Julian Hom, founder of Alleyway Ice Cream in Saugerties, may not know what smoked walnut, habanero, and wintergreen taste like, but that doesn’t stop him from incorporating them into his ice cream. He wanted to create ice cream that was multidimensional and perfect by itself. As a recipe developer and all-around foodiphile, I teamed up with the fearless flavor maker this summer to create some ice cream for September that is both unique and delicious.
The goal was to create a final product that tasted as pretty as it looked, and so the first flavor settled on was an elderflower ice cream base with edible flowers and homemade crunchy honeycomb. It’s not often you see edible flowers in ice cream, but since it’s still summertime, we decided they were the perfect ingredient to incorporate beauty and freshness. Edible flowers have a subtle and delicate taste, so an elderflower cordial was added to buff up the base flavor. Floral and refreshing, it’s almost like a sweet little cocktail encompassed in an ice cream scoop — no toppings necessary.
Hom is known for his eccentric and savory ice cream that toes the line between dessert and dish; so, for the next flavor, it seemed right to create a zingy goat cheese ice cream base suitable for the young autumn days. A few recalculations to find the perfect savory-to-sweet ratio, then we added the accents: pomegranate molasses swirls to capitalize on the fruit’s peak condition, and toasted walnuts for that taste of the fireside; a buttery mouthfeel to balance the brightness of the cheese and fruit.
Even if you are a lover of cookies and cream or mint chocolate chip, these flavors hit the sweet spot for any ice cream lover. Look for them this month at Alleyway Ice Cream!
Francesca Zani is the culinary associate producer for PowerHouse Productions, where she travels often while simultaneously growing her brand The Garnished Palate.Â
