Tag: ice cream

The Inside Scoop On Umami Ice Cream

Have we reached peak summer yet? Living inside of a proverbial oven, it’s hard to tell where summer ends and all other seasons begin. Temperatures have hit record highs starting in May, carelessly bulldozing right over spring, with no sign of stopping for fall. Most of the US experiences the hottest day of the year in July, but I have a feeling we’ll still be sweating it out for months to come. Want my advice? Dip into a creamy frozen treat to fight fire with ice.

I’m still not done churning after two ice cream cookbooks and scores of bonus recipes. Before you think I’ve run out of ideas and gone back to bland basics, take a closer look. Those aren’t just flecks of vanilla beans you see right below the surface, but tiny particles of finely ground shiitake powder as well.

Mushroom Ice Cream?!

Though typically touted for their uniquely meaty flavor that enhances savory entrees and snacks, there’s so much more shiitake mushrooms are capable of. Using Sugimoto shiitake powder eliminates the more earthy flavors and textures that turn some people off, leaving only pure, natural umami essence at your disposal. When used with a deft hand, it serves to amplify the existing flavors already at play, just like salt or sugar.

Instead of drowning out the delicate floral, buttery, inherent richness of whole vanilla beans, a pinch of shiitake powder brings them to the fore, brighter and bolder than ever. Suddenly, more nuanced notes of marshmallow, whipped cream, light caramel, pound cake, buttercream frosting, and custard can emerge, uplifted by the strength of free glutamate.

Ideas and Adaptations

Like any good vanilla ice cream, you can enjoy every last lick as is, or use it as your jumping-off point for bolder taste sensations. Classic mix-ins include but are not limited to:

  • Cookie dough
  • Toasted or candied nuts
  • Chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or fudge sauce
  • Fruit preserves, jam, or pie filling
  • Sprinkles

Change the whole character of your scoops by adding to the base instead:

  • Cocoa powder
  • Peanut butter
  • Peppermint extract
  • Lemon or orange zest
  • Fresh ginger

Plus, there’s no limit to the possibilities for dressing it up in:

  • Sundaes
  • Floats
  • Sandwiches
  • Cakes
  • Baked Alaska
  • Pies

Umami Flavor Hack

Don’t have time, energy, or equipment to start from scratch? You’re still invited to this ice cream social! Take any store-bought pint and sprinkle a tiny pinch of shiitake powder on top. A little bit goes a long way; you’ll instantly taste the difference.

I’m not making this up! It’s been proven time and again that everything, including desserts, can benefit from the addition of guanylate, the compound responsible for creating umami taste. The drying and rehydrating process of shiitake produces guanylate, so you get a pure, potent source that doesn’t disrupt the overall flavor, preserving the subtle nuances of the vanilla bean.

Don’t just take my word for it. This is an edible experiment that anyone can try with no risks, only sweet rewards.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

A Complete Guide To Vegan Ice Cream In Austin, Texas

Having written two cookbooks on the subject, my love of ice cream is no secret. No flavors are off limits, no combinations too wild. That’s a large part of the appeal; there’s something for everyone. You can find everything under the summer sun, from classic vanilla that’s a scoop of simple elegance in a cone, to bold chocolate that’s as dark and decadent as pure frozen ganache. After a sizable dinner or for a standalone snack, there’s always room for ice cream.

While ice cream makers have become remarkably more accessible and inexpensive over the years, it’s impossible to compete with the instant gratification of grabbing a scoop whenever cravings strike, while on the road, or as an excuse to meetup with friends. As a deeply entrenched part of any community, it’s no coincidence that ice cream socials were originally created as a way to make political gatherings more palatable. Here in Austin, TX, we certainly have a surfeit of frozen treats to chose from, despite many recent crushing losses.

