What’s the Secret to Smooth Brown Butter Ice Cream?

Faith Durand
Faith DurandSVP of Content
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn, and the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
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published Jan 19, 2011
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Q: Recently I made a brown butter maple pecan ice cream but the milk solids from the brown butter came out grainy.

Rather than go through all the things I did, can you explain what are the important steps to smooth them? I looked at a number of brown butter ice cream recipes and I can’t figure out which are the critical items. Some recipes thickened with egg; some didn’t. What’s the secret?

Sent by Pamela

Editor: Pamela, yes, using browned butter in ice cream is a little tricky. I’ve found that no matter what there will always be a tiny bit of graininess unless you strain the mixture through something really fine, which I’m not willing to do. Too much hassle.

But there is one major thing you can do to cut down on the graininess: Run the mix through a blender on high speed to emulsify the butter with the rest of the liquid. That’s a key step in this recipe:

• Autumn Recipe: Brown Butter Ice Cream

Readers, any other tips for Pamela?

Next question?

Related: Basic Techniques: How to Brown Butter

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