17 August 2007

Day 6: Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Do you ever get the feeling you’ve missed out on a major trend everyone else picked up on? That’s how I feel about malt. All of a sudden, everywhere I looked people were raving about malt and malted milk powder. In the Red Cat Cookbook there’s malted chocolate ice cream, pastry chef Claudia Fleming is going on about black and white malteds and Kate Zuckerman has banana malts. David Lebovitz claimed his malted milk ice cream was the only one of all those in his book he coveted for himself. Dorie has whopper drops, there are malt cookies and malt cheesecake! And to think, a few months ago I’d never even thought about malt!



Of course, I knew I had to try a malted ice cream, but which recipe to choose? Taking a scientific approach, I drew up a chart, listing all the malted chocolate ice cream recipes I had, and I threw in a couple malt ice cream recipes and plain chocolate recipes for good measure. In total, there were 13 recipes, and a trend quickly emerged. I put together a base recipe, then made one little variation: I reduced the ratio of milk and cream. Because of the thickening abilities of cocoa powder and the richness of chocolate, I knew this ice cream could be smooth, rich and creamy with less cream. You could even use all whole milk for a lower-fat version. And the result?

Perhaps I should just let the pictures speak for themselves. I am admittedly not much of a chocolate fiend, but this is an ice cream anyone can love. Smooth and luscious but with a hint of that malted tang, this is ice cream you won’t get in any store-bought container. It's finding and creating great recipes like these that I've undertaken this challenge. Oh, and this ice cream is even better if you add big toothsome chunks of malt balls. Definitely a reason to whip out the ice cream maker and be part of the trend.

P.S. If you're not a trendsetter, or just not into the malt thing, check out the variations below, where you'll also find the best chocolate ice cream I can think of.


Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
I shouldn't admit this, but I recently made a half-batch of this and ended up consuming most of it in one day. It's that good. Though I like milk chocolate in compliment to the tang of malt, if you prefer dark chocolate you can use it. Malt powder is available in the grocery store next to the powdered and canned milk, do not confuse it with Ovaltine.

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
3 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup malt powder
4 egg yolks
pinch salt
optional mix-in: malted milk balls (such as Whoppers or Maltesers), roughly chopped

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the one cup heavy cream with the malted milk powder. Place a mesh strainer on top of the bowl and set aside.
2. In a sauce pan, whisk together the 2 cups milk with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. Whisk together the egg yolks in a small bowl. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Drizzle a little bit of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, stirring to combine, then add the egg yolks in a slow stream back into the milk in the saucepan. Return the pan to the heat and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let boil or it will curdle. Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately stir in the chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted and combined.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture through the strainer into the malted milk mixture and stir to combine. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, at least 4 hours. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Add the malted milk balls (if using), at the end of churning.

Variations
- Best-Ever Chocolate Ice Cream: for a plain chocolate ice cream, omit the malt powder and increase the cocoa powder to 3/4 cup. Even better if you make it with 2 cups cream and 1 cup milk.
- Malted White Chocolate Gelato: substitute white chocolate for the milk chocolate, omit the cocoa powder and increase the malt powder to 2/3 cup.
- Malted Chocolate Chip: add a handful of chocolate chips at the end of churning.
- It should go without saying that this makes great milkshakes.
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28 comments:

Deborah said...

My husband LOVES malt, so we have tried out quite a few malt recipes - I have tried David's (loved it) and Dorie's cookies (loved them!!) Now I will have to try this one out!

Anonymous said...

Oh Mercedes, you're killing me here. I'm trying hard not to check in on your adventures every day because every time I do I spend the rest of it obsessing about ice cream...

Though today I'm obsessing about filling my bathtub with malted milk powder and going for a dip!

Anonymous said...

I've tried a couple recipes from your site. Fabulous! You write intelligently, informatively and entertainingly! When are we going to see you on Top Chef or The Next Food Network Star?

Figs, Bay, Wine said...

Looks wonderful Mercedes! Malt is one of my favorite flavors. Thanks also for the tip on the Crème de Cassis. I mention you on the original post and link to it from the tasting post.

Unknown said...

I don't know if you do requests...but on a trip to India I tasted the most magical ice cream. It was a masala chai flavour and had bits of spices in it that made the texture amazing! My mother tried making it once but the texture just wasn't quite the same...could you find the perfect recipe?

Cheryl said...

Oh look at the first picture with the side melting. True food porn right there. I love malt and love when ice cream starts to melt.

Aoife said...

Goooooooooorgeous pictures!

Mercedes said...

Deborah- wow, you've really tried them all! I hope you like this one, too.