Focusing in on shops that off genuinely custard-like treats without eggs or dairy uncovered a wealth of new options. While you can certainly find suitable sorbet, Italian ice, snow cones, and popsicles elsewhere, this list is dedicated only to frozen desserts with a creamy non-dairy base.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)10 Comments

Fade To Black Friday

Black Friday is upon us yet again. While it will never be quite the same since the pandemic pushed many frenzied bargain shoppers online and out of stores, such celebrated holiday traditions are unshakable. To some, the thrill of the hunt can be even more joyous than giving or opening this plunder. I salute these people for their tenacity and thrift, while staying cozy in fuzzy slippers and do everything in my power to avoid the crowds.

Is there a better way to do Black Friday?

If you’re on team Stay Home today, welcome to the party! I have an even better prize to share that does proper justice to this dark day.

Straight from the pages of Super Vegan Scoops!, my Brooklyn Blackout Blizzard Cake will give all new meaning to Black Friday that everyone can get behind. It’s been one of the biggest hits from the book for obvious reasons. As an early gift, I’d like to give this one to you and start the festivities on a sweet note. Sure, the weather outside might be frightful, but that’s all the more reason to bundle up inside, blast the heat, and take off the edge with a frozen treat.

What is a Brooklyn Blackout Blizzard Cake?

Sink your fork into a thick slice and close your eyes. This sensation, this euphoric, intoxicated, suddenly blissful feeling you’re experiencing? This isn’t death by chocolate, it’s LIFE by chocolate! The original Brooklyn Blackout Cake, iconic for its jet-black crumb coating and pudding-smothered layers, really does mean well, but doesn’t quite reach the frosty peaks that my ice queen here does. Firm yet supple layers stacked up with a no-churn chocolate custard beckon, reviving jaded chocolate lover with one bite. Kids and adults alike will clamor to help “clean up” the fallen crumbs left behind.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)12 Comments

New Novelties

Summer should be a care-free time of late mornings followed by slow, unhurried afternoons. When the heat becomes unbearable, a brief cat nap in the shelter of leafy, shaded canopy is more than just socially acceptable, but practically mandatory. When fireflies appear along with the onset of nightfall, the warm evenings seem to stretch on forever, infinite as the number of stars brightening the dark sky.

Summers are precious. Don’t force yourself to work when every fiber of your being wants to play. While some commitments are unavoidable, there’s so much more extraneous noise that we could tune out. That’s why I’m happy to spend less time in the kitchen to make those moments count.

This is a quick snack I originally devised to feature a favorite vegan ice cream brand, taking their chocolate-covered raspberry-acai ice cream off the stick and into a fresh parfait. The shatteringly crisp dark chocolate shell gives way to a silken frozen custard filling. Chopping it into cubes makes each layer instantly accessible, without the fear of drips or mess to spoil the snack. Nestled on top of a super fast, fruity chia pudding, the combination is much more substantial than the average novelty to stave off hunger through the most vigorous match of yard darts or pickle ball.

Unfortunately, that brand is no longer the magnificent purveyor of plant-based indulgences I originally fell in love with, so those bars are off the table. Many more have stepped up to the plate, however, making such a simple concept that much more accessible overall.

What brands make the best dairy-free chocolate-covered novelties?

There’s no hard and fast rule that you must use a chocolate-covered pop, but it’s that textural contrast that makes it so compelling. Mix and match flavors at will, swapping in seasonal fruits based on availability, add nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips, and most importantly, don’t overthink it. It’s a stretch to call this a full recipe, but for the sake of convenience, here’s the basic blueprint so you can bookmark it for later.

Now get back out there and enjoy the sun. Summer only comes once a year.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

Ice Cream Season

To anyone who decries ice cream solely as a summertime food, buckle up and put on a sweater. I’ve got numerous wintry treats in Super Vegan Scoops! tailor-made for the season that will change your mind.

Apple Pie Sundae

First gradually, and then suddenly, the seasons shift once more. Progressively cooler breezes blow in every night until thick, knit blankets reemerge from storage, unfurling upon beds like the triumphant victory flags of fall. Golden leaves tumble from their branches, crunching and snapping underfoot, dusting every pathway like freshly fallen snow. Tastes adjust as well, directing cravings towards the comfort of warmer, richer foods. When it comes to dessert, no dish better represents this transitory period than the classic apple crisp. A fool-proof formula for success, the combination of tender apples, bubbling away in their own cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiked juices holds universal appeal.

