Add Vodka To Your Homemade Ice Cream For A Texture Magic Trick

While boozy ice cream is always a flavorful treat for mature palates, splashing a bit of vodka into your next batch of homemade ice cream isn't only meant to increase the alcoholic content of your dish. That extra inclusion is a strategic move that can help you serve better-tasting ice cream to your next dinner party guests.

Particularly when making no-churn recipes like our no-churn vanilla dulce de leche, a bit of vodka can help edge your recipe into a smoother, creamier presentation. Since vodka has a low freezing point, even a spoonful of the alcoholic stuff can turn your homemade ice cream into a frozen recipe that is less likely to freeze into an icy brick when kept in the freezer. Instead of needing to plan in advance and thaw out the carton before enjoying your sweet escape, you can simply take your homemade ice cream out of the freezer and start digging in to enjoy or offer to friends.

As you add your choice of spirit to your ice cream recipes, do so conservatively. Too much could mean that your ice cream isn't properly set. Dumping more alcohol into your ice cream concoctions means that you lower the freezing point of your creamy creation, and your recipe may be at risk of looking more like a milkshake than frozen gelato or ice cream. One or two tablespoons to a homemade quart should be all you need to create that velvety finish that is easy to scoop into.

If you're worried about the flavor profile of your creations, know that colorless, odorless vodka won't change the overall tasting profile of your cold creations. (Though if you do want to punch up your brown butter and pecan ice cream recipes with a bit of rum or another recognizable spirit, we certainly wouldn't stop you. A bit of bourbon added to your 4-ingredient peanut butter ice cream could be exactly what your recipe needs.) Splash in the vodka you have stashed at home, and savor your cold, creamy dessert.