Transform Leftover Tempura Batter Into A Sweet Ice Cream Topping

Much like American food, Japanese cuisine boasts a rich tapestry of influences from across the globe. In the 16th century, when Portuguese sailors came to Japanese shores, along with soap and firearms, they also brought the blueprints for what would be known today as tempura. A culinary dream come true, tempura is now a favorite Japanese dish that's basically batter-fried anything, though most commonly vegetables and fish.

Today, tempura can also be used as a batter for some of your favorite desserts. Some of the most popular include everything from deep-fried candy bars to tempura-fried apples. Yet, few pale in comparison to the crème de la crème of sweet tempura meals. When it comes to tempura and ice cream, you may already know just how incredible this combination is. However, this goes one step further: tempura as a topping itself. So, if you happen to find yourself with a surplus of tempura batter, you can turn it into an ice cream topping that will delight your taste buds.

The taste of your favorite ice cream combined with the crispy texture of tempura is one of the best ways to enjoy dessert. Stephanie Izard ("Iron Chef" and "Top Chef" champion) came up with a unique trick that totally changes the game of tempura and ice cream. As reported in Food & Wine, rather than covering ice cream in tempura and deep frying it, Izard found a way to use the batter the same way you would most other ice cream toppings — sprinkled on top. 

By using a squeeze bottle, Izard squirts small doses of tempura into hot oil and fries it up. After frying, the trend-setting chef takes the tempura bits and covers them with sugar. This new ice cream topping is loaded with a sweet crunch that you'll put on top of your favorite ice cream. Now, when you're in the mood for something that deviates from your usual go-to topping, just go back to the fridge and use the rest of that leftover tempura batter. What could be better than a sweet and crispy new ice cream topping?

There are even more ways you can go wild with your toppings. If you want something similar to the sweet crunch that tempura provides, you can grab a box of your favorite cookies — anything from peanut butter to cinnamon-sugar — and use them as a delicious ice cream topping. You can break them up or place them into your ice cream whole — there's no wrong way to do it. How about something a little more adventurous? Bacon bits, anyone? This may be one of the toppings you never thought you'd put on ice cream, however, it's certainly worth a try. If you prefer a little more sweetness, you can switch to candied bacon, which already has some brown sugar and cinnamon. Just sprinkle on as much, or as little, as you like.

For those who want more of a fruit flavor, you can top off your ice cream with pie fillings. If you're going with something like apple, you can use your own homemade apple pie filling and pour it on top until you can't see the ice cream anymore. If you're a fan of sweet and savory combinations, you can try pretzels, potato chips, crackers, or even Cheetos. Just crumble them and sprinkle them on top of your ice cream the same way you would any of your other favorite toppings.