Ice cream is a health food. Just think about it. It’s simply an emulsion of milk, egg yolks and sugar that’s churned at sub-zero. That’s all it is. You could even use raw honey, maple syrup or any other natural sugars.
The only reason why we were all psyopped into thinking it’s this really unhealthy thing was because companies started injecting all sorts of junk. We don’t need guar gum. We don’t need Red 40. We don’t need to add a ton of garbage ingredients just to appeal to the masses.
The best ice cream flavors are simple. Fresh vanilla with tiny specks of vanilla bean. A glorious macadamia nut. Lemon (especially for summer). Olive oil (bet you haven’t tried this one!) and you know the ice cream truck soft serve is just otherworldly.
In true WARKITCHEN fashion, we just had to make a tier list…
S tier: Vanilla Bean, Macadamia Nut, Lemon, Olive Oil, Truck Soft Serve
A tier: Pistachio, Stracciatella, Strawberry, Belgian Choc, Mint Choc, Gianduja, Mango, Butter Pecan, Cookies & Cream, Raspberry, Hokey Pokey, Choc Banana, Coffee, Dark Choc, Hazelnut, Honey Lavender, Peach
B tier: Chocolate, Rocky Road, Lavender, Browned Butter, Black Sesame, Blackberry, Butterscotch, Choc Hazelnut, Taro, Green Tea, Yuzu, Coconut, Matcha, Earl Grey, Rum Raisin, Maple Walnut, Cherry, Red Bean, Purple Yam, Corn, Azuki, Cookie Dough, Salted Caramel, Tiramisu, Durian, Coconut Pandan
C tier: Bubblegum, Cereal, Choc PB, Churro, Blue Moon, Fancy Soft Serve
F tier: Dubai Chocolate
Dubai chocolate belongs in the gulag. Either enjoy a kunafa on its own or have chocolate. Don't marry the two. Disgusting monstrosity. Gets worse when they turn it to ice cream. F tier. NPC slop.
What did we miss? What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
By the way, it’s never been easier to make your own ice cream. All you need is an ice cream maker (something like a Ninja Creami works incredibly) and the possibilities are endless.
Ice cream is made when you churn something at sub-zero temperatures. Technically you could do it without a machine if you get a bowl cold enough, but it will take a lot of manual labor.
If you’ve just bought an ice cream maker, here’s the general idea of how it all works. It’s a very simple method that you can tweak to your specific preferences. If you’re using something like honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, you’ll need to lower the amount of milk you use. Always remember to have fun with it!
General ingredients:
2 parts heavy cream
1 part whole milk
¾ part sugar
6 large egg yolks per liter (or quart)
Any other ingredients (the opportunities are limitless!)
General steps:
Mix milk and/or cream with the sugar and any flavors you’re using
Gently heat the mixture (never let it boil)
Whisk a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks then pour the yolks back into the saucepan
Heat again, stirring well, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon
Turn off the heat and transfer to a cool bowl and ice bath
Refrigerate until fully chilled
Pour into ice cream maker
Enjoy
Thinking about how ice cream is the greatest dessert in the world. It gave us affogato. There's a world of flavors. Nothing else tastes this good under the sun. And it's quite literally, the easiest thing to make. All you need is milk, sugar and cream - churned sub-zero. Magic.
To make affogato:
Brew a shot of espresso
Place a scoop of your chosen ice cream (highly recommend vanilla bean) in a serving bowl or glass. A chilled dish can help keep the ice cream from melting too quickly.
Pour the hot espresso shot over the ice cream. Serve immediately and watch as the ice cream begins to melt and fuse with the espresso.
Affogatos need to be enjoyed immediately! If you’ve had a bad experience it’s because it was served too late. Once you pour the espresso in the glass, you have to consume it immediately. If not you just end up with melted ice cream that’s caffeinated. I highly recommend pouring half a shot in first, and to keep pouring as you enjoy your affogato. You could also take sips of your espresso in between, there are no rules.
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❋ SUMMER TOMATO, ONION AND PECORINO CROSTATA RECIPE BY ELLIE BOUHADANA
When I can get my hands on true, sun-drenched summer tomatoes I want to do as little to them as possible before eating them. Vine-ripened and warmed by the summer sun, all they need is slicing with a sharp knife, and then a big glug of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt and a few young basil leaves. I also love cosying up fresh cheese like ricotta beside the tomato; a quartered piece of stone fruit might make its way onto the plate too. Another way to turn really good tomatoes into a meal is to make this flaky crostata. Onions are cooked down until they are a caramel colour before being hidden under a layer of jewel-like summer tomatoes. Lots of black pepper, olive oil, flaky salt and fresh oregano, thyme and basil are scattered and drizzled over the top. Serve with a crisp salad on the side and some wine, for a light and cool meal under the hot summer sun.
I baked this jalapeño cheese bread in the Emile Henry Glazed Long Covered Baker, which I am obsessed with. The closed vessel created a beautifully crisp, thin, caramelized crust without adding steam to the oven. My five-minute dough made with King Arthur Baking Company Bread Flour is rolled with cheese and jalapeños! So easy, super delicious! This is Perfect for the Big Game!
❋ ITALIAN SAVOURY PANCAKES (SOFFIATINI)
These savoury pancakes from food writer Ursula Ferrigno hail from southern Italy, where they’re known as soffiantini or ‘whispers’. The pancakes are stuffed with spinach, mozzarella and Parma ham and baked until golden. Prep ahead for an easy dinner.
Recipe taken from Cucina di Amalfi by Ursula Ferrigno (Ryland Peters & Small £20)
Check out all our savoury pancake recipes in one handy place.
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Giving Dubai chocolate an F is outta pocket
I'd love to know if/how I can get your graphics as prints. They'd make fantastic kitchen decorations. Or a whole coffee table book of these ranking style graphics