Beer Ice Cream with Pretzel Crunch

Naturally when I made pretzel crunch the other day, it was screaming out to be paired with beer ice cream. At least I could hear the screaming (it's hard above all that crunching, you really have to listen). And with the superbowl happening today, it didn't have to scream at me twice. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I do have a huge appreciation for booze with sweets. My only regret is that I didn't think of it sooner so you could be dishing this out to your friends tonight. Oh well, if it had to be one of us, I'm glad it's me.

 BEER ICE CREAM WITH PRETZEL CRUNCH

Makes about 1 ½ quarts

12 oz. beer*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large yolks
2 cups heavy cream

2 to 3 cups pretzel crunch

*A malty beer that is 8–11% ABV is best (avoid overly hoppy beers since hops become bitter once cooked).

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1.      Pour beer into liquid measuring cup. Add 5 oz. beer to 8-inch skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer until beer is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, lowering heat as necessary to avoid creating too much foam. Return reduced beer to measuring cup with remaining 7 oz. beer. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

2.      Place fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl. Prepare ice bath in large bowl.

3.      Whisk together sugar, malt powder, salt, and egg yolks in large saucepan until smooth. Whisk in cream and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture thickens to custardy consistency and registers 180º F., about 10 minutes (custard should coat back of spoon enough that dragging your finger through custard on spoon’s back leaves visible trail).

4.      Immediately pour mixture through strainer set over bowl, whisk in beer mixture, and set in ice bath. Whisk occasionally until custard reaches room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

5.      Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Mix in the pretzel crunch.

6.      Transfer to glass or plastic container, press plastic wrap or waxed paper against surface of ice cream, and cover with tight-fitting lid. Freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and preferably 24 hours. Ice cream will keep, frozen, up to 5 days.

adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook

I know nothing about beer...I picked this one because
the guy at the liquor store told me it was malty.

beer before reducing

reduced beer

adding reduced beer to beer with vanilla

sugar, malted milk powder, salt and yolks

mixed

cream whisked in

getting thick and custardy in the pan

strained; whisking over ice bath

adding the beer mixture

beer custard in the ice cream maker
(the next morning)

beer ice cream

adding pretzel crunch

beer ice cream with pretzel crunch

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Pretzel Crunch

Here's a nice treat for the pretzel lovers out there. It's crunchy and slightly salty, but also a touch sweet. And it's just a little different, so it's special enough to serve at your superbowl party. But take note, this recipe yields only 2 cups, so unless your superbowl party is actually just you sitting on your barcalounger, drinking beer and yelling at the tv, you might want to double or triple the recipe. 

MALTED PRETZEL CRUNCH

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups mini pretzels, salted

1/4 cup malt powder (I used malted milk powder)

2 tablespoons milk powder (I used instant nonfat dry milk)
1/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

7 tablespoons butter, melted

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1.      Heat oven to 275° F.

2.      Pour the pretzels in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size. Add the milk powder, malt powder and sugars and toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the pretzels and creating small clusters.

3.      Spread the clusters on a parchment- or silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.

4.      Cool the pretzel crunch completely before storing or using in a recipe. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for 1 week; in the fridge or freezer, it will keep for 1 month.

slightly adapted from epicurious.com by Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar)

pretzels

slightly crushed pretzels

sugars, milk powder and malt powder added

mixing in the melted butter

mixed

before baking

baked

pretzel crunch close up

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Cinnamon Malt Ice Cream

One of greatest things about cooking is getting to make exactly what you want. I've never seen cinnamon malt ice cream at the store. Which, if you ask me, is a big oversight. Ben...Jerry...anyone listening? Then again, who needs those guys? That's my whole point. I don't need 'em. All I need is an ice cream maker and my imagination. Well, if I'm being totally honest here - I need those and about five hundred other things to support me in the lifestyle to which I've become accustomed. Oh, like your heart doesn't palpitate when you think you've lost your iphone.

