How to Make Ice Cream Tempura

Tempura batter is easy to make.

Hot, crunchy batter and smooth, creamy ice cream combine to make a delicious dessert that is appearing on menus from coast to coast. While deep fried foods may be considered unhealthy, they are as popular as ever, and chefs are experimenting with frying everything from candy bars to strips of bacon. With patience and attention it is possible to make this tempura-battered ice cream treat at home, providing you have a deep fat fryer or a large, deep saucepan in which you can deep fry.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup rice flour
• 3/4 cup cold sparkling water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 pint ice cream
• 4 cups vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. Combine the rice flour, sparkling water, vanilla extract and salt together and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Let the batter stand for ten minutes before using it.

2. Scoop balls of ice cream onto a baking tray, using an ice cream scoop. Work quickly to avoid too much melting. Place the tray of ice cream in a freezer for at least one hour before you want to fry the dessert. You need the ice cream balls to be as hard as possible, so that they will withstand the deep frying process.

3. Heat your deep fat fryer, or your oil in a deep saucepan to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Dip your ice cream balls into your tempura batter and lower each ball individually into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. Do not put too many in your pan at once, since this will lower the oil temperature and will not allow sufficient room for the balls to fry evenly.

5. Fry until the batter is golden, which should take around 20 seconds.

6. Remove the balls from the oil and drain on kitchen towels, before sprinkling with confectioner's sugar and serving. If you are feeling particularly decadent, you can serve the ice cream balls with a hot chocolate sauce or raspberry coulis.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are frying multiple balls, return your tray to the freezer between batches, so that the remaining ice cream balls do not melt.

• Check the temperature of your oil between each batch, and bring it back to 400 degrees, before putting more ice cream balls in to fry, since the ice cream will cool it.

• Experiment with different flavors of ice cream and sauces.

References

• "Bon Appetit Desserts : The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful": Barbara Fairchild: 2010

Resources

• "Deep Fry: Sunil Vijayakar: 2003
• Food Network: Recipes and Cooking