While more associated with savory dishes, IPA adds layers of flavor to desserts such as this chocolate pain perdu with butter caramel-salted peanut ice cream.
Active preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 6–8 hours to allow the ice cream to freeze
Serves: 4
Butter Caramel, Salted Peanut Ice Cream
Makes: 2 quarts (1.9 l)
2½ cup (592 ml) milk
3 cup (710 ml) cream
½ cup (118 ml) IPA
8 egg yolks
3 cup sugar
6 Tbs butter, chilled
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and beer. Scald the mixture by heating on medium-low, stirring frequently, until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and 1 cup of the sugar. Pour 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture and stir briskly. Return the egg and cream mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat.
Place the remaining 2 cups of sugar and salt in another heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Stirring from the outside in, cook until the sugar begins to melt. When there is only a little sugar left, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Once the butter is incorporated, pour the warm ice cream custard over the caramel and stir until the caramel is fully incorporated. Chill.
Using your ice cream maker’s specific directions, freeze the custard until ribbons form on top. Fold in the peanuts and freeze fully.
Pain Perdu
¾ cup (177 ml) milk
¼ cup (59 ml) IPA
2 Tbs cocoa powder
¾ cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
4 Tbs butter
8 slices white, sourdough, or other favorite bread, left out overnight
Butter Caramel-Salted Peanut Ice Cream
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, beer, cocoa powder, and sugar and mix well. Warm over low heat just until the cocoa powder and sugar dissolve. In a pie plate or shallow dish, whisk the eggs. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk mixture until fully combined.
On a griddle or large pan over medium heat, melt 1–2 tablespoon of butter. Dip the bread slices in the batter and allow to soak for a minute. Cook the pain perdu slices on the griddle until brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add more butter to the griddle, if needed, and cook the remaining pain perdu slices.
To serve, place two pain perdu slices on each plate and top with one scoop of Butter Caramel-Salted Peanut Ice Cream.
Beer Suggestions: Try a session IPA such as Firestone Walker Easy Jack (Paso Robles, California), New Belgium Slow Ride (Fort Collins, Colorado), Harpoon Take 5 (Boston, Massachusetts).
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHR CINA