Wondering how to make Mexican ice cream like Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina? We were, so we did some research.
We read Mexican Ice Cream: Beloved Recipes and Stories by Fany Gerson, and we encourage you to click the link and do the same. It’s an amazing cookbook for the Mexican ice cream lover, and it includes a number of delicious sorbet, topping, and sauce recipes as well.
Below you’ll find our copycat recipe for the La Newyorkina Mexican ice cream base adapted from their vanilla ice cream recipe. But first, let’s summarize what La Newyorkina does differently to make its Mexican ice cream so extraordinary.
Mexican ice cream: What is Mexican ice cream? Typically, it’s lighter than premium American-style ice cream because it’s made with less cream and no eggs. As such, it’s closer to gelato. But a less rich base also has its upside. It’s better able to communicate any flavors that are added, as the milder base doesn’t overwhelm or interfere with the taste of those underlying flavors. That being said, Fany Gerson does include some custard-based ice creams recipes in her cookbook, Mexican Ice Cream: Beloved Recipes and Stories. So there is such a thing as a Mexican custard-based ice cream; it’s just less common.
Milk and Cream: this recipe calls for two parts whole milk to one part heavy cream. This is similar to the gelato recipe from Ciao Bella, except this base lacks egg yolks. Ice cream typically has 10 – 18% butterfat, while gelato generally has 4 – 9% butterfat. Given the amount of milk used here, it’s likely that this Mexican ice cream has a butterfat percentage towards the lower end of ice cream, closer to gelato.
Cornstarch: this is used as a thickener by other brands as well such as Jeni’s Ice Cream. It serves the same function as eggs in custard-based ice creams—it adds structure and texture. It also removes a little moisture from the base, keeping it creamy and smooth.
Heat: Heat loosens the proteins in the milk, making for a richer, milkier-flavored base. It also helps the milk proteins bind to water in the base. This keeps the base creamy, preventing ice 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 and Ample Hills, La Newyorkina recommends that the base rest in the fridge at least 4 hours, and ideally overnight. 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.
Contents
LA NEWYORKINA MEXICAN ICE CREAM BASE RECIPE
Yield
1 quart
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Set another bowl over it. Place a fine-mesh sieve nearby.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the milk.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together remaining 1 1/2 cups milk with the sugar. Simmer while stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Give the cornstarch mixture a stir to recombine. Then whisk the cornstarch into the saucepan with the milk and sugar.
- Continue to cook, whisking continually, until the mixture simmers and thickens.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve into the bowl sitting in the prepared ice bath.
- Add the cream and salt into the bowl. Whisk continually until the mixture cools completely.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Whisk the base again to recombine before placing in ice cream maker. Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Process as you usually would, following manufacturer instructions. For soft ice cream, serve immediately; for firm ice cream, transfer to a container and freeze to harden 2 – 3 hours.
Books
Need to know how Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina does it? Get her cookbook:
Mexican Ice Cream: Beloved Recipes and Stories by Fany Gerson
Website
Order Home Delivery
Related
Read all the La Newyorkina ice cream pint reviews. (Coming soon!)
Read all the ice cream base recipes of the famous brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs.
Last Updated on September 2, 2022 by Ice Cream Admin
