White Walker Ice Cream | Game of Thrones Inspired Recipes
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Winter is coming…in the form of ice cream.
If you aren’t caught up on the latest season of Game of Thrones – THERE’S GONNA BE BIG OL’ SPOILERS IN THIS POST! You’ve been warned!
The White Walkers have breached the Wall and are heading into Westeros. It’s official. Winter is HERE and very much alive…er…dead?
What the White Walkers and the Night King actually want is STILL a huge mystery – we now know where they come from but not why they are coming.
If you can’t tell, I’m a hard-core Game of Thrones theorist – and I believe the White Walkers want more ice cream!
If they’ve heard whispers about how good this ice cream is…well, then I’ll have to apologize for the destruction of the land of the living ’cause this ice cream is AMAZING.
We know from season seven that the Night King, White Walkers, and wights are now making their way south of the Wall, bringing all the snow and ice with them – as well as reanimating the dead as they go. We also know that the Night King – and probably his White Walker cronies – have more than just the wights, giants, and undead polar bears on their side; apparently, they can also create magical ice spears that’ll kill…just about anything.
Now excuse me while I sob into this bowl of ice cream… cries in Targaryen
I have a theory that the Night King wants more than just the power of ice dragons and the trifles of men. I believe he is after their life blood – which also happens to make a delicious sauce to drizzle over ice cream.
Honestly, now I’m just even more convinced the Night King is on his way to my house for an ice cream social.
Truthfully, I don’t think we’re in for a happy ending to Game of Thrones – GRRM himself has alluded to one that is more ‘bittersweet’ than anything, leading many to believe the Night King will be the one sitting on the throne at the end of the series.
If only Jon Snow could send a raven to the Night King inviting him down for a bowl of ice cream, they could probably work out a deal to keep the peace of the Seven Kingdoms.
Regardless of who is sitting on the throne at the end of the show, one thing is for sure: this ice cream is slow-churned to perfection, which is still faster than GRRM is churning out the final book.
Here’s What You Need
- Egg yolks: Adds richness and helps to thicken the ice cream.
- Sugar: Sweetens the ice cream base.
- Heavy cream: Provides a creamy, luxurious texture.
- Vanilla: Adds a warm, aromatic flavor.
- Honey: Gives a subtle sweetness and smooth texture.
- Salt: Enhances and balances the flavors.
- Cream cheese: Adds tanginess and a smooth texture.
- Buttermilk: Contributes a tangy flavor and creamy texture.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the flavor and balances sweetness.
- Brown sugar: Adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness to the crumble.
- Butter: Helps to bind the crumble mixture.
- Flour: Provides structure to the crumble.
- Black food coloring gel: For coloring the crumble, making it night-like.
- Royal blue food coloring gel: Adds an icy blue color to the crumble.
- Red food coloring gel: For making the ‘life blood’ sauce.
- Caramel sauce: Sweetens the ‘life blood’ sauce.
- Chocolate sauce: Adds richness to the ‘life blood’ sauce.
- Blue candy melts: Adds a fun, thematic touch to the ice cream.
Let’s Cook
Use an immersion blender or whisk to blend the egg yolks and sugar until pale and frothy. This will give your ice cream a lovely, smooth texture. Set aside for now.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, vanilla, honey, and salt. Let it simmer until the liquid reaches 175°F. Once it hits the right temperature, take it off the heat.
Now, we need to temper the egg yolk mixture. This means adding a little of the hot cream mixture (about 2-3 tablespoons) to the yolks slowly, whisking until smooth. Once that’s done, return everything to the saucepan with the rest of the hot cream mixture.
Bring the mixture back to 175°F, stirring constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Once it’s back up to temperature, remove it from the heat. While it’s still hot, add the cream cheese, buttermilk, and lemon juice. Blend everything until it’s smooth, then chill for at least 2-3 hours until it’s no longer warm to the touch.
Make the Crumble
In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and flour. You want it to be crumbly but well mixed. Divide the crumbles into smaller bowls and stir in the black and blue food coloring into each bowl. The colors will give a fantastic visual effect to your ice cream.