Melissa- ha, just be glad you aren't me and don't have tons of ice cream in your freezer!
By the way, I'm making your eggplant with honey tonight for dinner with Asian eggplants I grew in my pots!

Anon- I'm so glad you liked them, thank you! You'll certainly never see me on any of those shows, I'm very much a hone-cook, and I'm certainly not competitive enough.

Amanda- Another malt fan, where have I been! And thanks for the note in your post, I was so glad to read your homemade creme de cassis came out so well!

Alexandra- did you have kulfi? Did it have a nice chewey-elasticy texture? Because I've been eyeing a recipe for kulfi, and it seems quite easy when made with condensed milk, cream, and pistachios.

Cheryl- aoife- thanks, I was pleased with how the photos came out!

Marie said...

I'll have to check it out -- malted is one of my favorite things -- when I had my baby, a friend brought me a malted milk shake in the hospital - it always reminds me of that first day!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Yes, well the photos speak very well. Thank you I'd like two bowls now please.
Excellent that you can do without the cream!

Marria said...

Wow, this looks delicious. It's been awhile since I've put my ice cream maker to use but I'll definitely pull it out to make this one!

I'm curious - with all of the ice cream making you have been doing lately, what have you found is the best way to store homemade ice cream in the freezer?

Mercedes said...

marria-
well, i do have a rather full freezer, but i've just been using plastic tupperware containers for the ice cream, although i usually press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent the top from getting icy. And make sure your freezer is set on the right temperature (around -5 to 0 F).

I don't know if anyone has suggestions on better ways to store ice cream?

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm this looks very yummy!

Love xxx
- fanny

Trysha said...

I found myself wanting to lick my computer screen!! I am going to have to invest in an ice cream machine just to make this recipe. I can almost taste the creamy malt flavor just from your description.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, this looks amazing. I cannot keep up with all the wonderful ice cream recipes you're blowing through! The malted chocolate thing really has me hooked, though. Wonderful.

Unknown said...

Yes! I believe Kulfi was the name of it! Oh and I thankyou for inspiration...I'm attempting my first ever ice cream...the grapefruit flavour!

Rachel said...

I love malted things. My husband just made me malted cupcakes for the birthday this past weekend.

writtenbliss said...

Tried this recipe over the weekend. I had a little difficulty getting the icecream to freeze, but I blame that on the icecream maker.
My family was skeptical about the malt flavor, but they ate a double batch of this in 15 minutes.
This is the third or fourth amazing recipe I've gotten from your site ... Many thanks, Mercedes.

Mercedes said...

fanny- thanks for commenting

luisa- i never would've have thought of you as a malt fan, but you've got good taste because i am a new convert

alexandra-you can look online for kulfi recipes, i've been wanting to try this one, which is also super-easy. let me know how the grapefruit ice cream goes!

rachel- ooo, malted cupcakes.

lmarie- I can't tell you how happy that makes me! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe

Unknown said...

Ahh thankyou! And the ice cream went well. My younger siblings didn't like the slightly sour aftertaste...but my mother and I loved it!

KMDuff said...

the best ever chocolate variation is amazingly good. yummy. :)

Unknown said...

I made this recipe for a dinner party and it came out perfectly and everyone raved about it! Thanks for all your amazing recipes! I can't wait to try out your other ice cream recipes now!

Mercedes said...

Alexandra- I'm glad you and your mom liked the grapefruit ice cream. There is a slightly tart after taste, but it was barely noticeable in mine, perhaps it varies depending on the type/size/freshness of grapefruit used.

KMDuff- oh, I'm so glad you liked it!

Alexis- thank you so much for the feedback, I'm glad everyone enjoyed the ice cream!

Anonymous said...

Hi - I love the pictures. I was at the grocery store and coudn't find the malt powder - did you use malt powder or malted milk powder, apparently there is a difference :)) Thanks and keep up the good work :) Peggy

Serena@TentarNonNuoce said...

Hi! I've loved your blog for years...
and I especially love your ice cream recipes... I would really really like my own ice creams to be like yours...

I've fallen in love with this choc. ice cream... *_*

I was wandering though... is there anything I can substitute malt powder with? can I leave it out? I really don't know where I could possibly find it O_o I live in a village where I never find anything O_o

thank you, above all for the recipes you give us, for your amazing photos...
hope you'll answer me ;)

Serena
aneres-tentarnonnuoce.blogspot.com

jenniferhoiyin said...

SO yummy....

putra said...

i like your recipe, thanks for share.

Anonymous said...

My husband and I agree that this is the best chocolate ice cream we've ever had. It's incredibly decadent and delicious! I make it with a good European milk chocolate bar, Giradhelli cocoa powder, and 1% milk and it is fabulous!!!