road trips for ice cream … Tin Roof Sundae

A few Mondays ago, I was looking ahead to an unusually quiet week. For some reason, my thoughts were consumed with ice cream, frozen custard specifically. I was thinking back to a wonderful place in Milwaukee that I used to visit a few times a year with an ex. Leon’s Frozen Custard is an iconic family owned drive-in and has been a Milwaukee institution since 1942. A stop, sometimes two, was in order every time we visited family in Wisconsin. Though they served basic food – hot dogs and such – it was the frozen custard that we craved. The more I thought about the place, the stronger the pull. So that slow Monday, I hopped in my car and headed north just after the morning rush. Nothing like a day trip for ice cream to start the week off right.

An hour and a half later as I pulled up to 27^th & Oklahoma, I may have squealed in delight. It was just as I remembered: a classic, 1950’s era drive-in that I was once told was the model for Arnold’s in the TV show Happy Days, though I have no idea if this is true. You just don’t see places like this anymore, certainly not in their original form. In these times of change, it made me immensely happy to see it look the same after all these years.

I parked and sidled up to a window to place my order. I had a plan: a tin roof sundae for now, pints of butter pecan for later. The Girl Scout in me was prepared: a cooler and ice packs sat on the front seat awaiting their precious cargo. If you’re going to drive 1 ½ hours for ice cream, you definitely need some for later.

Frozen custard, to me, is one of the best possible forms of ice cream. Rich with egg yolks and cream, it is incredibly smooth and delicious and I think Leon’s is some of the best with a steady cast of regular and rotating flavors. But the favorite, hands down, is the butter pecan. That is some good stuff, right there, with a slight butterscotch flavor, studded with crisp pecans and a whisper of salt. Actually, I can’t really speak to any flavors other than vanilla or butter pecan because even after numerous visits, I’ve never ventured beyond those two favorites. Maybe some day.

First up, eaten right at the building ledge to one side, was a tin roof sundae. Vanilla custard, chocolate syrup and salty Spanish peanuts, it is by far my favorite of all the sundae combinations. There’s something about cold-salty-sweet that reels me in hook, line and sinker. I’m not sure about the origin of the name “tin roof” but I found something online that says the sound of the peanuts being removed from the can sounded like rain on a tin roof. Seems like a stretch but whatever or however you call it, it’s delicious. And Leon’s was pretty good. Good as I remember but not great. Maybe I’ve become more discriminating in these intervening years but I knew I could make it better. After carefully tucking my frozen pints in the cooler for the long drive home, I immediately vowed to do so.

The frozen custard was easy, using a favorite recipe of mine but I switched the chocolate syrup to a hot fudge sauce. It needed something thicker, richer with a deeper chocolate flavor and a bit of that characteristic chew that is so great about hot fudge. A handful of salty nuts were required of course, Spanish peanuts being the preference. And a maraschino cherry, preferably with the stem because it just looks better and because I think every sundae needs a cherry. It’s rather nude without it.

The result, as predicted, is fantastic. In fact, I had one for breakfast this morning and I loved every minute of it. A little bit of Leon’s in my very own home without the 3 hour drive. Not too shabby.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: A FONZIE (TWO THUMBS UP). Geez, is there anything happier than an ice cream sundae? I don’t think so. Ice cream with delicious toppings make a great reward for a job well done or even just something nice to cheer you up on a crappy day. I vote for more sundaes in our lives and think we should start with this long holiday weekend. Ready … go!

On this blog four years ago: Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
On this blog three years ago: Flag Cake for Independence Day
On this blog two years ago: Life in Southwest France
On this blog one year ago: Spanish Sunday Lunch – Patatas Aioli
other ice cream type recipes on this blog: Roasted Strawberry Sorbet, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, Chocolate Dulce de Leche Swirl Ice Cream, Roasted Banana Sorbet, Guinness Stout Floats, Chocolate Cabernet Sauce, Peach Frozen Custard, Peach Sorbetto, Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream, Sour Cherry Sorbet

TIN ROOF SUNDAES

Frozen Vanilla Custard
Hot Fudge Sauce
Salted Spanish peanuts
Maraschino cherries, preferably with stems

After you make the custard and the hot fudge, this is easy. You make a sundae. Ice cream first, top with cooled hot fudge, a good handful of peanuts and a cherry, preferably one with a stem. Then you eat it.

VANILLA FROZEN CUSTARD
Makes 1 quart

1 ½ cups half and half
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)
5 large egg yolks
pinch of kosher salt
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

1. Place the heavy cream in a 4-5 cup bowl and place a strainer on top. Set aside until needed.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half, half the sugar, vanilla paste (or extract) and pinch of salt over medium heat just to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl until thick and pale yellow.
4. Temper the egg yolks by adding several ladles of the half-and-half mixture, whisking to combine and gently warm. This gently warms the eggs so they don’t scramble in the hot milk mixture.
5. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and heat on medium low until thickened, stirring constantly and paying attention to the corners or edges of the pan. The sauce should thicken to “nape” stage where it will coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear trail when you run your finger through it. Go slow and be attentive for any sign that the eggs are starting to cook, or curdle. (note: if this happens, remove from the heat immediately and give it a buzz with a hand blender until smooth. It’s unfortunate, but it happens.)
6. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the heavy cream and stir to combine. This will remove any unpleasant cooked egg bits.
7. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and poke a few holes to allow some steam to escape. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to thoroughly chill – at least 4 hours though overnight is best.
8. Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. Transfer to a freezer container and let harden overnight.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE – from this recipe in Gourmet Magazine
Makes about 2 cups

2/3 cup heavy cream
½ cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-processed
¼ teaspoon sea salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, bring cream, syrup, sugar, cocoa and half the chocolate to a boil.
2. Reduce to a low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat, add the remaining chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.
4. Cool the sauce so it can thicken – to the point where it’s thick but still loose enough to pour. If you use it while hot, it will slide ride off the ice cream and not have that wonderful chewy quality. It also has a tendence to reduce the whole sundae to a puddle.
5. Keeps, refrigerated, up to a week. Reheat slightly to make pourable, but not hot.