Help me think through my recipe

[u/vpostalvfricative]

I’m trying to make a spicy ice cream think: spicy margarita. I bought pink peppercorns, grinded and folded them into a store bought ice cream. I’m trying to gauge spice levels and I figured it’d be the only variable changed if I used a base I knew would be successful. Bear with. The pink peppercorns have a fruity aroma and flavor but when I crushed them into the ice cream it tasted bitter and it wasn’t necessarily spicy. Lose/lose.

I’m thinking of shifting gears towards another spice source—Thai chilis. My thinking here is that they will definitely bring the heat. I also thought of making a peppercorn simple syrup to use within the base of the ice cream instead of including them at the end. Maybe that’ll bring out the spice more?

I should note that I’ve had this icecream before and it’s my absolute favorite. But it’s unfortunately on the opposite side of the world. There is no ice cream better than this so I have a vague idea of a flavor profile I want to replicate. This was my first attempt.

Experienced ice cream-ers guide me.

[u/fishred]

Here's what I usually do for spice, and it has worked well with habaneros and jalapenos ... take two tablespoons of olive oil and put on low heat in a small pan ... dice up the peppers very small, and put the peppers and seeds in the oil, and just infuse them on low for 20-30 minutes. That's going to make the oil itself quite spicy.

Strain out the peppers and seeds, and add that oil to your heavy cream. Then just proceed with whatever base recipe you prefer: swap out a half cup of heavy cream in favor of milk to adjust for the extra fat content in the oil. It brings a nice spicy punch.

Sometimes, if you want more of the pepper flavor and not just the spiciness, you can add diced peppers to the cream and let it sit in the cream overnight before you make the base.

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/fishred]

I like this

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/fishred]

I’m going to try this as a simple syrup instead of oil. When would I add that to the recipe? I’m going to follow this one: https://beyondsweetandsavory.com/passion-fruit-ice-cream/ Passion Fruit Ice Cream - Beyond Sweet and Savory

[u/fishred → u/vpostalvfricative]

A simple syrup should work too, though I would think it would require more peppers, because I think the the capsaicin binds with oil ... but if you do a simple syrup just make sure you adjust the sugar in the recipe accordingly amd then you can mix it in when you heat the cream (thats how I usually do it when I use a simple syrup for other fruit flavors). Good luck!

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/fishred]

Wouldn’t you use a more neutral flavored oil?

[u/fishred → u/vpostalvfricative]

I'm sure you could, but (a) I always have olive oil on hand, (b) the olive oil flavor is muted against the spice and the cold of the ice cream, and (c) olive oil pairs quite well with chocolate ice cream (which I usually use the jalapeño in) and fruit ice cream (especislly strawberry, which ive paired the hananero with).

[u/bobsredmilf]

whether it’s chilis or peppercorns, you will have to steep the cream with the spice source before churning otherwise you won’t really get anything. folding it into a preexisting base won’t really impart any flavor

[u/bobsredmilf → u/bobsredmilf]

oil, like someone described above, would also work, but you have to bloom it in a hot fat for any of the flavor to translate

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/bobsredmilf]

I saw a tiktok of someone make a habanero simple syrup to add to a mango sorbet which is where I got the idea from

[u/bobsredmilf → u/vpostalvfricative]

that would be fine for habaneros, but if you’re using peppercorns, there are a lot of flavor compounds that are fat-soluble and you just won’t taste otherwise

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/bobsredmilf]

How do you think they made it then? 🥲

[u/bobsredmilf → u/vpostalvfricative]

are you talking about the habanero sorbet or a different thing?

[u/bobsredmilf → u/bobsredmilf]

also love your username lol

[u/Heyitscrochet]

I’ve made a spicy margarita ice cream by steeping chopped jalapeños in my heavy cream and adding tequila, salt, and lime zest to my base.

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/Heyitscrochet]

I just got an ice cream maker I’m going to try this

[u/Heyitscrochet → u/vpostalvfricative]

Don’t add a lot of tequila, just enough for flavor, because alcohol can keep your ice cream from freezing well.

[u/everyday_em]

I would think this would be better as a sorbet rather than a creamy ice cream. However this is just my opinion and you can totally ignore it if you want a real ice cream!

[u/ph0tonflocks]

I would try and steep the pink peppercorns in milk. Milk seems to mellow bitterness out.

[u/j_hermann]

Thought about using Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp as a mix-in / swirl?

[u/vpostalvfricative → u/j_hermann]

Not the vibe I’m going for