How to Make Ice Cream Like Big Gay Ice Cream: The Big Gay Ice Cream Base Recipe

Wondering how to make ice cream like Big Gay Ice Cream? We were, so we did some research.

We read Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories & Frozen Treats: Going All the Way with Ice Cream: A Cookbook, and we encourage you to click the link and do the same.

It’s an amazing cookbook, and its contents are not just limited to ice cream recipes! Their cookbook is overflowing with recipes for toppings, sauces, and mix-ins. And the hilarious faux yearbook format is a lot fun to read too.

Below you’ll find our copycat ice cream base recipe for Big Gay Ice Cream.

But first, let’s examine what Big Gay Ice Cream does differently to make its ice cream base so extraordinary.

Milk and Cream: the recipe includes equal amounts milk and cream, similar to Salt & Straw’s base recipe. This is about dialing in the butterfat percentage. Too little butterfat and you haven’t made ice cream, you’ve made gelato; too much and the fat leaves an unpleasant film on the back of one’s teeth.

Egg yolks: 5 of them! One less than in the Häagen-Dazs base recipe. The yolks thicken the base, adding structure and texture. The egg protein also emulsifies the base meaning it binds to water to prevent ice from forming.

Heat: twice-cooked, similar to Häagen-Dazs though for a total of only about 7 minutes. The second heating to 176° F pasteurizes the eggs. The heat also loosens milk and egg proteins, which bind to water; once again, emulsifying the base. This keeps the base creamy, preventing ice shards from forming. Remember: ice is the enemy of a great base because ice makes a base crunchy and dilutes flavor.

Rest: Much like Salt & Straw, Big Gay Ice Cream recommends the base rest in the fridge after cooking, for 6 – 12 hours. This gives the cooked milk proteins time to relax, resulting in more milk flavor and a smoother texture. Why? Because proteins taste better the day after they’re cooked, when they’ve had some time in the fridge to relax and develop a more complex flavor.

Bonus: You’ll also find below Big Gay Ice Cream’s Philly-style eggless base! It’s faster and easier to make than their custard base.

Contents

BIG GAY ICE CREAM SWEET CREAM CUSTARD BASE

Yield

1 quart

Ingredients

5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions

Whisk egg yolks in a saucepan, and set aside.
Over medium heat, warm milk and cream in saucepan, whisking often to prevent scorching, for about five minutes until steaming.
Slowly and gradually add the heated mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
Return mixture in saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt. Whisk for 2 minutes until sugar dissolves.
Cook another five minutes, whisking constantly, until mix thickens, but do not boil. Hold the mixture at 176° F for at least 25 seconds to pasteurize. Do not exceed 180° F as this will scramble the eggs.
Place saucepan in an ice bath to stop cooking. Stir mixture until there is no steam.
Pour mixture into an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 – 12 hours, the longer the better.
Pour mixture into your ice cream maker. Process as you usually would, following manufacturer instructions.

BIG GAY ICE CREAM PHILLY-STYLE SWEET CREAM BASE

Yield

2 quarts

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Over medium heat, warm cream and milk in a saucepan, whisking constantly, until steaming.
Add sugar and salt. Whisk until completely dissolved.
Pour into an airtight container. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Pour mixture into your ice cream maker. Process as you usually would, following manufacturer instructions. Freeze for up to 2 hours, but not longer. Then eat.