Ice Cream Class

Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

Crème fraîche is delicious and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/creme-fraiche">simple to make at home</a>, and there are countless ways to use it: dollop it on soups, stir it into pan sauces, scoop some onto pancakes and waffles, etc. You know what else you can use it for? Ice cream!Think of it like a richer, creamier version of milk ice cream, with intense dairy flavor and a slight tang that makes it way more interesting. Add in a little vanilla and you’ve got a vanilla ice cream that’s all grown up: more character, more complexity, more flavor.This recipe started out as a crème fraîche riff on our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/fromage-blanc-sorbet">fromage blanc sorbet</a>, but I had to cut some of the dairy with water to account for the higher amount of fat in crème fraîche.And just as crème fraîche can be used in both savory and sweet applications, this recipe can be adjusted to produce an ice cream that’s perfect for savory applications. Just cut the sugar amount in half and follow the recipe as written. You can then use it in a playful riff on a traditional caviar spread or serve it alongside some smoked salmon with all the fixings.NOTE: You can churn this base with whatever ice cream-making equipment you have. If you want to use a Ninja Creami (one of our favorite <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/guides-tools/gadget-lover-gifts">kitchen gadgets</a>) to spin the ice cream, you’ll have to spin it two or more times to get the right texture. Doing it just once will yield a crumbly mixture; spin it a couple more times and it’ll be smooth as silk.

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream