Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

Post date: 13 Feb 2018

This describes an ice cream base used at tEp’s rush events around 2008 to 2011. It’s basically a really thick creme anglaise, similar to what you might find at most nth-wave ice cream shops in Boston.

Make the Custard

In a heavy-bottomed pot, simmer until fully dissolved:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Remove from heat.
Whisk 6 egg yolks in a metal bowl. Still whisking, slowly add 1/3 of the heated cream mixture to yolks.
Transfer yolk mixture to pot, slowly heating at medium-low until the custard coats the back of a spoon (i.e., heat it up to 170F).

Too hot or too long and you’ll have sweet scrambled eggs. Yields ~4 cups total and can be made and refrigerated ahead of time.

Flavor the Custard

You can split a large quantity of ice cream base into different batches for flavoring:

Vanilla (Pods and extract)
Green Tea (Matcha powder)
Chocolate (cocoa powder, chunked or melted dark chocolate)
Etc.

Freeze the Custard

Use a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer on a low-speed setting, pouring a slow, steady, patient stream of liquid nitrogen from the dewer until you have ice cream. Avoid freezing it completely solid, as you can accidentally destroy the Kitchen-Aid motor.

Addendum: Allergic to Milk? Vegan?

Of course, not everyone is into animal proteins. The Homemade Vegan Pantry says:

Blend until creamy:
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cups water
Blend into cashew cream:
- 1 (13 1/2 oz) can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar.

Makes 4 cups total.

Note that you may need either a Vitamix, a strainer, or 24-hour soak of the cashews to get a smooth texture.