Espresso Buttermilk Ice Cream

The last little bit.

That lonely, single, skimpy scoop was all that survived of this ice cream before I managed to snap a shot of it to share with you. I didn't intend for it to happen that way, it just sort of did. After the first bowl of this ice cream, I had already made up my mind: I would be making another batch of this ASAP. As luck would have it, life had other plans. Is that code for "Actually I'm just lazy"? Perhaps. Jury is still out on that one.

I can't really chalk it up to my own laziness, but due to many uncontrollable factors, it just didn't happen. And that, you see, is why there is only that one lowly little scoop I have to show you. This stuff is good. I mean, really good. It's unique. It's different. It's difficult to describe. It's probably not for every one, just thought I'd throw that in too.






sugar | espresso powder

The buttermilk gives the ice cream this truly unique tangy flavor. At first I thought it was too much. I was worried I wouldn't like it. But as you swirl it on your tongue, the tangy flavor gives way to the espresso flavor and then, towards the end, you're left with the slightest hint of....cheesecake. I know, it's odd. But like buttermilk, cheesecake can be tangy too. Once I was hit with that cheescake-y flavor I was hooked. I couldn't stop going for just one more spoonful. Then another. And another. And...I think you get my drift.

Despite vowing to make more, I didn't. The weather cooled down quite a bit (boo!) and my mind and hunger turned towards fall flavors and warmer treats. But I wasn't going to wait to share this incredible ice cream.





half a dozen yolks | vanilla bean

My interest was piqued last year when I read Deb's post on Smitten Kitchen for buttermilk ice cream. I had filed the thought away in my (not so reliable) memory bank and promptly forgot all about it. Then, not long ago I was browsing around and came across a recipe for espresso buttermilk ice cream over at Elle's New England Kitchen. Espresso? Yes please! I decided to borrow the idea of adding espresso from Elle's recipe and use Deb's recipe as the base. I much prefer custard based ice cream recipes, which is why I went that route.The result: nothing short of fabulous!

Espresso Buttermilk Ice Cream
adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Elle's New England Kitchen

2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 cups buttermilk
half a vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2-3 tablespoons Kahlua liquor (I used vanilla flavored)
pinch salt

In a saucepan, combine the cream and 1 cup of the sugar. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and add them to the cream, along with the vanilla bean pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat immediately and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until pale yellow. Add a couple tablespoons of the warmed cream mixture to the yolks to temper them. Gradually add more warm cream into the yolks to warm them and then pour the yolks into the saucepan of warmed cream, whisking all the while.

Cook over low-medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain the custard and mix in the buttermilk, espresso powder, Kahlua and salt (if using vanilla extract, add that now too).

Cool the mixture overnight and freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.

once upon a time...

One spring evening several weeks ago, I came home to find a little package waiting for me. Much to my surprise and delight, it contained one of my favorite things.

Two oh so scrumptious violet cassis macarons from Paulette! I was overjoyed and immediately knew what to do as a thank you for this unexpected treat. What better way to show your appreciation for being sent some macarons than with...more macarons!

I happily whipped up a batch of espresso hazelnut macarons along with some milk chocolate ganache to fill them with. Everything turned out wonderfully and I was very pleased with the final product. I'd made this recipe before, but the espresso powder I had used previously was a little old, so the coffee flavor tasted a bit off. Not this time - the flavor combination was perfect.



Espresso Hazelnut Macarons

adapted from engineer baker

For the shells:
90 grams egg whites (about 3), aged 24 hours
30 grams granulated sugar
200 grams powdered sugar
55 grams hazelnut flour
55 grams almond flour
2 teaspoons espresso powder

1. Sift together the hazelnut flour, almond flour, powdered sugar and espresso powder. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites. Slowly add the granulated sugar once they begin to get foamy. Continue to beat until you have a stiff glossy meringue. One test is to turn your bowl upside down and if the meringue stays put, it's stiff enough.

3. Now comes the tricky part! Gently fold in the flour mixture into the meringue. I usually do this in 3-4 additions. Mixing in each incorporation well before adding more. Some directions say to start mixing briskly, but I take it slow and gently fold the entire time. You can never be too careful with such a temperamental batter! What you're looking for is a consistency that is frequently referred to as flowing like 'magma'. Think, slow oozing mass. If it spreads out quickly, you've mixed too much.

4. Add your batter to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe into approximately 1" to 1 1/2" circles. (I use this template - print out two and tape them together to fit a sheet pan. Place it under your silpat or parchment to pipe the shells and remove it before baking.) One tip I learned about piping the shells is to hold the tip of your pastry bag right over the middle of the center of the template and pipe one large blob into the circle rather than pipe a spiral to fit into it. If you attempt the latter, your shells will never be smooth or evenly round. If a slight peak remains once the shell has been piped, dampen your finger with a bit of water and gently tap it down. Be careful not to have too wet of a fingertip otherwise the excess water will cause unsightly tumorous growths (love that blog btw!). They'll still be tasty, just not very pretty.

5. Let the shells sit out for at least 30 minutes to develop a slight crust or skin on top. You should be able to touch the top without feeling any stickiness (I usually let mine sit for an hour).

6. Bake at 300° F for 12-14 minutes. Be sure to know if your oven runs warmer or cooler and adjust your baking temperature. I personally have to bake mine at 310° F.

7. Let shells cool completely before filling.

Milk Chocolate Ganache filling

160 grams milk chocolate, chopped
80 grams heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just starts to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for about 1 minute. Gently stir until all the chocolate has dissolved. Let cool to desired consistency.