This recipe for Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream is for the bold and adventurous. If you’ve never heard of Fernet Branca, do not try this recipe. If you’ve heard of Fernet Branca, but never had it, don’t try this recipe. And if you’ve tried it and hated it, please don’t. Just don’t. You might not like it. However, if you’re a fan of this bitter Italian digestif, continue reading. This recipe for Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream is for you.
Jump to RecipeFernet Branca Liqueur- your new favorite digestif….maybe
Challenge accepted! The idea for this recipe came from my husband as we were sampling more than a few Amari on the deck one night after dinner. He’s a big fan of anything bitter and herbacious. A teaspoon of this, a few drops of that, more than a few entertaining faces made by yours truly, and we stumbled upon the foundation for this cream, honey, coffee and Fernet Branca combination.
The idea for mixing after dinner coffee, a digestif and dessert began churning in my mind. Literally – I immediately started playing around with this recipe for Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream. And since my ice cream tub always stands ready in the freezer, we started churning that very night.
Fernets are their own little category under the Amaro family. They are herbal and bitter spirits, with bordering on medicinally unpleasant. And yet, for some, they are a developed taste that grows into an obsession. In Latin America, you’ll often see Fernet Branca served with Coca-Cola. A fiercely loyal following of Fernet lovers put San Francisco, California on the map. Per capita, the city consumes 35% of the bottles of Fernet Branca in this country. The aromatic spirit is touted as a digestive aid; however, I think it’s also a point of pride for anyone who can sip it without scrunching up their nose.
Typically served neat as an after dinner digestif or in mixed cocktails, Fernet Branca is the specific brand used in this recipe. I experimented with other fernets, but Fernet Branca emerged my favorite during development. It’s herbal notes paired beautifully with the honey and coffee – like a fine, craft latte.
How to balance the bitter with the sweet in this recipe for Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream
Cooking is a lot like life – maybe even moreso – it’s all about balance. There are a lot of bitter, earthy flavors in this recipe for Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream. I knew I wanted to pair the Fernet with coffee and my mind immediately went to a coffee ice cream. The cream helps mellow the sharpness of the spirit and the coffee.
Utilizing a good, quality honey imparts additional health benefits and the right measure of sweet floral notes to this frozen dessert. Not sure what to look for when buying local honey? Visit my post titled, Buy local, buy raw and know the pull to learn more about health benefits and flavor profiles.
For this recipe, we used just enough Fernet Branca to highlight the spirit’s unique flavor. Fernet fans can easily recognize it, but it’s not so heavy-handed that it would deter those looking to cross into the ironically “sweet” world of Amari. We’re a welcoming community and we want you to grow to love the bitter stuff as much as we do.
In this recipe, I recommend using between 5 – 7 teaspoons of Fernet Branca. If you’re new to Fernet, start on the lighter end, but if you’re craving a stronger flavor, increase it to 7 teaspoons. For those still left craving more Fernet flavor, drizzle a little over the top of the ice cream. Regardless of where you’re at on the scale, it’s a delicious finish to any meal.
Bold 6-Ingredient Fernet Branca Ice Cream
Course: DessertCuisine: Italian AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings5
minutes35
minutesA sophisticated ice cream flavored with honey, coffee and Fernet Branca.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk (can use either skim or whole milk)
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. espresso powder
5 – 7 tsp. of Fernet-Branca
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
- Prepare your ice cream maker
- Prepare your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Prepare the ice cream
- In a 4-cup measuring cup, mix the cream, milk, honey, espresso powder and salt together until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add the Fernet-Branca to the cream mixture – beginning with 5 teaspoons and increasing to 7 according to taste.
- Pour the cream mixture into the ice cream maker and churn for 30 – 35 minutes or until it reaches the soft set stage.
- Transfer the finished ice cream to the freezer to firm up for at least 2 hours before serving.
