Lemon Chocolate Doberge Ice Cream

Hurricane Issac put a little damper on the ice cream making, but I am back.  Thanks to all those who checked on my well-being during the storm.  I was actually stuck out of town because of the storm, and my husband (and the cats) held down the fort.  We were out of power for a while but all is well in the Scoop Adventures household.  My husband bought some dry ice before storm in an attempt to save my ice cream pints, but after two days the dry ice was running low.  Luckily, we had friends who only lost power for a day and they were willing to save the ice cream (and also eat it).  Thanks to them, I have more ice cream to share with you.

This week I bring you Lemon Chocolate Doberge Ice Cream.  If you do not live in New Orleans, you may not know about this flavor.  Doberge cake is a tall, thinly layered cake designed in New Orleans.  It is often made with layers of butter cake and alternating layers of lemon or chocolate pudding and then iced with the appropriate flavor.  Some people, like my friend Jonathan, special request Lemon Chocolate Doberge cake, with layers of cake and lemon pudding iced with chocolate ganache.

The other day during a party, Jonathan exclaimed that he would pay for my ice cream business if I could make him a Lemon Chocolate Doberge ice cream.  Although I didn't expect him to shell out the money, I was happy to take on the challenge.  I started with a tart lemon base and added chucks of lemon soaked butter cake and swirls of chocolate fudge.  Jonathan loved it!  We both agreed that I needed to add bigger swirls of chocolate next time but the flavor was great.  If you love Doberge cake, you must try this flavor.  Enjoy!

Lemon Chocolate Doberge Ice Cream
Recipe made utilizing techniques and adapted recipes from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream at Home & The Perfect Scoop

Making this ice cream requires several steps.  First make the cake and fudge sauce so each have ample time to cool, then make the ice cream base and add mix-ins to the base.  The final flavor is worth every ounce of effort!

Butter Cake

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup sifted cake flour

Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by buttering the bottom only. Melt butter and add vanilla to melted butter; set aside.

Using a stand mixer, combine eggs, egg yolks, both sugars, and salt in the mixer bowl and whip for 8 to 10 minutes until thick and light in color, tripled in volume.  Fold in flour.  Fold in melted butter mixture.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes (cake should be golden brown and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan).  Cool for 10 minutes in pan, remove, and cool completely. Once cool, cut cake in half and freeze half for future use.  Cut remaining cake into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside.

Fudge Swirl
 
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
6 tablespoons (50 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.  Continue to whisk until the mixture just comes to a boil.  Cook for 1 minutes, whisking frequently.  Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool.  Chill in the refrigerator before using.

Lemon Butter Ice Cream

Lemon syrup:
4 to 6 lemons
1/4 cup sugar

Ice Cream base:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups whole milk
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
Zest of 2 lemons (reserved from above)

To make lemon syrup, remove large strips of zest from 2 lemons using a vegetable peeler; set aside.  Halve and squeeze lemons, removing enough juice to make 1 cup.  Combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan.  Over medium heat bring juice and sugar to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator.

Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. Set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring butter to a boil and simmer until the foam subsides but butter has not yet browned (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes, allowing butter solids to settle to the bottom of the pan.  Slowly pour clear butter oil into a storage container.  When there is very little oil remaining, use a small spoon to remove as much melted butter as possible.  There should be about 1 teaspoon of butter solids and a small bit of melted butter left in the pan.

Add remaining milk, heavy cream, 2/3 cup sugar, corn syrup and lemon zest to the butter solids.  Bring milk mixture to a boil.  Cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes (must be exact for correct consistency). Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Gradually pour the hot milk mixture through the sieve into a medium bowl. Add salt and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 20 minutes. Chill the mixture thoroughly (at least 4 hours or overnight).

To Make Lemon Chocolate Doberge Ice Cream:

Once ice cream base is chilled, remove lemon zest and pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When machine is running, pour half of the lemon syrup through the opening in the top of the machine.  Continue to churn until ice cream thick and creamy. 

Meanwhile, combine the second half of the lemon syrup with the cake pieces.  Toss to combine and sit at room temperature to allow the cake to soak up the syrup.

Place a small layer of fudge swirl and lemon cake pieces on the bottom of a plastic ice cream container.  Lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top.  Continue to alternate layers of fudge and cake and ice cream until the container is full.  Place a few remaining pieces of cake and additional fudge on top.  Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and close with an airtight lid.  Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.