Pretzel Ice Cream Recipes

ICE CREAM PRETZEL CAKE

Steps:

• Place crushed pretzels in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Cover and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Spread fudge topping over crust; cover and freeze. , Set aside 16 chocolate-covered pretzels for garnish. Place remaining pretzels in a food processor; cover and process until crumbly. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in ice cream. Spread over fudge topping. Drizzle with caramel topping. Garnish with reserved pretzels. Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.

SALTY PEANUT-PRETZEL ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add pretzels, 1/4 cup peanuts and brown sugar to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles very coarse sand with a few larger pieces remaining. Pulse in the butter until well combined.
• Press about 3/4 cup of the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Spread the remaining mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake crust and crumbs until light golden and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. The crust may take a bit longer to brown (another 2 to 3 minutes). Set pans on a rack to cool completely.
• When the crust and crumbs are cool, transfer 1 quart of the ice cream to a large bowl and use a wooden spoon to break it into a few pieces. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Drizzle half the peanut butter over the top and gently fold it into the ice cream, so some ribbons of peanut butter remain.
• Scoop the ice cream mixture onto the cooled crust and use an offset spatula to gently spread it to the edges of the pan, being careful not to pull the crust away from the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the top of the ice cream with 1 tablespoon of honey and use the tip of a knife or wooden skewer to swirl it as best you can into the surface of the ice cream. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the peanut-pretzel crumbs from the baking sheet over the top and gently press them into the ice cream. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the cake in the freezer.
• After about an hour, soften the second quart of ice cream, and mix the remaining half of the peanut butter into it, and spread as before. Drizzle the remaining honey over the top and swirl it into the surface of the ice cream. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and return it to the freezer to chill the cake for at least 4 hours before serving, and up to overnight.
• Just before serving, whip the cream to soft peaks, and stir the remaining whole peanuts into the remaining peanut-pretzel crumbs.
• To unmold the cake, run a thin knife or offset spatula under hot water to warm it, and slide it around the edges of the cake. Remove the outer ring of the springform pan, dollop the top of the cake with whipped cream, lightly spread it to the edge, and sprinkle the remaining peanut-pretzel mixture around the top edge. Slice and serve.

PRETZEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300°F.
• Spread the pretzels on a sheet pan and toast for 15 minutes, until the pretzels have slightly darkened in color and your kitchen smells pretzely. Cool completely.
• Put the pretzels in a large bowl, pour the milk over them, and stir while steeping for 2 minutes.
• Strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the soggy pieces of pretzel.
• Bloom the gelatin (see page 29).
• Warm a little bit of the pretzel milk and whisk in the gelatin to dissolve. Add the remaining pretzel milk, glucose, brown sugar, cream cheese, salt, and baking soda and whisk until all of the ingredients are fully dissolved and incorporated.
• Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream is best spun just before serving or using, but it will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the sheet gelatin: use 3/4 teaspoon. In a pinch, substitute 75 g (1/4 cup) corn syrup for the glucose.
• This recipe uses cream cheese to give an even creamier texture and mouth feel to the ice cream; it works well because the malty pretzel flavor overpowers the flavor of the cream cheese.
• Instead of a whisk, use a hand blender to mix the ice cream base.

PRETZEL ICE CREAM PIE

Steps:

• 1. Using your hands (or a food processor if you prefer), crumble the pretzel crunch clusters to half their size. (The smaller size will make for better distribution of the moisture and fat, creating a nice crunchy crust.)
• 2. Toss the melted butter into the crumbled pretzel crunch, mixing well. Using your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the mixture firmly into a 10-inch pie tin, making sure the bottom and sides of the pie tin are evenly covered. Wrapped in plastic, the crust can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• 3. Use a spatula to spread the ice cream into the pie shell. Freeze the pie for at least 3 hours, or until the ice cream is frozen hard enough so the pie is easy to cut and serve. Wrapped in plastic wrap, the pie will keep for 2 weeks in the freezer.

MINI ICE CREAM PRETZEL SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Spoon about 2 teaspoons ice cream onto 12 Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps®, and smooth out over the pretzel. Top with a strawberry slice and a square of chocolate candy bar. Add a small dollop of ice cream on top to hold the sandwich together. Top with remaining Pretzel Crisps®.
• Arrange on a serving plate and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the ice cream is re-frozen before serving.