Guinness is best served extra cold, as the bottle says. I think ice cream maximizes this.

It all started two years ago, when I decided to follow a recipe (it is a rarity) of Grammercy Tavern’s Pastry Chef, Claudia Flemming. In her book, The Last Course, I made her guinness stout cake. Honestly, I didn’t taste Guinness. I tasted a moist, delicious spice cake. Not what I was going for though. Guinness is one of my favorite beers and I wanted to taste it in this cake.

My immediate thought.. I could get a stronger Guinness flavor by making ice cream ! Umm Yeah !.! I was working on a St. Patricks plated dessert.

Searching recipes on the internet and ones I had, I combined a few and learned.

1. The less molasses the better 2. No on the cassis (When I was visiting my welsh friend, Cath in England for St. Patrick’s Day I might add, she had Guinness with a splash of cassis liquer. I tried it. Not bad. The sweet berry syrup cut down the bitterness and made easier for someone to drink).

Cath in front of St. James Gate Brewery.

3. Easy on the Cloves. 4. Ask others opinions, if they taste ginger. Ginger tends to overpower the other spices and flavors. Ginger is also, one of the rare flavors that has to be incredible pronounced for me to taste. To achieve the subtly needed I need to consult with my co-workers.

I was not happy with my first batch. It was tasting more and more like Lucky Charms Cereal. To save the batch I added a bottle and a half of beer and spun it. It had potential. Most said they could taste Guinness. I was just glad it wasn’t Lucky Charms Cereal Ice Cream anymore.

Two Years Later… I am thrilled with it. Strong on Guinness Beer with a hint of spice and coffee, a creamy and cool texture, plus, I love the gingerbread stout cake with it! This is how cake is suppose to accompany ice cream. Ice cream allows one to highlight the true flavor of the original ingredient. The creamy, refreshing alcoholic zing, plus the moist spice cake, results in a delightful comfort of true happiness.

 

Close up of the Guinness Ice Cream with gingerbread stout cake

 

Product placement !!