Magic Molecule: Turning Science Into Ice Cream

The first warm spring weekend of the year sent the Franklins out in search of ice cream. With the lines at downtown ice cream parlours out the door, a lot of other people had the same idea as well. It looked like we were going to have to enjoy the sunshine with freezer-burned frozen treats from a convenience store until I remembered Magic Molecule. Part of a chain based in Hong Kong, it's a place I've been wanting to visit ever since I heard they use liquid nitrogen to make ice cream. Nitrogen is odourless and non-toxic, and at a temperature of -196℃ in liquid form, it can rapidly freeze fresh milk, cream, and flavorings into ice cream. Watching the man nonchalantly fill his pressurized canister with LN₂ as misty vapour surrounded him didn't diminish how exciting it was to wait for our orders to be made. My wife Dawn went with a scoop of hazelnut while our son decided on two scoops of their mango ice cream. Both of them enjoyed their choices, saying their ice cream was smooth, light, and refreshing. I considered ordering a cone of some sort for myself until I saw the sign for their Dragon's Breathe dessert. Intrigued by food that comes with a warning and specific eating instructions, the plastic cup of liquid nitrogen enhanced cheese puffs I received was the most fun food I've eaten in decades - it's as much fun as slurping up spaghetti was for the first time. This unique establishment is worth a visit if you ever liked watching Bill Nye do science experiments on television or if you're looking for a different take on your next sorbet, bubble tea, or waffle cone.
   

Make Ice Cream Better With Chocolate Dip

During the heatwave we've experienced this summer, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to some ice cream. As we ate from our bowls, we groused about how we never see ice cream trucks in our neighbourhood and reminisced about how good we had it back in the day when the Dickie Dee men used to sell frozen treats from freezer units on tricycles. It was then when Dawn mentioned that her favourite type of ice cream cone are the ones dipped in chocolate, and asked me if I knew how they get the chocolate to harden on the ice cream so quickly. I had no idea, so off I went to the interwebs. The chocolate you see people dip soft-serve ice cream in contains oils high in saturated fat. A drop in temperature causes saturated fats to harden and take on a glass-like consistency. When you emulsify coconut oil with melted chocolate, the mixture remains a stable liquid at room temperature, but as soon as you drizzle it over ice cream, it chills down fast and hardens into a tasty shell. With this knowledge, it is now easy to bring the feel of an ice cream parlour into your kitchen with the following recipe:

Ingredients:

250 g dark chocolate, 66% to 72%, finely chopped
200 g refined (not unrefined or virgin) coconut oil
125 g light (clear) corn syrup

1. Combine the chocolate, coconut oil, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on half power in short 15 second bursts, stirring with a spoon in between, 3 to 4 times, until the chocolate is completely melted. If the mixture is heated too much, the chocolate may break, forming harmless brown speckles in the sauce; to re-emulsify the sauce, blend in a blender on high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Transfer chocolate dip to a container and store at room temperature, stirring with a spoon if it separates. For best results, let the dip harden on ice cream for 30 seconds before eating.

Celebrate Bacon with the Bacon Ice Cream Sundae

As it is International Bacon Day today, and with Baconpolooza happening next weekend, I thought this would be a good time post this dessert recipe I received in the gift bag I got when I volunteered at Baconpolooza's inaugural event last year.

Ingredients 

500 g sugar
185 mL water
60 mL heavy cream
30 mL butter
2 strips bacon
your favourite ice cream

Caramel Sauce

1. Mix 250 g of sugar and 125 mL of water in a saucepan. Heat on medium-high until mixture starts to turn colour.
2. When the mixture turns golden, add the butter and cream.
3. Remove from heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir until smooth.
4. Pour into a heatproof container, and let cool.

Bacon Brittle

1. Mix the remaining sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat on medium-high until mixture starts to turn colour, about five minutes.
2. When the mixture turns amber, remove from heat and pour out on a non-stick baking sheet.
3. Chop the bacon into 1/4" pieces, place in a frying pan, and cook until bacon is crispy.
4. Drain the bacon fat, then sprinkle the bacon bits onto the cooked sugar.
5. When completely cool and hard, break into pieces.

  Bacon Ice Cream Sundae Assembly

1. To serve, scoop some ice cream into balls and roll in the bacon brittle to coat completely.
2. Place in individual serving bowls. Top with the caramel sauce.
   
   Note: Adding whipped cream and a cherry on top is optional but recommended.

Easy to Make Ice Cream

The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is hosted a celebration of all things ice cream. For those of you who missed this event, it is possible to make your own ice cream without having to buy a machine, or liquid nitrogen. The method uses the old school pot-freezer method, where the temperature of the ingredients is reduced by a mixture of crushed ice and salt. The ice cools the salt, and the action of the salt on the ice causes it to melt partially, absorbing latent heat and bringing the mixture to a temperature below the freezing point of water. In order to proceed, you will need two large resealable bags (4 L volume), two small resealable bags (500 mL volume), and the ingredients below. As long as they like ice cream, this is a great project to do with the kids if you run out of activities for them during the summer holidays.

Note: This recipe was taken from an online course I've taken in the past.

Ingredients
600 g ice
200 g salt (preferably coarse salt)
¼ tsp vanilla extract (or another flavour of your choice)
100 g whole milk
90 g heavy cream

(Note: this method also works with other milks - soy, almond, rice, etc. for a non-dairy version. Just replace the cream and milk.)

1. Fill a large resealable bag with the ice (the amount above or to about 1/3 full). Add the salt to the ice.
2. In a separate small zip-lock bag, add the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and extract (or other flavor). Seal it, trying to press out air to maximize contact with the ice, and seal well.
3. Place the small bag with the ice cream ingredients inside the large bag with ice. Place the entire package into a second large bag to prevent leaking.
4. Massage, or gently toss the bag around until the ice cream becomes solid. If possible, try to do this on a cold surface so the ice doesn't melt. You should use oven mitts or hand towels to handle this part, so your hands don’t get cold, thus letting you massage the ice cream better; constant mixing is key to getting a good texture.
5. Remove the small bag with ice cream from the large bag with ice. Wipe off the top of the small bag and then open it carefully.  Test the consistency with a spoon - if it seems solid and delicious, you can serve it. If your ice cream isn't solid enough before the ice melts, add more ice and salt and repeat step 4 until it’s ready.

I Scream, You Scream...

...on hot day like this, we all scream for ice cream. If you forgot to pick some up over the long weekend, or if you don't want to chase down the ice cream truck, you may want to try this super-fast way to make a cool treat.