Luxurious No-Churn Cognac Ice Cream: An Elegant & Easy Homemade Dessert Recipe

Are you searching for a dessert that truly stands out? Something beyond the ordinary, offering a refined taste and an exquisite texture? Look no further than this incredible homemade Cognac Ice Cream. It’s a surprising delight that, once you’ve tried it, will undoubtedly become a staple in your dessert repertoire. Forget complicated ice cream machines; this recipe promises a remarkably airy and creamy treat without any churning required, making elegant indulgence accessible to every home cook.

The secret to this ice cream’s unique, light-as-air texture lies in its sophisticated base: a rich custard beautifully combined with a delicate Italian meringue. This ingenious pairing creates a dessert that’s both decadently creamy and wonderfully ethereal, melting delightfully on your tongue. The addition of gelatin acts as a binder, ensuring perfect consistency, while a generous touch of high-quality cognac infuses every spoonful with a warm, sophisticated, and undeniably elegant flavor. This isn’t just ice cream; it’s a culinary experience designed to impress.

Why This Cognac Ice Cream Will Be Your New Favorite

There’s something truly magical about the way cognac transforms a simple dessert into an extraordinary one. Its complex notes of dried fruit, vanilla, and subtle spice perfectly complement the sweetness of the cream and sugar, adding depth and warmth. This recipe highlights the versatility of cognac, showcasing how it can elevate a classic dessert to a gourmet level. Beyond its incredible flavor, the “no-churn” aspect is a game-changer. By incorporating an Italian meringue, we introduce air and stability, eliminating the need for an ice cream maker and giving you more time to savor the anticipation.

The Science Behind the Silky Smooth Texture

Understanding the components of this recipe reveals the clever techniques that result in such a luxurious ice cream. The base begins with a classic custard, made from egg yolks, sugar, and often cream or milk. Egg yolks are fantastic emulsifiers, binding fat and water together to create a smooth, rich consistency. When cooked to a specific temperature, they thicken the base, providing that signature creamy mouthfeel.

The innovation comes with the Italian meringue. Unlike traditional meringues, an Italian meringue is made by slowly drizzling hot sugar syrup into whipping egg whites. This process not only cooks the egg whites, making them safe to consume, but also creates a incredibly stable, glossy foam. When folded into the custard base, this meringue introduces a vast amount of tiny air bubbles. These air bubbles are crucial for two reasons: they contribute to the ice cream’s light and airy texture, and they prevent the formation of large ice crystals during freezing. Larger ice crystals are what typically make homemade ice cream grainy or icy if not churned. The small amount of gelatin further stabilizes the mixture, preventing separation and ensuring a consistently smooth, delightful scoop every time.

Expert Tips for Perfecting Your Cognac Ice Cream

• Fluffy Meringue is Key: For the fluffiest egg whites, ensure your mixing bowl and whisk attachments are immaculately clean. Any trace of fat (from oil, butter, or even egg yolk) can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly. A quick wash with hot water and soap, followed by a thorough rinse, is recommended. Start with whipping the egg whites before handling other ingredients to minimize contamination risks.
• Sugar Syrup Precision: Achieving the correct temperature for your sugar syrups (250°F / 121°C) is vital for the success of both the Italian meringue and the custard base. A reliable candy thermometer is an invaluable tool here. Pour the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream into the whipping eggs to temper them gradually and prevent scrambling.
• Raw Egg Alternative: If you prefer to avoid raw eggs due to dietary concerns (e.g., for children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems), you can still enjoy a fantastic no-churn ice cream. Instead of the custard and Italian meringue, combine 3 cups (750 ml) heavy cream, ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar, and 1 cup (250 grams) mascarpone. Whip until thick and creamy, then gently fold in the cooled cognac. This will yield a richer, denser ice cream, but still incredibly delicious and completely safe.
• Serving Suggestions to Elevate Your Dessert: This Cognac Ice Cream is exquisite on its own, but it truly shines with thoughtful accompaniments. Shavings of high-quality dark chocolate offer a beautiful bitterness that contrasts wonderfully with the sweet, boozy ice cream. Fresh, ripe strawberries add a burst of acidity and freshness. Other fantastic options include a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, toasted slivered almonds, or a delicate brandy snap cookie for an added crunch.
• No Ice Cream Machine Needed: One of the most appealing aspects of this recipe is its simplicity. Thanks to the air incorporated by the Italian meringue and the stabilizing effect of gelatin, the ice cream remains smooth and scoopable without the constant agitation an ice cream maker provides. Simply pour the prepared mixture into a freezer-safe container, and let your freezer do the rest.
• Storage for Longevity: Your homemade Cognac Ice Cream will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. To maintain optimal texture, try to place a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container. This helps prevent freezer burn and the formation of ice crystals. If you notice significant ice crystals forming, it’s a sign that the texture has degraded, and it’s best to discard it for safety and quality reasons.