 CINNAMON MALT ICE CREAM

Makes about 1 quart

2 cups milk

4 teaspoons tapioca starch or corn starch

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup malted milk powder

2/3 cup coconut sugar (or light brown sugar or granulated sugar)

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup, agave or light corn syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1.      In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the milk and the starch; set slurry aside.

2.      In a 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, cream, malted milk powder, sugar, syrup, cinnamon and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes; stir in the slurry.

3.      Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

4.      Place cream cheese in a bowl and pour in about 1/4 cup hot milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Then whisk in remaining milk mixture.

5.      Pour mixture into either a bowl or plastic bag (seal), and cool in an ice bath until chilled.

6.      Pour mixture into an ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze until set.

heavily adapted from Jeni Britton Bauer’s ice cream base

making the slurry (I used tapioca starch)

adding malted milk powder to milk/cream

adding coconut sugar

adding cinnamon

adding brown rice syrup

whisking

slurry added

softened cream cheese

hot milk mixture added to cream cheese

everything whisked together; cooling off

pouring the chilled ice cream mixture into the ice cream machine

cinnamon malt ice cream

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Malted Waffles

When I woke up yesterday morning to a spectacular winter wonderland outside my window (19.1 inches total), my first thought was how gorgeous!  My second, less upbeat thought was damn, another snow day off from school, how am I going to get any work done?!  

After absorbing that reality for a minute or two, I quickly shifted gears. My third, more optimistic thought was I think we might have all the ingredients to make waffles. Luckily, we did. So with things looking up, I dug out the old waffle iron and enlisted the help of my lovely assistant. 

Those waffles were great fuel, they kept me going through shoveling and two snowball fights.

 

MALTED WAFFLES

Yield: about 8 (4” x 4”) waffles

1 3/4 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup malt powder (or another 1/4 cup flour, of course the waffles won't be malted)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

melted coconut oil or canola oil for brushing waffle iron (only if it isn’t non-stick)

1.      Whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter in a large bowl to blend. Add flour, malt powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt; whisk until batter is smooth. If the batter is too thin, add a few more pinches of flour.  Can be made 1 hour ahead; let batter stand at room temperature.

2.      Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. If your waffle iron isn’t non-stick, brush lightly with oil. Pour enough batter onto each waffle grid to cover generously, about 1/2 cup each (the amount depends on the size of your waffle iron). Close waffle iron and cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes.

3.      Serve waffles with pure maple syrup and fresh fruit (or desired toppings).

adapted from Yves Camdeborde

my helper, whisking the batter (wearing a Louisiana State
University cheerleading uniform her Aunt Randi gave her)

pouring the batter

peeking in (almost done)

with maple syrup

White Hot Chocolate Malted

Being snowed in isn't all bad, it inspired me to come up with a new hot drink that showcases one of my favorite flavors...malt. I've always felt malt was underrated, so I'm trying my best to create a little buzz. Hopefully you'll buy some malted milk powder next time you go grocery shopping and spread the word.

Being snowed in does have its disadvantages too (like I couldn't go out and buy cream to whip). So try to picture this mug topped with beautifully piped whipped cream and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. FYI: when you sprinkle the candy canes on without the whipped cream, they just fall to the bottom (not a good photo op).

WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE MALTED

Yield: 2-3 servings

4 cups milk

3/4 to 1 cup white chocolate chips (I'm sure dark chocolate would taste good too)

3 tablespoons malted milk powder

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

whipped cream (optional)

crushed candy canes (optional)

1.      Combine the milk and white chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until all the white chocolate has melted.

2.      Add the malted milk powder and whisk until completely dissolved.  Whisk in vanilla extract.

3.      Divide into 2 to 3 mugs (depends on the size of your mugs).  Top with whipped cream and crushed candy canes if desired.

my backyard

I think the official total was 19 inches, but it looks like more if you ask me
(that's not a grill, it's a flat table with snow piled on top)

 There was so much snow, my husband Chuck was able
to build a small hill in the backyard for sledding