JALAPEÑO ICE CREAM

A few weeks ago, my friend Rose e-mailed me with an unusual request. She wanted to know if I could help her track down jalapeño ice cream here in the city. “Or,” she added, “perhaps you know how to make it?”

“I have no idea where to buy it,” I told her, “but I can definitely figure out how to make it.” Even as I typed, I was envisioning little green jalapeños steeping and bobbing in a saucer of cream.

The idea of a jalapeño-flavored ice cream might seem a bit odd on paper, but if you think about it for a bit, the idea starts to make sense. Anyone who has ever taken a bite of anything a bit too spicy will know that the most commonly offered remedies are dairy products: a glass of milk ordered at the Mexican restaurant, the dollop of sour cream on a bowl of chili, or a ramekin filled with blue cheese dressing planted in the center of the buffalo wing platter. Serious cooks (or trivia fanatics) may also know that a spoonful of sugar or a drizzle of honey is a smart way to quell the culinary flames brought on by a loose top on the cayenne spice jar.

Taking these factors into consideration, the idea of a cool and creamy ice cream laced with the grassy heat of jalapeño peppers really seems quite fascinating!

Like with most recipes, I decided to look back into my archives to see what’s worked in the past. Custard ice creams, rich with copious egg yolks, are popular, but of all the frozen treats I’ve ever made, my favorite is still the Lebanese milk ice cream which uses cornstarch in it’s base.

Essentially a frozen pudding, the texture is thick and velvet-like and it scoops beautifully. And because there are no yolks in the batter, the flavor of the ice cream really has a chance to shine through sans competition. The kicker is that it’s quick, and virtually fool-proof–a bonus for those of you who have had trouble with custards breaking or curdling.

For flavorings, I used 3 jalapeños, one vanilla bean (I buy them inexpensively in bulk from this online shop), and a 1/4 cup of molasses; the latter which brought out the naturally earthy and muddy tones of the jalapeño in a way that I never expected.

Honestly, it was the addition of molasses which made me fall in love with this recipe and what has me craving another bite as I type this. Unfortunately, i don’t have any ice cream left in my freezer. I packed up the entire batch I made, surrounded it with ice packs, and handed it off to Rose and her boyfriend Mike who made the trip here expressly to pick it up.

And the reason for the request? It was their anniversary, and Rose wanted to surprise her guy with this treat, which had caught his eye in a magazine ages ago.

I think it goes without saying that this ice cream is an acquired taste. As Rose described it to me in her e-mail the next day, “It was really interesting and complex – starting off on one note, and ending on another (hot!) one! It was like mind-trick ice cream, because it felt so cool but tasted so hot.”

If the above appeals to you. If you’re into spicy cocktails and keep a bottle of hot sauce at your desk (I always do!), well then I say go, run, make it now and tell me what you think!

New to Always Order Dessert? Consider subscribing to my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right.

And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me.
Thanks for reading!

Jalapeño Ice Cream
Makes about 6 1/2 cup servings
This egg less ice cream uses cornstarch to form a creamy, almost velvet-like base. Depending on how spicy you would like it, you can adjust the number of jalapenos in this recipe. Don’t skip the molasses because that brings out the earthy tones of the jalapeño (trust me on this!)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 fresh jalapeño peppers, split in half
1 vanilla bean, split in half
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons cornstarch
A few drops green food coloring (optional)

Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the molasses, jalapeños, and vanilla bean. Place over medium heat and heat just until bubbles start to form (it happens quickly so stay with it), stirring to dissolve the molasses and sugar. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool to room temperature.

Once the cream mixture has cooled, use a sieve to strain out the jalapeños (and any accompanying seeds) and vanilla beans, and return the strained cream mixture to a saucepan. Use a measuring cup to scoop out about 1/2 cup of this mixture (doesn’t have to be exact) into a separate bowl or cup and whisk in the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to form a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry back in with the rest of the cream and return to the stove.

[If a green tint is desired (totally optional!), this is the time to whisk in a few drops of green food color.]

Over medium heat, cook the cream mixture while stirring constantly in one direction until the mixture thickens. Continue to let it cook for an additional few minutes, tasting it occasionally until you can no longer detect the taste of cornstarch. Once the starch is completely cooked and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface (this will help prevent a skin from forming on it while it cools). Chill in your refrigerator for 3-4 hours until completely cool (you can make this up to 24 hours in advance).

