Has anyone ever used melted ice cream as a baking ingredient?

[happybird]

Hear me out, lol!

I am finally getting around to making banana bread. I wanted to use blueberries so found a good looking recipe with stellar reviews:



Looks good. But, I ate all the vanilla yogurt and only have Black Cherry left. Hmmmm... that could be very tasty in the banana bread!

When I got into my blueberry bag from the freezer, there were barely a handful left. So, no blueberries. And with the cherry yogurt that might be too berry-fruity.

I love chocolate banana bread and muffins. I love chocolate and cherry together.
I forgot, again, to buy chocolate chips.

If leaving out the blueberries, this recipe will need a little more moisture. I do have plain chocolate ice cream. Thinking about melting down about 1/3 C, or maybe 1/2 C, and adding it to the wet ingredients. Would it work???

Surprisingly, with all my experiments and my deep love of ice cream, I’ve never tried to bake with it.

Thoughts and suggestions appreciated!

[Tetrachloride]

1. I suggest vanilla ice cream, but not necessarily chocolate

i have experimented with both in the past.

On the other hand, try it. Then you know.

[happybird]

5. I only have the chocolate ice cream

and it is Walmart brand. This could get ugly, lol!
Googling while waiting for the butter to soften. There are a lot of recipes using melted ice cream. I had no idea! I need to check the ice cream ingredient label to get a better idea on what other ingredients to add or leave out...

[TigressDem]

2. Sounds nummy.

I don't know why it wouldn't work, but not sure about the amount to use.

I would have to add it last and try to get a visual for how thick/thin the mix looks compared to normal.

My sister bakes banana bread, so I don't have to. LOL.

[happybird]

6. I'm hoping to feel my way along

using a few different recipes as a loose guide.

Today I learned there is something called Melted Ice Cream Bread that was internet famous about a decade ago. People have experimented with it and their recipes and photos look pretty darn good!

[TigressDem]

7. If it works, my sister wants to know now.

I asked her and she said she has used sour cream or cream cheese, but not ice cream either.

But if it works, and is tasty, she'll be trying it out too.

[happybird]

8. No problem!

I’ll keep track of measurements and take pics.
It will be a few hours, I just got a phone call and need to run out for a bit.

[happybird]

12. It turned out ok

Since my crap Walmart ice cream contains no eggs, I used the recipe in the OP and just added the ice cream to the banana/yogurt mixture. Scooped it loosely into a 1C and melted it in the microwave, which made about 1/2C melted.

The cherry from the yogurt (Activia brand) is stronger than both the chocolate and banana flavors. The texture is lovely, though. I belatedly realized I threw my loaf pan away when I moved (years of meatloafs made it funky) so used a small enameled cast iron dutch oven. Basically I made one huge muffin, lol! But it definitely is the consistency of banana bread. Set the timer for 40 min and had to add 10 more minutes, twice, to get it done through the center.

Next time: vanilla yogurt and chocolate chips! And one more banana.
Keeping the recipe because of the nice texture.
I have pics but they are on my new phone. Trying to email them to this ipad but they keep going to my new phone’s trash. No idea what’s going on there. Will try logging in to DU on my new phone and posting them that way.


What I learned: high quality ice cream is paramount. It’s basically a custard.
I am now intrigued with the idea of baking with ice cream. There are tons of easy recipes online. This one looks good and flexible on flavors, and seems like a good starting point. Will try it first after the next time I go grocery shopping and pick out a cool flavor of Ben And Jerry’s to use!

https://dailydishrecipes.com/ice-cream-bread-two-ingredient-recipes/

[TigressDem]

13. Nice

Sounds like fun.

So many recipes happen because we don't have something on hand, substitute and say, hey, not bad.

[happybird]

16. Got a photo

Also trying to upload one of it out of the pan and on the cooling rack but it’s windy here and my Wi-Fi is being crotchety



Yay, got it!

[Warpy]

3. First, you need to find some that melts properly

Most of the stuff out today has so many stabilizers in it that it's hard to get the stuff to melt, it tends to hold its shape no matter what and just forms large ice crystals instead. Please note the stabilizers tend to be guar or xanthan gums, not bad for us.

If I found a health food store brand that melted, I might use it in a sweet recipe that called for heavy cream when I didn't have heavy cream around, but I'd cut the sugar in the recipe down if there was a lot of cream to be subbed.

If, in the spirit of "well, hell, Columbus took a chance" you decide to do this, cut down some of the liquid in the bread. Personally, I'd rather have the warm chocolate banana bread with chocolate ice cream on the side, but please yourself. Even flops can be interesting, and you might become famous for your molten chocolate banana bread.

[happybird]

4. Google is telling me baking with ice cream was a thing back in the late 2010's.

Who knew? Apparently it got famous on Pinterest. There’s all sorts of bread and cake recipes with emphasis on easy, with minimal ingredients. Found this recipe:

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/banana-pecan-ice-cream-bread

Think I am going to use the two recipes as a loose guide and feel my way along. I’ve baked enough muffins/banana bread/coffee cakes to know what the textures of ingredients should be. Famous Last Words, lol!

I want that cherry yogurt in there, my chocolate ice cream is a crap brand (Walmart), and my flour is all purpose, not self rising. Since the ice cream is cheap, don’t think I can rely on it to rise. Will check the label but highly doubt there are actually eggs in it.

We’ll see what happens!

[lamp_shade]

9. I've used it as a substitute for creme fresh (fraiche).

[Major Nikon]

10. I'm not sure why you'd want to bake with it

In its most basic form, ice cream is just dairy and sugar that's frozen. Commercial ice cream has stabilizers and modifiers added that are great for ice cream, but don't do much for you in baked goods. Seems better just to add the basic ingredients you need which will be easier and cheaper than using ice cream.

[hippywife]

11. No, but...

I'll gladly take what's on the right side of your screen cap.

[Marthe48]

14. I made ice cream bread once

It was a quick bread. Think I made it for my grandkids. I used vanilla ice cream, and other than that, don't remember much about it. Have fun experimenting!

[happybird]

15. I'm excited to try out flavored ice cream quick breads!

I love a little something to nibble with my coffee or hot tea in the morning. There are so many cool premium ice creams now the flavor possibilities are nearly endless!