Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream Recipe

Matt Zadorozny is my sous vide guru. I recently spent a few hours with him at his home on Nantucket Island, talking a blue streak while he prepped 50 pounds of mushrooms for his sister's wedding. Matt has worked in some of the finest kitchens in New York, including Per Se and WD 50, where sous vide cooking is part of the daily routine. He has his own immersion circulator and chamber vacuum sealer (I'm envious), and his passion for the technique is contagious. Matt has been very generous in sharing his extensive knowledge of cooking times and temperatures with me, and we're delighted to have him collaborate with us.

Ice cream is one of Matt's specialties. As a matter of fact, he and a friend are in the process of launching an ice cream business. They have a cool concept in mind, but "mum's" the word at the moment. Stay tuned for more details as plans emerge. During my visit, Matt was eager to show me his new Pacojet, a really nifty little machine that makes ice cream, among other things, in just seconds. The small appliance looks a bit like a coffee maker, but its $4,000 price tag may give you some idea of just how special it is. Pacojet aside, Matt told me he always makes his ice cream base in a water oven, then ages it for 24 hours in the refrigerator before churning.

For those of us without access to a chamber vacuum sealer, working with liquids can be frustrating, so check out my Ask Jason blog on "How to Use Ziploc Bags for Sous Vide" which includes how to remove air from a the bag. Make sure you use freezer bags and look for a brand that does not contain BPA (Bisphenol A). Technically, cooking in bags like this is not sous vide cooking, because no vacuum has been created. However, it's a terrific use of the water oven, whatever the terminology!

Even without a chamber vacuum sealer, making ice cream custard in the sous vide machine is a snap and eliminates the stress of using the stovetop method, where scrambling the eggs is always a possibility.

Matt has generously shared one of his favorite concoctions, based on malted milk powder. He uses a stabilizer called Cremodan in all his ice creams because it improves the mouth feel and inhibits ice crystallization. Cremodan comes in 2 versions: Cremodan 30 for ice cream and Cremodan 64 for sorbets. Cremodan is an all-natural mixture of land and sea vegetable gums such as alginate, locust bean gum, guar gum, and carrageenan. The general rule of thumb is to add 5 grams per 1,000 grams of ice cream base. Matt recommends using 1% of the total liquid weight (milk and cream only).

I wanted to see for myself if I could tell the difference, so I made his Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream with and without the Cremodan. At Matt's suggestion I also experimented with substituting a small amount of sweetened condensed milk in place of the Cremodan. The flavor of each was terrific, so we've included all three recipes. I would definitely give the edge to the version with Cremodan, because the ice cream was much creamier and denser. But several taste testers did not agree with me, and preferred the condensed milk recipe because the ice cream was colder and also very rich and creamy. Whichever way you make it, the ice cream is fabulous.

For caramel fans, I suggest swirling in a cup of dulce de leche before you harden the ice cream in the freezer. It's simply sublime! Or get whimsical, and add some coarsely chopped Whoppers (chocolate-covered malted milk balls) and serve in ice cream cones. It's an instant trip back to childhood!

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream you can check out the following.

Version 1: Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream (with Cremodan 30)

  • Published: September 9, 2012
  • By Pam McKinstry
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Day
  • Cooks: 185°F (85°C) for 30 Minutes
  • Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients for Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream

  • For the Sous Vide Ice Cream

  • 3/4 cup sugar, divided use
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cremodan 30
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2/3 cup malted milk powder (Carnation or Horlicks)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My free Sous Vide Quick Start course will help you get the most out of sous vide. You can start consistently creating amazing food with sous vide today!

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My sous vide ruler will help you determine how long to cook various pieces of meat. It's free if you sign up for my newsletter and will make your cooking go much more smoothly!

Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Ice Cream

For the Sous Ice Cream

At least 1 day before serving

In a small saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup of the sugar and the Cremodan. Whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the malted milk powder and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Slowly add the heavy cream, whisking until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the Cremodan-milk mixture to the bowl and whisk vigorously to blend the base.

Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).

Place the ice cream base in a zip lock freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Alternatively, transfer the custard to a clean 1-quart Mason jar and seal. (Note: If you opt for glass jars, be sure to use a wide-mouth, tempered glass type that is made for freezing and canning; regular glass jars can break when subjected to rapid changes in temperature.)

Cook the ice cream base for 30 minutes. Remove the base from the water bath and quick-chill the bag (or jar) in an ice-and-water bath to rapidly reduce the temperature. When the ice cream base is chilled, refrigerate for 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream, cover, and freeze until solid.

Version 2: Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream (without Cremodan 30)

  • Published: September 9, 2012
  • By Pam McKinstry
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Day
  • Cooks: 185°F (85°C) for 30 Minutes
  • Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients for Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream

  • For the Sous Vide Ice Cream

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup malted milk powder (Carnation or Horlicks)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My free Sous Vide Quick Start course will help you get the most out of sous vide. You can start consistently creating amazing food with sous vide today!

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My sous vide ruler will help you determine how long to cook various pieces of meat. It's free if you sign up for my newsletter and will make your cooking go much more smoothly!

Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Ice Cream

For the Sous Ice Cream

At least 1 day before serving

Whisk together the sugar, malted milk powder, and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in the cream and milk. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).

Place the ice cream base in a zip lock freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Alternatively, transfer the custard to a clean 1-quart Mason jar and seal. (Note: If you opt for glass jars, be sure to use a wide-mouth, tempered glass type that is made for freezing and canning; regular glass jars can break when subjected to rapid changes in temperature.)

Cook the ice cream base for 30 minutes. Remove the base from the water bath and quick-chill the bag (or jar) in an ice-and-water bath to rapidly reduce the temperature. When the ice cream base is chilled, refrigerate for 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream, cover, and freeze until solid.

Version 3: Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream (sweetened condensed milk)

  • Published: September 9, 2012
  • By Pam McKinstry
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Day
  • Cooks: 185°F (85°C) for 30 Minutes
  • Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients for Sous Vide Malted Milk Shake Ice Cream

  • For the Sous Vide Ice Cream

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup malted milk powder (Carnation or Horlicks)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My free Sous Vide Quick Start course will help you get the most out of sous vide. You can start consistently creating amazing food with sous vide today!

Enjoying sous vide cooking? My sous vide ruler will help you determine how long to cook various pieces of meat. It's free if you sign up for my newsletter and will make your cooking go much more smoothly!

Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Ice Cream

For the Sous Ice Cream

At least 1 day before serving

Whisk together the sugar, malted milk powder, and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in the cream and whole milk. Whisk in the condensed milk, egg yolks, and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).

Place the ice cream base in a zip lock freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Alternatively, transfer the custard to a clean 1-quart Mason jar and seal. (Note: If you opt for glass jars, be sure to use a wide-mouth, tempered glass type that is made for freezing and canning; regular glass jars can break when subjected to rapid changes in temperature.)

Cook the ice cream base for 30 minutes. Remove the base from the water bath and quick-chill the bag (or jar) in an ice-and-water bath to rapidly reduce the temperature. When the ice cream base is chilled, refrigerate for 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a clean container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream, cover, and freeze until solid.

Want Great Sous Vide Recipes?

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Healthy Sous Vide is the latest cookbook from Jason Logsdon, the best selling author of 10 sous vide and modernist cookbooks, and it shares many of his favorite recipes developed over the years so you can eat nutritious, flavor-packed meals that taste amazing. If you are a looking for a way to boost the flavor of your healthy meals, this book will help you create amazing food that your friends and family will love!

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Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
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