilla bean with a pair of tongs over a medium gas flame. Pass the bean over the flame until it becomes fragrant and just starts to char. Look for it to puff up and become shiny when it’s done. This should only take a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.
If you don’t have a gas stove, you can also heat up a dry cast iron or sauté pan on high until ripping hot. Press the vanilla bean against the pan for maximum surface area contact.
Heat a saucepot (ideally at least 3 quarts/3.5L) on medium and add 50g sugar to the dry saucepot in an even layer. Do not stir or disturb the sugar; allow it to start melting around the edges. Once the mixture begins to melt, gently push the liquid sugar around the edges towards the center of the pan. Continue doing so until all the sugar is melted and becomes a light golden brown color.
Very slowly drizzle in heavy cream to halt further caramelization. Take caution: it will sputter and steam. Stir with a spatula to dissolve.
Add the remaining 100g sugar, salt, milk powder and whole milk to the saucepot. Continue cooking on medium heat until the entire mixture comes to a simmer, stirring occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.
While the mixture comes back up to a simmer, use a paring knife to split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of the knife to scrape out contents from inside the vanilla bean. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the scraped vanilla bean contents and pod. Cover and allow the mixture to steep for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, prepare an ice bath by filling a large container with equal parts ice and water with enough room to place a container containing the ice cream base inside. Set aside for later.
Vigorously whisk egg yolks into the pot and return the mixture over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture reads 180F, then remove it from the heat.
If working without a thermometer, you can use the Nappe test to check the consistency: Dip a spoon into the mixture and draw a line through it with your finger. If the mixture clings to the spoon and leaves a clean line where your finger was, move on to the next step.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a heatproof container. Place the container in the ice bath to chill until the mixture is cold throughout, giving the ice cream base a stir and adding more ice if necessary.
Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and spin according to machine directions. The ice cream should be a soft-serve consistency when done. Transfer to an airtight container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
To serve, allow the ice cream to thaw slightly at room temperature for 10 minutes for easier scooping.
Notes
- This recipe skips the traditional process of tempering egg yolks for a custard-based ice cream. Since I’m allowing the mixture to infuse and cool slightly I prefer to add the egg yolks and bring the entire mixture back up to temp together. If you prefer to temper egg yolks the traditional way, by all means do so, the custard will thicken to the same consistency.
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