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once it’s the consistency of soft-serve, pour into an air-tight and freezer proof container and freeze for at least 4 hours (again, overnight is also OK) before serving.

The ice cream will keep in a sealed container in your freezer for up to 2 weeks.

This Bacon Jalapeño Creamed Corn is a unique, creamy dish full of spicy, smoky flavor. Easy to make and super scrumptious!

I’m so happy to be partnering with Horizon, Tapinfluence, & White Wave to bring you this easy delicious side dish! Thank you for supporting the brands that make Wine & Glue possible.

I’m guessing you guys have noticed reading this blog that I looooooooove Horizon Organic. I have worked with a lot of brands over the years, but they are one of my favorites. We truly love their products, and my kids are primarily comprised of their macaroni and cheese and their milk.

BACON JALAPENO CREAMED CORN

This decadent Bacon Jalapeno Creamed Corn recipe features their glorious heavy cream and milk, which makes this dish the creamiest, most flavorful creamed corn I have ever tasted in my life! Plus, it’s so easy to put together, you won’t believe it! I love it with Thanksgiving turkey, but it is also delicious served alongside my Honey Barbecue Ribs or my Grilled Chicken Legs. It’s versatile and easy enough to make any night of the week!

What’s your favorite Horizon Organic product to cook with? I love hearing your ideas… please drop me a comment below!

EASIEST CREAMED CORN RECIPE

This is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, or any time you’re entertaining a crowd. It takes up zero oven space, can be made in just minutes and tastes indulgent and fancy. Here’s all you need to do:

• Fry up some bacon. You’ll want to make sure to use regular bacon and not thick. The key to this recipe is the grease to flour ratio and if there’s too much fat from the bacon it’ll throw off that balance. So save your thick bacon for breakfast tomorrow and use regular.
• Add diced jalapeno. I love using a fresh jalapeno (make sure to scrape out the seeds, that’s where all the heat lives) but you can use a can of diced jalapenos too!
• Mix in your flour. Flour mixed with the bacon grease will create the most perfect roux and will act as a thickening agent for this creamy dish.
• Next comes the Horizon Whole Milk and Horizon Heavy Cream. Now is not the time to worry about calories, friends. Use WHOLE milk and save the skim or 1% for your cereal. Trust me, you will not be sorry!
• Add whole kernal, frozen corn.  The frozen corn will thaw in no time and will stay nice and crisp in the creamy mixture.
• Salt and Pepper it up! Season it to taste and serve it nice and warm. You will receive accolades like you never have before!

MORE DECADENT RECIPES WITH HORIZON ORGANIC

I love making recipes with Horizon products! From breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, try a few of my favorites:

• Breakfast Braid
• Stuffed French Foast
• Baco Cheddar Sour Cream Waffles
• Taco Stuffed Peppers
• Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
• Pizza Mac N Cheese
• Red Velvet Sour Cream Bundt Cake

I can’t wait to hear what you think of this Bacon Jalapeno Creamed Corn. Drop me a comment below, and enjoy this tasty dish!

 Print Recipe

Bacon Jalapeño Creamed Corn

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bacon Jalapeno Creamed Corn

Servings: 8

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Lisa Longley

Ingredients

• 5 slices of bacon diced (not thick cut, see note)
• 1 jalapeños diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup Horizon Whole Milk
• 1 cup Horizon Heavy Cream
• 16 ounces frozen corn
• 1 TBSP sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• • In a cast iron or non stick skillet over medium heat, add the the bacon and cook, when it just starts to crisp, add the jalapeño and continue cooking.
  • When the bacon is fully cooked, add the flour and mix with the bacon and jalapeño, fully coating them. Allow the flour to slightly brown, and then slowly add the whole milk a little add a time, whisking it into the flour mixture, only adding more milk when no clumps remain. Continue until all the milk is added. Repeat with the heavy cream.

• When all the liquid is added, stir in the frozen corn. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the sugar. Serve warm.

Notes

The key to this recipe is the bacon fat to flour ratio. If you use thick cut bacon it will throw that ratio off, so stick with regular bacon.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

By:  Keith Nunes

Food Business News 

Photo: Restaurant Brands International, Inc.