Bearing all the best characteristics of the classic pastry but in with a considerably cooler core, a rich scoop of apple butter-rippled ice cream perches atop warm, fork-tender apples, gently poached and delicately cradled by a single-serve flaky crust. Incorporating the faintly woodsy flavor of burnt sugar, these treats don’t just welcome autumn’s return, but celebrate it with gusto.

Frosty Pumpkin Roulade

The cult of pumpkin spice is unstoppable, growing in tenor and ferocity with every passing season. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice cough drops, pumpkin spice lip gloss, and pumpkin spice scratch-and-sniff bandages; they’re all real! If it can be infused with the flavor (or scent) that dominates all of fall, it absolutely will be. Pumpkin pie is at the very top of the Thanksgiving dessert hierarchy of course, as the purest, original manifestation of the flavor sensation.

In light of the newfound fervor for pumpkin spice, I feel a revolution is upon us. Coming from another venerable line of traditional baked goods, ready to unseat the longstanding overlord, is the spectacular pumpkin roulade. Typically filled with airy mounds of vanilla-spiked whipped cream, each spiral of aromatic pumpkin crumb gains even greater appeal with buttery pecan ice cream instead. Wrapping up two desserts into one, pumpkin spice fanatics will have a fresh focus for their seasonal obsession, and fair-weather fans will be mightily pleased, too.

Mulled Wine Sorbet

Drawn to the kitchen by the heady aroma of citrus and spice, the soothing scent of mulled wine evokes memories of the holidays, as warm and cozy as a thick knit sweater. Though typically enjoyed steaming hot, to fortify against a cold winter’s night, it’s also quite delightful served over ice, which is where this much cooler rendition got its inspiration. Pull on your mittens and scarves to embrace this spirited yuletide treat!

Peppermint Bark Roulade

Regardless of holiday party plans, as host or attendee, no matter how long or short wish lists may be, I have two words for you: Peppermint Bark. All it takes is chocolate and crushed candy canes, yet it can elicit the same level of enthusiasm as a laborious multi-tier Christmas cake. You’d think the stuff was sprinkled with pure gold judging by the way some people clamor to snap up piece after piece.

Something about the combination of creamy chocolate slabs, festooned with crunchy red and white striped mint confections seems to strike a chord with everyone, young, old, jolly, and curmudgeonly alike. It’s all about the ratio and quality of ingredients that hits the sweet spot.

Plain peppermint stick ice cream is a wondrous limited edition treat, but without a chocolate crunch, something seems to be missing. Enter, the glorious peppermint bark roulade, complete with creamy candy cane ice cream, topped with crisp chunks of chopped chocolate, all wrapped up in a fudgy, tender chocolate cake. As if that wasn’t enough, the whole thing is smothered in another layer of snappy dark chocolate magic shell, and finished with a flurry of crushed peppermint candy. It’s a bite of holiday joy that’s far better than anything you could wrap up with a bow.

Santa’s Secret Stash Sundae

When he’s on his epic Christmas Eve odyssey, Stanta is powered by the laughter of children, reindeer magic, and the holiday spirit itself, but we all know he needs to stop and refuel on something more substantial every so often. If I were going to treat Mr. Klaus, it would be with this magnificent collection of seasonal specialties. It all starts with a thick, chewy sugar cookie, because tradition does mandate the classic offering. Instead of a wane glass of milk, though, I’m topping it with a generous scoop of eggnog ice cream, melting into the warm skillet while rivulets of tart cranberry sauce burst through each nook and cranny. Lightly spiced nuts crunch through each layer, adding a refreshing textural contrast. Old Saint Nick never tasted a midnight snack quite like this.

Don’t forget about all the evergreen, all-purpose scoops that always hit the spot, any day of the year. There’s never a bad time to slice into a Brooklyn Blackout Ice Cream Cake, or lick a Cannoli Cone, for example. So get cozy, blast the heat, and break out the frozen treats! It’s still ice cream season, as far as I’m concerned.

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments