Lemon-speculoos Ice Cream

Makes about 1½ quarts (1½l)

Belgians have their own version of gingersnaps, called speculoos (SPEC-ou-looze). They’re meant to be nibbled alongside the copious amounts of beer that Belgians drink, which was one of the many lessons I learned when I went to chocolate school there. Belgians like their beer so much that outdoor beer gardens are busy all year long, even during the freezing cold winters. We had to brush the snow off our table to put down our glasses! The good news is that you don’t have to worry about your beer getting warm.

Back home, I found that speculoos go equally well with lemon ice cream when the cookies are crumbled and folded in. Like Belgian beer, this can be consumed any time of the year and it’s especially good when served frosty cold.

Recipe

Zest the lemons directly into a food processor or blender. Add the sugar and blend until the lemon zest is very fine.

Warm the milk with the lemon-scented sugar, ½ cup (125ml) of the heavy cream, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from the heat, and let infuse for 1 hour.

Rewarm the lemon-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1½ cups (375ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm lemon-infused milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.

Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Discard the lemon zest and stir over an ice bath until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, fold in the crumbled speculoos.

PERFECT PAIRING: Because speculoos are meant to be enjoyed with beer, try pairing this ice cream with a fruity Belgian beer for dessert. I’m particularly fond of kriek, a sour-cherry beer, which you can find in well-stocked supermarkets and liquor stores.

Speculoos

Makes 1½ cups (200g)

These cookie chunks are inspired by the famous spiced cookies from Belgium. Zippier than American gingersnaps, Speculoos have become popular worldwide thanks to a (very) hard-to-resist spread made with them. Soft-baked Speculoos meld wonderfully when folded into ice cream, but if you’d like to make them crunchier, break the cookies into little bite-size nuggets and toast them in a 325°F (165°C) oven for about 10 minutes, until dry and crispy. Let cool completely, then fold the crunchy bits into your ice cream.

Speculoos Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the molasses and egg yolk.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until smooth. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, and, using your hands, pat it into a circle about 5 inches (12cm) in diameter. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Mixing them in : Break the Speculoos into bite-size chunks and fold them into 1 quart (1l) of ice cream as you remove it from the machine.

Storage : The unbaked dough can also be wrapped well and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Once baked, Speculoos can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.