Chartreuse Ice Cream

   Introduced in the early 1600’s by Charthusian Monks, Chartreuse is a very complex liqueur.  Only two people alive today know the 130 herbs and plants and the technique to create the natural green (or yellow) color.  Chartreuse is a liqueur that is so high in alcohol (110 proof) and flavor that you must tread carefully when developing new cocktails using Chartreuse.  If you do a Google search you will find countless recipes, how many are actually good, who knows.  I’m scared to try a lot of them, (a major drink recipe site had one with coca cola and sweet and sour mix?)
   Browsing through a book on Vodka the other day (Vodka, by Von Goeben) I came across a recipe for Vodka ice cream using Glucose.  I have seen many “Liquor” ice creams, mostly using gelatin or making ice cream and very small amounts of some alcohol.  When I saw this base recipe I tried it right away and was a little disappointed.  It tasted pretty bland?  But, the color and texture were great, I needed to do more.  Chartreuse came to my mind instantly because its strong flavor will cut through the filler. 
   I didn’t want to go down the route of a strictly ice cream cocktail, I like messing around and making liquids into anything but liquids but a truly enjoyable and refreshing cocktail just needs to be sipped!  So I played around and made a good, slightly strong Chartreuse ice cream and will use a single scoop in a cocktail to help keep the drink cool in these hot months as well as slowly release more and more Chartreuse into the cocktail converting everyone into die hard Chartreuse drinkers… (Insert evil laugh here.)
   The cocktail recipe I came up with to use the ice cream in is built upon one of my favorite drinks, a Sidecar.  I added the pineapple to help bring this from a brandy heavy drink to a lighter more summery drink.  The ice cream lasts about 5 minutes in the drink, but looks great when served.  As the ice cream melts, the more Chartreuse is released.  Give it a try, even without the ice cream; the cocktail holds its own.

 
       The Lost Soul

       11/4 oz brandy
       1/2 oz cointreau
       1/2 oz pineapple juice
       1/2 oz lemon juice
       1/4 oz chartreuse
       1/4 oz simple syrup
       Combine all into a mixing glass with ice and stir until glass is frosty.  Strain into small cocktail glass and garnish with a scoop of Chartreuse Ice Cream ( I used about a 1 oz scoop?) 

 

       Chartreuse Ice Cream

       1 cup water
       1/4 cup chartreuse
       1/3 cup lemon juice
       1/3 cup cane sugar
       1 oz corn syrup
       1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
       Bring water, sugar, tarter, and corn syrup to a boil.  Let boil for a minute or two then remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice and Chartreuse, stir and put in a ice cream machine or pour into a bowl and whisk every 20 minutes for about 3 hours.

   Of course if this is something that you mess around with or want to put on a menu you will need an ice machine.  You can pick up a small one for about 50 bucks.  If you come up with something good enough maybe the bar will buy one for you?  Email me with any cool ice cream concoctions you come up with you like, cheers.

Article and Drink By: Mark Sexauer