ice cream custard is too thick -- should I thin it out before churning?
My ice cream case is chilling in the fridge, and I believe it is thicker than it should be (see explanatory events below). Does anyone know -- if you freeze "too thick" custard, what will the final product be like? Should I try to thin it out by pouring in extra liquid (like a little more cream or whole milk) before churning it? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
What happened: I made an ice cream base using Jeni Britton's recipe, which calls for thickening the cream/milk/sugar mixture with a bit of corn starch. I've made this recipe at least a dozen times, but today I messed up and added the corn starch before my milk/cream mixture was ready. The corn starch clumped and did not dissolve, so the base didn't properly thicken. I tried to save it by straining out the clumps, reheating the mixture and whisking in a small amount of additional amount of corn starch. It thickened... but too much, I think, based on what the custard looks like when I normally make it.
[The original recipe can be found here -- http://www.foodandwine...
Despite my problems today, it really is a great recipe. The end product has fantastic, creamy texture and the flavor of the vanilla and cream really shine. And you don't have to worry about what to do with 3 egg whites afterwards.]
8 Comments
I will be sure to report back after I churn it this evening. It is supposed to accompany my husband's sour cherry pie at a dinner party we're having tonight, but if it doesn't work out, the pie will be unadorned :) My fingers are crossed.
Please be sure to let us know how it turns out!