Guinness Ice Cream

It’s summer. Let’s make ice cream!

(Right?!?)

So last year, I made ice cream nonstop for about 4 months as I developed recipes for my new cookbook, Slushed. That’s this thing here:

It’s chock full of 150+ recipes for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, granita, and frozen cocktails.

You’d think I’d be sick of the stuff by now.

Not so much. Sigh.

So, this ice cream is a classic at The Mouse House, and puts our favorite stout to work in the frostiest of forms.

Guinness is actually one of the four basic food groups for The Angry Chef, so needless to say, we drink a lot of it—and cook with it almost as much.

(Don’t believe me? Take a peek at some of our favorites, from short ribs and hearty stew to homemade mustard and ice cream floats.)

For this ice cream, I like to use the extra stout, which has a deeper, richer flavor.

A candy thermometer is your secret weapon for homemade ice cream

I always use a candy thermometer when I make ice cream. Here’s why.

Eggs are cooked and safe to eat at 160 degrees. Custard will generally start to break at about 180 degrees. You want your custard cooked, but you don’t want it overcooked. A candy thermometer takes all the guesswork out of knowing when it’s done. (Check out more tips in my cookbook.)

Granted, once you’ve made about a dozen quarts of ice cream, you’ll most likely be able to eyeball your custard and know when it’s ready. Until then, a candy thermometer is indispensable, especially for beginners.

You can find an inexpensive candy thermometer at most major home goods stores, or order one from Amazon.

Make this the day before

Because of the alcohol content in this ice cream, it will take longer to freeze solid. Make this ice cream the day before you want to serve it. It needs to freeze overnight to set up properly.

Guinness Ice Cream

Make the custard base

Put the sugar and salt in a medium-sized, heavy bottomed pot.

Toss in the egg yolks.

Whisk them together until uniform.

Add the heavy cream and whisk again until uniform.

Set the pot on the stove over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly.

(Seriously, don’t walk away from the pot. You have to keep the mixture moving as it heats up, or else you’ll wind up with a pot of scrambled eggs.)

Your mixture is ready when it thickly coats the back of spoon and reaches 170 degrees on a candy thermometer. (To measure, tip the pot so that the egg mixture is deep, so you get a good reading on your thermometer.) This should take 3 or 4 minutes, depending on your stove.

Strain the mixture

Strain the mixture into a large bowl to catch any bits of stray egg that managed to cook.

Like these. (Ew, right? You don’t want those in your finished ice cream.)

Finish the ice cream mixture

Add the stout.

Toss in the vanilla extract. (I make my own. Learn how here. It’s SO easy. All you need is vodka, vanilla beans, and a little patience. I’ve had my bottle going for 10 years, no joke.)

Whisk gently until uniform.

Give the mixture a taste. This is your finished flavor. If you want to add more vanilla, etc., do it now.

Chill the mixture

Chill the mixture until completely cold, about 4-6 hours.

If you need to, you can fudge this a little by putting it in a shallow pan (like a lasagna pan) and sticking it in the freezer. Just keep a good eye on it, and don’t let it remotely freeze solid.

Process the ice cream

Once it’s chilled, process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Every machine is a little different.)

Because of the alcohol content, your ice cream will still be a little loose when it’s done. That’s just fine. It will set up in the freezer over night.

Freeze overnight

When it’s done, pour it into a freezer-safe container. I like to use 1-lb. bread pans. They hold a quart of ice cream perfectly.

Press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface of the ice cream.

Pop it into the freezer. Freeze overnight, until solid.

Serve & enjoy

Scoop away! We actually love to make Guinness floats with this. It’s also out of this world with fudge-y chocolate cake.

Craving Guinness + ice cream RIGHT NOW?

Make a Guinness float. They’re really easy and a mainstay at Boston’s Irish pubs in the summer. Here’s how.

Want more booze in your ice cream?

Check out my cookbook, Slushed!

It’s packed with more than 150 recipes for ice cream laced with all your favorite liquors and cordials.

Never made ice cream before? No problem.

I included an extensive primer on ice cream basics. I even have a method for making ice cream without an ice cream machine. All you need is a lasagna pan, a whisk, and a little elbow grease.

Happy churning! Talk to you soon.

Jessie

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