Smoked Ice Cream Really Unlocks A New Level Of Flavor

There are tons of fun ways to amp up a bowl of ice cream, whether it's sprinkles, syrups, nuts, whipped cream, and so much more. One ice cream topping that most people don't think of adding, however, is smoke.

Like meats for a barbecue, smoked ice cream has a distinct taste with notes of the wood used to make it. This can help transform more standard flavors, like a simple vanilla ice cream, into a truly unique dessert. Smoked ice cream can be either made while the ingredients are in their raw form or just by smoking already prepared ice cream. Either way, this adds a smoky taste to your dish before you harden it and turn it into your favorite summer treat.

If this all sounds a bit kooky to you, it pays to know a bit more about how smoking works in the first place. Here's what to know about smoked ice cream, as well as how to go about making it yourself.

Traditionally, smoking is used for foods like meat and poultry as a way to infuse flavor into your meals. While smoking ice cream seems to be something that's only been invented in recent years, smoking food in general is an ancient practice. In fact, researchers believe that this goes all the way back to our cave-dwelling ancestors. Smoking meat was a way for them to cook and preserve the food that they had hunted. 

Today, smoking has been adapted thanks to modern machinery and is now used on veggies and all kinds of other foods. Although it can still be used as a way of preserving food, it's mostly used for adding flavor, as is the case when smoking everyone's favorite frozen dessert. With ice cream, you've just got to remember that the longer you smoke it, the stronger the flavor will be. If you're not after an overly woodsy addition to your ice cream, you may want to just smoke it for a few minutes. 

Smoking ice cream at home doesn't necessarily require a smoker, although that will make your job easier. If you don't have a smoker, however, you can actually use a simple charcoal grill to get the job done.

To make smoked ice cream with a charcoal grill, you'll need to start by preheating your grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. From there, grab 1 quart of ice cream and add it to a small bowl. Next, place that bowl in a larger, flameproof bowl and fill the flameproof bowl with ice.

The next step is to add two cups of unsoaked woodchips to your grill's embers, close the grill lid, and wait for about 3 to 5 minutes. Next, lift the lid, rotate the ice cream with a spatula, and smoke for another 3 minutes. That's it! You can now mix your smoked ice cream with non-smoked ice cream to adjust the flavor if it's too smoky, or you can just dig in and enjoy your new creation. Additionally, stick it in the freezer to eat another day.