Boozy Ice Cream
Alcohol affects freezing point—too much creates soft, slushy ice cream. Balance is critical for proper texture.
Bourbon Vanilla
Section titled “Bourbon Vanilla”Warm bourbon notes in vanilla custard.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | ||
| Bourbon | 35g (2½ T) | 70g (5 T) |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Heavy cream | 320g (1⅓ c) | 640g (2⅔ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 130g | 260g |
| Brown sugar | 30g | 60g |
| Egg yolks | 120g (6) | 240g (12) |
| Corn syrup | 25g | 50g |
| Vanilla bean | 1 pod | 2 pods |
| Fine sea salt | 3g | 6g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Make custard: Split and scrape the vanilla bean. Combine the milk, cream, sugars, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks (add the vanilla pod and seeds) in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Add bourbon: Cool below 40°C. Whisk in bourbon.
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Age: Chill overnight (allows alcohol to integrate).
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Churn: Process to -6°C. Texture will be softer than non-alcoholic versions.
Rum Raisin
Section titled “Rum Raisin”Caribbean classic.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Rum Raisins | ||
| Raisins | 80g | 160g |
| Dark rum | 60g (¼ c) | 120g (½ c) |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 320g (1⅓ c) | 640g (2⅔ c) |
| Heavy cream | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 120g | 240g |
| Brown sugar | 30g | 60g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 30g | 60g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
| Vanilla extract | 5g | 10g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Soak raisins: Combine raisins and rum. Soak overnight minimum, up to 1 week.
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Make custard: Combine the milk, cream, sugars, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Reserve soaking liquid: Strain raisins. Reserve 25g rum. Pat raisins dry.
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Add rum: Cool custard below 40°C. Whisk in vanilla and reserved rum.
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Age: Chill overnight.
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Churn: Process to -6°C. Add drained raisins in last 30 sec.
Irish Cream
Section titled “Irish Cream”Coffee and cream liqueur flavor.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | ||
| Irish cream liqueur (Baileys-style) | 60g (¼ c) | 120g (½ c) |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Heavy cream | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 100g | 200g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 30g | 60g |
| Instant espresso powder | 4g | 8g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
| Vanilla extract | 5g | 10g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Dissolve espresso: Whisk espresso powder into milk.
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Make custard: Combine the milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Add liqueur: Cool custard below 40°C. Whisk in vanilla and Irish cream.
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Age and churn: Chill overnight. Churn to -6°C.
Kahlúa Coffee
Section titled “Kahlúa Coffee”Mexican coffee liqueur.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol & Coffee | ||
| Kahlúa | 50g (3½ T) | 100g (7 T) |
| Cold-brew coffee concentrate | 60g | 120g |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Heavy cream | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 110g | 220g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 25g | 50g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Make custard: Combine the milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Add flavorings: Cool custard below 40°C. Whisk in Kahlúa and cold-brew.
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Age and churn: Chill overnight. Churn to -6°C.
Amaretto
Section titled “Amaretto”Almond liqueur sophistication.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | ||
| Amaretto | 45g (3 T) | 90g (6 T) |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 320g (1⅓ c) | 640g (2⅔ c) |
| Heavy cream | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 120g | 240g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 30g | 60g |
| Almond extract | 2g | 4g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
| Vanilla extract | 3g | 6g |
| Optional | ||
| Toasted almonds, chopped | 50g | 100g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Make custard: Combine the milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Add amaretto: Cool custard below 40°C. Whisk in the extracts and amaretto.
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Age: Chill overnight.
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Churn: Process to -6°C. Add almonds in last 30 sec if using.
Red Wine (Cabernet)
Section titled “Red Wine (Cabernet)”Deep, fruity wine flavor.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Wine | ||
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Base | ||
| Heavy cream | 350g (1½ c) | 700g (3 c) |
| Granulated sugar | 150g | 300g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 35g | 70g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Reduce wine: Simmer wine until reduced to 100g (~⅓ original). This cooks off most alcohol. Cool.
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Make custard: Combine the cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Combine: Whisk the reduced wine into the strained custard.
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Age and churn: Chill overnight. Churn to -6°C.
Champagne
Section titled “Champagne”Elegant celebration ice cream.
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”| Component | 1x | 2x |
|---|---|---|
| Wine | ||
| Champagne or sparkling wine | 250g (1 c) | 500g (2 c) |
| Base | ||
| Whole milk | 200g (generous ¾ c) | 400g (1⅔ c) |
| Heavy cream | 300g (1¼ c) | 600g (2½ c) |
| Granulated sugar | 140g | 280g |
| Egg yolks | 100g (5) | 200g (10) |
| Corn syrup | 30g | 60g |
| Lemon zest | 3g | 6g |
| Fine sea salt | 2g | 4g |
Yield: ~1000ml (1x)
Method
Section titled “Method”-
Reduce champagne: Simmer until reduced to 80g. This removes bubbles and alcohol. Cool.
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Make custard: Infuse lemon zest in milk and cream at 70°C for 20 min. Strain. Combine the infused milk and cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt with the whisked egg yolks in a quart mason jar; finger-tighten the lid. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min, swirling at 25 min. Strain hot.
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Combine: Whisk the reduced champagne into the strained custard.
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Age and churn: Chill overnight. Churn to -6°C.
Alcohol Guidelines
Section titled “Alcohol Guidelines”Maximum Percentages for Proper Freezing
Section titled “Maximum Percentages for Proper Freezing”| Alcohol Type | ABV | Max % of Base | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liqueurs (20% ABV) | 20% | 6–8% | Already sweetened |
| Wine (12% ABV) | 12% | 8–10% | Reduce first |
| Fortified wine (20% ABV) | 20% | 5–7% | Reduce first |
| Standard spirits (40% ABV) | 40% | 3–5% | Use sparingly |
Effects of Alcohol
Section titled “Effects of Alcohol”| Amount | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1–2% ABV in base | Slight softening |
| 3–4% ABV in base | Noticeably softer |
| 5%+ ABV in base | May not freeze properly |
Reducing vs Adding Raw
Section titled “Reducing vs Adding Raw”| Method | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reduce before adding | Concentrates flavor, removes alcohol |
| Add raw to cooled base | Preserves alcohol character, softer texture |
| Add raw to hot base | Cooks off some alcohol |