Ginger Ice Cream
Makes: 1 generous quart/1 generous liter
I love the contrast of cold, creamy ice cream with the fiery bite of ginger in the background, gently softened with aromatic vanilla.
Ice Cream Base
| sugar | 138 grams | ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons, divided |
| Tahitian vanilla bean (see Scoops), cut in half lengthwise | . | 1½ inch piece |
| fresh ginger, peeled and chopped into small pieces (see Scoops) | 50 grams | ½ cup, loosely packed |
| water | 118 grams | ½ cup (118 ml) |
| 8 (to 12) large egg yolks | 149 grams | ½ cup plus 4 teaspoons (138 ml) |
| milk | 181 grams | ¾ cup (177 ml) |
| glucose or reduced corn syrup | 63 grams | 3 tablespoons (45 ml) |
| fine sea salt | . | a pinch |
| heavy cream | 522 grams | 2¼ cups (532 ml) |
* Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a medium bowl.
1) In a small saucepan, place 100 grams/½ cup of the sugar and the vanilla bean. Use your fingers to rub the seeds from the center of the vanilla bean into the sugar. Leave the pod in the saucepan.
2) Add the ginger and water to the sugar mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until the sugar has dissolved.
3) Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Stop stirring, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove the ginger syrup from the heat. Cover and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes, or until room temperature.
4) In a medium saucepan, with a silicone spatula, stir together the egg yolks and milk until well blended. Stir in the remaining sugar (38 grams/3 tablespoons), the glucose, and salt until the sugar has dissolved.
5) Heat the mixture on medium-low, stirring constantly, until slightly thicker than heavy cream. When a finger is run across the back of the spatula, it will leave a well-defined track. An instant-read thermometer should read 170° to 180°F/77° to 82°C.
6) Immediately pour the mixture into the strainer, scraping up the thickened mixture that has settled on the bottom of the pan. Press it through the strainer and scrape any mixture clinging to the underside into the bowl.
7) Stir in the cream and vanilla extract if not using the vanilla bean (see Scoops).
8) Pour the ginger syrup into a small food processor and add enough of the custard base to be able to process the ginger into fine particles. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or until no warmer than 43°F/6°C. (Alternatively, cool in an ice water bath.) Set a covered storage container in the freezer.
9) Strain the ginger custard into a prechilled ice cream maker and discard the ginger. Churn the ginger custard. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled container. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream, cover the container, and allow the ice cream to firm in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.
Store
Covered storage container: frozen, 3 days
Scoops
* If using a Tahitian vanilla bean and the seeds are pulpy, you will need to process the seeds with the sugar. If using a Madagascar vanilla bean, use a 3 inch piece. Alternatively, use ½ tablespoon/7.5 ml of pure vanilla extract.
* If you don’t have a small food processor for Step 8, instead of finely chopping the ginger, grate the ginger on a fine grater with small round holes (not the shredder with oval openings). You will need about 3 tablespoons/50 grams.