📖 Recipe

RECIPE CARD

Cognac Ice cream

Andréa

Sometimes you want something else for dessert. Something refined, tasty and full of flavor. This cognac ice cream is really a surprise, if you’ve made it once, you definitely will make it more often.

5 of 32 votes

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Freezer time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine European Cuisine

Servings 6 persons

Calories 462 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ ⅓ teaspoon gelatin powder
• ▢ ¾ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 egg whites, size L
• ▢ 5 egg yolks, size L
• ▢ 4 tablespoons Cognac
• ▢ 2¼ cups heavy cream

All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• ▢
  Soak the gelatin powder in cold water according to package instructions. This usually means sprinkling it over cold water and letting it bloom for 5-10 minutes.
  ⅓ teaspoon gelatin powder
• ▢
  In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup (90 grams) of sugar with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue to heat without stirring until the syrup reaches a temperature of 250 °F (ca. 121 °C) on a candy thermometer.
  ¾ cup sugar
• ▢
  While the sugar syrup is heating, beat the egg whites in a very clean bowl with clean mixing hooks until they form stiff, glossy peaks. This is your meringue base.
  2 egg whites
• ▢
  Once the sugar syrup reaches 250 °F (121 °C), carefully and slowly pour it in a thin stream into the whipping egg whites while continuously mixing on medium-high speed. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy, and has cooled to room temperature (the bowl should no longer feel warm to the touch). This creates your Italian meringue.
• ▢
  Next, combine the remaining sugar (¼ cup) and 4 tablespoons of water in another small saucepan. Heat until it reaches 250 °F (ca. 121 °C), following the same method as before.
• ▢
  While the second sugar syrup is heating, beat the egg yolks in a clean bowl until they are pale yellow and creamy. They should have increased in volume.
  5 egg yolks
• ▢
  As soon as the second sugar syrup reaches 250 °F (121 °C), carefully and slowly pour it into the beaten egg yolks while continuously mixing on medium-high speed. Continue beating until the mixture is thick, pale, and has cooled to room temperature. This forms your custard base.
• ▢
  Gently heat the cognac in a small saucepan until it is warm (do not boil). Remove from heat immediately.
  4 tablespoons Cognac
• ▢
  Squeeze any excess water from the bloomed gelatin (if using sheet gelatin, otherwise stir powder into warm cognac) and dissolve it completely in the warm cognac, stirring until no lumps remain.
• ▢
  Allow the cognac-gelatin mixture to cool to room temperature. It should still be liquid.
• ▢
  In a separate chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream with a mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to overbeat, or it will become grainy.
  2¼ cups heavy cream

Prepare the ice cream

• ▢
  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard base using a spatula. Mix until just combined, being careful not to deflate the cream.
• ▢
  Next, carefully fold in the Italian meringue until the mixture is uniform and airy. This step is crucial for the no-churn aspect.
• ▢
  Finally, gently stir in the cooled cognac-gelatin mixture until well incorporated.
• ▢
  Pour the entire cream mixture into a freezer-safe container, cover tightly (preferably with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface), and freeze for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm.

Notes

1. Egg whites: Because this recipe requires fluffy egg whites, use a bowl and mix hooks that you clean thoroughly before use with hot water and detergent. In addition, start with this step, so you do not accidentally mix some drops of fat or egg yolk or cream in your meringue.

2. Raw eggs: If you would rather not use raw eggs in your base as children, the sick and elderly people can get sick of it, use the following ingredients as your ice cream base. Take 3 cups (750 ml) cream, ¾ cups (150 grams) of sugar, and 1 cup (250 grams) of mascarpone, instead of the custard and Italian meringue. Mix everything well and pour into the freezer box and freeze in the fridge.

3. Delicious with: Add shavings of dark chocolate and strawberries. A delicious combination with the cognac.

4. No Ice Maker required: Because meringue with a custard base is used in this recipe, the ice is so airy you can just put it in the freezer, and you won’t need an ice cream machine.

5. Storage: You can store homemade cognac ice cream for up to 1 month. If you see ice crystals on the ice cream, you should throw the ice cream away and not eat it again.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 277mgSodium: 56mgSugar: 25gVitamin A: 1441IUVitamin C: 1mg

Keyword a simple homemade ice cream recipe, An creamy ice cream recipe, no-churn ice cream, elegant dessert, cognac dessert

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