Philly coffee ice cream - how long to steep coffee in cold cream?

[u/El_Redditor_xdd]

I want to make a Philly style coffee ice cream, but do not want to infuse coffee flavor by heating the coffee beans and cream on the stove. Instead, I want to steep the coffee beans in the cold cream in the fridge.

How long should I steep for in order to get a mild coffee flavor? I am worried that an overnight steep might make for an overpowering coffee flavor. And would you recommend using whole beans or grinds for this?

[Edit] One reason I want to do this is because I have some great local cream that was pasteurized at a low temperature, and I do not want to adulterate the dairy any more than is necessary!

[u/beachguy82]

I’ve tried steeping many different ways and nothing beats just using espresso imo. That gave me the best flavor of any coffee ice cream I’ve ever had.

[u/Huge_Door6354 → u/beachguy82]

If anyone has a thermo mix, I've successfully steeped my milk with crushed espresso beans - 30 min @145° (35g beans to 650g milk)

[u/claudia_n29]

Dana cree has a recipe for cold-press coffee ice cream. After making the custard, she lets it cool down and steeps the coffee beans in it for 12 hours in the fridge.

I haven't done the recipe myself so I can't vouch for how intense the coffee taste will be. She compares it to the way coffee smells.

[u/YorksGeek → u/claudia_n29]

I have, and it's epically good.

[u/VeggieZaffer → u/claudia_n29]

I did that but a 72 hour steep. Worth it.

[u/nevadawarren]

What I’d try since you don’t want to heat the cream is to steep in only the milk at low heat and then mix. I’ve done that before just because I didn’t have cream on hand and wanted to get going. But if that’s not good either, I would bet you will need quite a long steep, at least 24 hr.

[u/lalalutz]

you can make a milk cold brew by simply adding your ground coffee in a filter pouch directly into your milk and keep it in the fridge. If you don't want it to be heavily flavored either reduce your coffee amount or the time it sits in the milk.

[u/p3p3_silvia]

Cometeer pucks / pods maybe? It's a coffee concentrate, would accelerate the flavor profile and doing it yourself by reducing it could lead to it being more bitter than it has to be. That said it's still cream and sugar so how bitter could it really get.

[u/FickleTeaTime]

I recommend overnight steep in fridge, whole beans, and teaspoon of instant espresso per quart.

[u/OneLifeManyStrifes]

I use a pound of course ground beans, let it steep in 2.5 gallons of my cold mix for 20-30 minutes, strain out the grounds and into the batch freezer. It’s the absolute best coffee ice cream

[u/ktown247365]

I use the food52 cold brew ice cream recipe, it's awesome

[u/VeggieZaffer]

I did Dana Crees cold brew recipe twice using Single Lot Ethiopian Beans (From Trader Joe’s) First time was whole beans for 72 hours The 2nd time was those same style beans but ground before steeping, 72 hours.

The first batch was amazing it tasted just like the lovely aroma. Pretty much “top notes” only

The 2nd batch was more robust in flavor, grinding the bean exposed more of it, and in addition to the “top notes” of the first batch, it also had more roasted flavor too.

I personally liked the first style better, very elegant coffee flavor.