DIY Hoppy Ice Cream

All of this rather unseasonably warm, spring weather’s got us craving two things: hazy, hoppy brews and, of course, ice cream. If you’re in the same boat, check out this cheeky hop ice cream recipe from Scoop Adventures. 

“The pine nuts are a perfect toasty and crunchy complement to the light citrusy flavor of the ice cream,” says author Lindsay. “So good.”

The recipe calls for Citra hops, which have a citrusy flavor that’s reminiscent of tropical fruit like passion fruit and lychee. You can buy Citra pellets or swap them out for your homegrown hops.

Don’t have any homegrown hops? Consider making space for them in your garden this year. They grow spectacularly well in our part of the world and they’re incredibly useful for way more than beer (and ice cream).

Hops & Nuts Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

Allow ice cream to “bloom” in the freezer for at least a week for a more pronounced hop flavor. If you would like a more pronounced hop flavor up front, add more hops. Be careful not to add too much or your ice cream may be bitter.

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) Citra hop pellets

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 ¾ cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.scoopadventures.com/hops-nuts-ice-cream/

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pine nuts on a parchment- or silicone-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until pine nuts are toasted and fragrant, stirring every 5 minutes. Check pine nuts every few minutes to prevent burning. Cool to room temperature and chill until ready to use.

Cut out a 4- to 5-inch square of cheesecloth. Place hops in the middle of the cheesecloth, bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. Set aside. In a small bowl, make a slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch and set aside.

Combine the remaining milk with heavy cream and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring the milk mixture to a boil. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened (draws a line on a spoon), about 1 minute.  Remove from heat, place the hop bag into the milk mixture, and cover. Steep for 30 minutes.

Remove the hop bag, pressing it against the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid and flavor as possible. Discard the hop bag. Gradually pour the milk mixture into a medium bowl. Whisk in salt. Cover and chill overnight. (This is your ice cream base.)

Once chilled, pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When churning is complete, gently fold in pine nuts. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.