I am a huge fan of malt (a powder made from dried whole milk, malted barley and wheat flour) and think it’s a great addition to most ice cream flavors: banana, strawberry and chocolate, among them. Malt (aka malted milk powder) is sold in most grocery stores and is well loved for its use in a popular milkshake flavor made from vanilla ice cream, whole milk and a scoop of malt powder. Serve with roasted plums or apricots or garnish with chocolate chips, toasted or fresh coconut or tiny marshmallows.

  • Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 pints

Ingredients (9)

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • One 4-inch vanilla bean, split and scraped (optional)
  • 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup malt powder
  • 3 graham crackers (plain, cinnamon or chocolate covered), crumbled

Instructions

  1. Place the milk, cream, 1/4 cup of the sugar and, if desired, the vanilla bean seeds and pod (now empty) in a small pan and cook over low heat, whisking from time to time, until it is warm, about 175°F.
  2. Place the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the vanilla extract and salt in a small metal bowl and whisk until completely mixed. Add 1/4 cup of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, whisking all the while. Continue adding the milk to the eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have added about 1 1/2 cups. Slowly, whisking all the while, return the now milk and egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the pan and continue cooking until it just begins to thicken or reaches about 185°F. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Strain into a metal bowl and discard the solids. Gradually add the malt powder, whisking all the time. Set the mixture aside until it reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until it reaches 40ºF, about 3 hours. Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  3. When the ice cream is just beginning to come together but has not hardened completely, add the graham crackers and process for about 5 more minutes.