KANSAS CITY — McDonald’s introduction of its Sweet N’ Spicy honey barbecue chicken tenders as a limited-time offering (L.T.O.) to its U.S. menu this past August is an indication the spicy flavor trend has gone mainstream. Product developers have worked for years with a variety of spicy ingredients to create formulations with the right level of heat to achieve nationwide scale and appeal.
This is not the Chicago-based fast-food giant’s first foray into spicy flavor trends. In 2017, McDonald’s offered a sriracha variety of the Big Mac hamburger nationwide for a limited time. But the Sweet N’ Spicy chicken tenders kick the quick-service restaurant chain’s efforts up a notch.

McDonald’s is also not the only quick-service chain bringing heat to the masses. Burger King added two new spicy sandwiches to its menu in August. The jalapeno King sandwich features two hamburger patties, bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapeños and a green chili aioli. The jalapeño chicken sandwich is the same but features a breaded chicken filet.
Not to be outdone, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Newport Beach, Calif., announced Sept. 10 its plans to reintroduce chorizo to its menu nationwide for a limited time. The spicy menu addition features a blend of pork and chicken seasoned with paprika, cumin and chipotle peppers.

“As part of our overall commitment to menu innovation and delivering the ‘craveable’ food our customers love, we’re spicing things up and bringing chorizo back to our menu,” said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer for Chipotle Mexican Grill.
In the past, interest in spicy foods has been attributed to more adventurous consumers seeking new experiences. But the addition of spicy offerings, even for a limited time, on such menus of scale indicates something has changed.
Juliet Greene, corporate chef for Mizkan Americas, Mount Prospect, Ill., said what stands out about the recent introductions from McDonald’s and Burger King is the range of spiciness in the products. While McDonald’s is adding heat to the tenders, it is balancing the spiciness with the sweetness of honey. Burger King, on the other hand, appears to have gone all in, she said, with the combination of jalapeños, pepper jack cheese and green chili aioli.
“What’s definitely changed is the level of heat that is acceptable,” Ms. Greene said. “Both products add heat, but Burger King is really owning it. It shows how far consumers have come in the types of heat they want.”
The ingredient supplier Kalsec, Kalamazoo, Mich., has published its HeatSync spicy foods index for the past 10 years. The index was developed in partnership with Innova Market Insights to monitor the use of peppers, seasonings and condiments that contribute to the heat or pungency of a food or beverage.
Overall, the index shows a compound annual growth rate of over 20% since 2007, according to Kalsec, and more than 22,000 new hot and spicy products were introduced in 2017, rising from the 18,000 that were introduced in 2016.

More specifically, gochujang and sriracha both showed about 50% in growth in condiments and sauces, followed by mole, harissa and sambal, according to Kalsec. Peppers showing growth include peri peri, serrano, guajillo, Anaheim, pasilla and arbol.
As consumer interests have shifted toward more products perceived as clean label or natural, Ms. Greene said product developers are challenged to maintain a level of consistency in the spiciness of their products.
“The key is knowing the crop,” Ms. Greene said. “Jalapeños are hotter in dry weather, for example. I like to say they get agitated when it’s hot. You need to know that, and you need to know how much variance the client will accept. With peppers it can deviate 5%.”
She said layering flavor is one way to manage consistency issues.
“It’s a flow,” she said. “You can create layers of spice so it’s a nice build and not a level of heat that smacks you in the face all at once.”
As interest in spicy foods continues to grow, Ms. Greene said her customers are asking what the next chili or pepper will be that will drive additional interest.
“Everyone now knows what jalapeños are and what they do,” she said. “We are being asked about what’s new, is it serranos, poblanos, aji Amarillo? They want to know what else is out there that will let their products stand apart. They want a marketing story that will get people’s attention.”

Ms. Greene added that a potential area of opportunity for adding heat is beverages.
“When I have a margarita, I want a jalapeño in it,” she said. “And I want it in it, not floating on top. We’ve seen this trend with Bloody Mary bars as well.”
At the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and food expo, held this past July, Mizkan offered attendees a jalapeño Paloma shrub to demonstrate the use of spicy flavors in a beverage. Ms. Greene said she can see the trend moving into other categories, such as coffee and hot chocolate.
“I can definitely see someone doing an L.T.O.,” she said. “It’s a familiar format that adds a new twist; it’s something that can add adventure to a menu.”