Churn the Ice Cream
By now, your cream mixture should be thick but still pourable. Pour it into an ice cream churn and churn until thick and creamy, which usually takes about 1-2 hours.
Layer with Crumble and Candy
Scoop the churned ice cream into a large airtight container. Between scoops, sprinkle in the colored brown sugar crumbles and chopped blue candy melts. You can also swirl in additional food coloring if you want more dramatic colors. Just use a toothpick to help distribute it.
Seal the container tightly and let the ice cream freeze solid for about 8-10 hours.
Make the Life Blood Sauce
Just before serving, mix the caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and red food coloring to create your ‘life blood’ sauce. Scoop the ice cream into chilled bowls and drizzle with the sauce. Enjoy as if Westeros isn’t going to be overrun with White Walkers!
Tips for the Perfect White Walker Ice Cream
- Temperature Control: Make sure the cream mixture reaches exactly 175°F to ensure the eggs are properly cooked without scrambling.
- Chill Time: Don’t rush the chilling process. The ice cream base needs to be completely cool before churning to achieve the best texture.
- Coloring: Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant colors. Liquid food coloring might dilute the mixtures and affect the texture.
- Crumbles: Ensure the crumbles are well-coated with food coloring. This adds an exciting visual element to each bite.
- Freezing: Let the ice cream freeze completely (8-10 hours) for the best scooping texture. If it’s too soft, it might melt too quickly when served.
This White Walker ice cream might not stop the Night King, but it will definitely win over the living. As we brace for the next twist in Game of Thrones, at least we can do so with a bowl of this frosty treat in hand. It’s the perfect combination of creamy, tangy, and sweet, with a touch of icy magic. Plus, the ‘life blood’ sauce is bound to make any GOT fan feel like they’ve just made a truce with the Night King himself. So, while winter might be coming, at least we can enjoy some ice cream while we wait to see who ends up on the Iron Throne.
White Walker Ice Cream | Game of Thrones Inspired Recipes
Equipment
- air tight container
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 16 oz heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature & cut into cubes
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon black food coloring gel
- 1 teaspoon royal blue food coloring gel
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring gel
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- 2 tablespoons chocolate cause
- 1 cup blue candy melts
Instructions
- Use an immersion blender or whisk to blend the egg yolks and sugar until pale and frothy. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, vanilla, honey, and salt. Simmer until the liquid reaches 175°F. Remove from the heat.
- Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding about 2-3 tablespoons of the heavy cream mixture to the egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Return the tempered mixture to the pan with the rest of the heavy cream mixture.
- Return the liquid to 175°F, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and while the liquid is still hot, add the cream cheese, buttermilk, and lemon juice. Use the immersion blender or a whisk to blend the liquid until smooth, then chill for at least 2-3 hours, until the liquid is no longer warm to the touch.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and flour. Whisk until the brown sugar is crumbly and all of the flour is absorbed.
- Separate the crumbles into smaller bowls. Stir the black and blue food coloring into each respective bowl so that the brown sugar crumbles are coated in food coloring. Set aside while you make the rest of the ice cream.
- Chop the blue candy melts into small, rough pieces. Set aside.
- At this point, the cream mixture should be thick but still very runny. Transfer the chilled cream mix into an ice cream churn. Churn the ice cream until thick and creamy – about 1-2 hours.
- Scoop the churned ice cream into a large airtight container. Between scoops, sprinkle in the colored brown sugar crumbles and candy melts. Swirl in additional food coloring, as desired (I used the remaining gel on toothpicks I used to get the gel out of the containers).
- Cover the ice cream airtight and let freeze solid – about 8-10 hours.
- Just prior to serving, combine the caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and red food coloring to make a 'life blood' sauce.
- Scoop the ice cream into a chilled bowl and drizzle on the 'life blood' sauce. Enjoy as if Westeros isn't going to be overrun with White Walkers.
