How to Make Ice Cream Like Salt & Straw: The Salt & Straw Ice Cream Base Recipe

For a quick and easy to make base, Salt & Straw’s ice cream base recipe still has a lot going on.

S&S uses two thickeners: xanthan gum and light corn syrup. They’re easier to use than eggs, but just as effective at adding texture. And S&S uses corn syrup not just for sweetness, but as “anti-freeze”. The added sugar in the corn syrup keeps the base soft and scoop-able, even when it’s stored at 0° F.

S&S maintains that the fat in an ice cream base should not exceed 18%. Why? Because beyond that amount, fat will leave an unpleasant buttery film in your mouth. To get that fat percentage just right, S&S’s standard base uses equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk. Compare that to Ben & Jerry’s base recipe with 2 cups of cream and 1 cup of milk, or Jeni’s with 1 1/4 cup of cream and 2 cups of whole milk. Among the premium brands, there’s a lot of variation in the basic base measurements!

S&S uses a technique we’ve seen before: heating the base. It loosens milk proteins, which bind to water in the base. This keeps the base creamy, preventing ice shards from forming.

S&S’s base includes an unusual ingredient: dry milk powder. Because milk powder has been cooked, it has those loose, relaxed milk proteins that add flavor and complexity. Because it’s dehydrated, it also absorbs water, adding structure and texture, thickening the base, keeping it creamy, not icy.

S&S is a big advocate of “aging the base”. They suggest that after cooking, you let the base rest in the fridge for 6-24 hours before you make ice cream, the longer the better. This gives the cooked milk proteins time to relax, resulting in more milk flavor and a smoother texture. Have you ever noticed how savory foods—for example, lasagna, dressing, or potato salad—taste better the day after they’re cooked? It’s the same concept here. Proteins in foods often taste better the day after they’re cooked, when they’ve had some time in the fridge to relax and mature.

Contents

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Base Recipe

Yield

Makes About 3 Cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/3 cups whole milk
1 1/3 cups heavy cream

Instructions

Combine sugar, dry milk powder, and xanthan gum in a small bowl, stirring well.
Pour corn syrup into a medium pot and stir in whole milk. Add sugar mixture, whisking vigorously until smooth.
Set pot over medium heat to cook for about 3 minutes until sugar fully dissolves, whisking often. If necessary to prevent a simmer, adjust heat.
Remove from heat and whisk in cream until fully combined.
Transfer mixture to an airtight container. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours. For better texture and flavor, refrigerate for 24 hours. The base can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Stir the base back together if it separates during resting time.
Pour mixture into your ice cream maker. Process as you usually would to make ice cream, following manufacturer instructions.