How to Make Delicious Ice Cream Like Rocambolesc: Jordi Roca’s Ice Cream Base Recipe

Wondering how to make ice cream like Jordi Roca, owner of Rocambolesc?

We were, so we did some research.

We read The Desserts of Jordi Roca, and we encourage you to click the link and do the same. It’s an amazing cookbook for the dessert lover. It includes a wide variety of daring and unique recipes. For example, have you ever tried Cigar Smoke Ice Cream before?

Below you’ll find our copycat recipe for Roca’s ice cream base.

But first, let’s summarize what Roca does differently to make his ice cream so extraordinary.

Milk and Cream: Roca uses approximately a 2:1 milk to cream ratio—2 cups of milk to 1 cup of cream—similar to Jeni’s, Ciao Bella, and La Newyorkina. Ice cream typically has 10 – 18% butterfat, while gelato generally has 4 – 9% butterfat. Given the amount of milk and cream used here, this ice cream has a butterfat percentage lower than several premium brands we’ve reviewed. But the number of egg yolks will add significant fat and richness to make up for the lesser amount of cream.

Eggs: 4 egg yolks, similar to Ciao Bella. The yolks thicken the base, adding structure and texture. The egg protein also emulsifies the base—binding to water to prevent ice from forming, keeping the base smooth and creamy.

Glucose: Glucose is an invert sugar, so it adds a little sweetness. But more importantly, glucose bonds to water in the base, preventing ice shards from forming. Some premium ice cream brands use corn syrup instead of glucose, but the purpose is the same. Similar to Jeni’s, Milk Bar, and Salt & Straw, Roca uses glucose to thicken the base, keeping it soft, creamy, and “scoop-able” when it freezes. While you may not find it on your local grocery shelf, glucose syrup is readily available on Amazon.

Milk Powder: Other brands also use milk powder in their base recipes, for example Milk Bar and Salt & Straw. It adds a richer, milkier flavor to the base. It also adds texture, thickening and reducing moisture, resulting in a denser, smoother base. Milk powder is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Heat: Twice-heated, once to 158°F and a second time to 185°F. Many premium brands heat their base twice—Haagen-Dazs, Coolhaus, Big Gay Ice Cream. The second heating is usually to pasteurize the eggs. But heat also loosens milk proteins, making for a richer, creamier, milkier-flavored base.

Sugar: Roca uses muscovado sugar, a brown sugar with an intense but slightly bitter flavor. Such unusual sugars help create an ice cream with a more complex flavor.

Ice cream stabilizer: Roca uses an ice cream stabilizer in his recipe. But be forewarned: use such stabilizers sparingly. These stabilizers have different ingredients and therefore somewhat different effects, so the amount may need some tweaking. There are several varieties available via Amazon: Avacream, Perfect Ice Cream Stabilizer, and Cremodan.

Rest: Much like Salt & Straw and Ample Hills, Roca recommends that the base rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This gives the cooked milk proteins time to relax, resulting in more milk flavor and a smoother texture. 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.

Contents

JORDI ROCA’S ICE CREAM BASE RECIPE

Yield

1 quart

Ingredients

2 cups (500 g) whole milk
1 1/4 cup (300 g) whipping cream
4 1/2 tablespoons (60 g) skim milk powder
1/2 cup (100 g) muscovado sugar
1/3 cup (100 g) dextrose
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) ice cream stabilizer
4 egg yolks, pasteurized

Instructions

In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, whipping cream, and milk powder. Using a cooking thermometer, heat to 158°F (70°C).
Whisk in sugar, dextrose, ice cream stabilizer, and egg yolks.
Whisking constantly, heat to 185°F (85°C). Then remove from heat. (Note: don’t heat over 185°F as this may result in scrambling the eggs.)
Cool in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Then strain the base prior to churning.
Process as you usually would, following ice cream maker manufacturer instructions. Transfer the processed ice cream to a pre-chilled container. Place plastic wrap over the container, then cover. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.