S'mores Ice Cream
Hello summer!
Hello! I’ve long wanted to add s’mores ice cream to my repertoire; and after an embarrassing amount of time considering the many possible permutations of graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, here is where I landed: toasted marshmallow ice cream layered with a fudge swirl, graham cracker crunch, and extra toasted marshmallows.
Replacing most of the sugar in the ice cream base with deeply toasted marshmallows imparts a smokiness I deem vital to any s’moresian treat. Cold mutes flavor, so be more aggressive with the toasting than you think. I found Max Falkowitz’s toasted marshmallow paste technique — which essentially toasts the entire marshmallow, not just the surface — worked a treat.
I originally thought that just the toasted marshmallow base would fulfill the “marshmallow” side of the s’mores equation, but did miss the chew you get from the actual thing. So yes, I’m strongly suggesting you also add more toasted (lightly, this time) marshmallows in post-churn, along with an inky fudge swirl and nuggets of graham cracker crunchies. Thank me later!
S’mores Ice Cream
Makes a generous 1 liter
Ingredients:
For the toasted marshmallow base:
170g mini marshmallows
50g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional, to improve texture)
2g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
90-100g egg yolks (~5 large)
50g glucose or light corn syrup
400g whole milk
300g heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the fudge swirl (adapted from Hello, My Name is Ice Cream):
38g Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
25g granulated sugar
2g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
50g glucose or light corn syrup
100g heavy cream
10g hot water or coffee
For the graham cracker crunch:
90g graham cracker crumbs
12g (1 Tbsp) granulated sugar
Big pinch kosher salt
30g unsalted butter, melted
For the toasted marshmallows:
90g mini marshmallows
Method:
Make the toasted marshmallow base: Preheat the broiler to high with a rack positioned 6-8 inches from the heating element. Line a baking sheet with lightly greased foil. Grease a flexible silicone spatula as well, and have a heatproof container nearby.
Arrange the mini marshmallows in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place marshmallows under the broiler and toast until the top is very well browned — the timing will vary wildly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. Use the spatula to turn the marshmallows over and broil again until very toasted. Continue toasting and stirring 4-5 times, or until the marshmallows have melted and transformed into a deeply toasted paste. Scrape the paste into the prepared container (you should have ~150g of paste — work quickly, as it will set). Place a strainer over the container.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks and glucose until smooth, then whisk in the milk.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping the pot constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 170-180F on a digital thermometer. Immediately strain into the prepared container, over the toasted marshmallow paste. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to melt the marshmallows, then stir to combine. For the smoothest texture, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until very cold before churning (at least 4 hours, preferably overnight).
Make the fudge swirl: In a small saucepan, thoroughly whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Add the glucose, heavy cream, and hot water/coffee and stir to combine — I prefer a spatula for this, as the mixture is quite thick and gets caught in the tines of a whisk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping the pot constantly. The mixture will initially loosen, as the glucose melts. Cook until the mixture is steaming and you can feel the sauce starting to thicken (do not overcook, or the ripple will be too chewy once frozen). Scrape into a heatproof container and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled before using. Transfer to a piping bag for easiest assembly. (You may not use all the fudge swirl but it’s hard to make a smaller amount; leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for a month.)
Make the graham cracker crunch: Preheat the oven to 325F and line a small sheet pan with parchment. In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir until evenly moistened. Spread crumbs in an even layer on the prepared pan and bake until fragrant and toasty, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before using.
Make the toasted marshmallows: Preheat the broiler to high with a rack positioned 6-8 inches from the heating element. Line a baking sheet with lightly greased foil. Arrange the mini marshmallows in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart as much as possible. Unlike the toasting for the ice cream base, we don’t want the marshmallows to melt into each other. Broil until the tops are lightly golden. (Alternatively, you can do this step with a blow torch.) Freeze until ready to use.
Churn and assemble: Before churning, drizzle some fudge ripple over the bottom of the container for your ice cream (I like to use a 9x5 loaf pan), then place in the freezer . Churn ice cream base according to the instructions for your machine, until the mixture has the texture of soft serve (about 25 minutes for my machine). Sprinkle some graham crackers and marshmallows along the bottom of the container, then spread a layer of ice cream on top. Drizzle on more fudge ripple and sprinkle on more graham crackers and marshmallows. Continue layering your ice cream and mix-ins until you’ve run out of ice cream. Cover with parchment paper, pressing it to the surface of the ice cream so it adheres. Freeze until firm, 4-6 hours, before serving. Ice cream will keep for up to 3 months.