Salt & Straw Unveils Ice Cream Magic: Secrets and Recipes from the Innovators of Canada's Finest Cookbook

NEW YORK (AP)—If homemade ice cream seems daunting, consider it similar to preparing soup. This suggestion comes from Tyler Malez of Salt & Straw, the innovative gourmet ice cream manufacturer famous for its constantly changing edible novelties.

"Creating a batch of ice cream is quite akin to preparing a pot of soup; if you have a solid base recipe—such as chicken stock, vegetable stock—you can keep adding ingredients until it reaches the desired taste," he explains from his kitchen in Portland, Oregon.

If you have truly excellent stocks, base recipe , you might mix strawberries into it to create strawberry ice cream. You could also pour chocolate syrup into it to make chocolate ice cream. The possibilities are endless."

The foundation is the foundation

The ice cream base is also central to Malek's newest cookbook titled " Canada's Most Celebrated Ices: A Salt & Straw Cookbook As another summer approaches, he and his co-author JJ Goode guide readers through the basics, laying a foundation that can be expanded upon to create various delectable dishes.

This involves mastering the fundamentals of gelato, custard, sorbet, coconut, and ice cream. It’s only further along your journey that you'll be able to transform these basics into delightful variations such as Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper, or Banana Parsnip Sherbet.

"Deep down, my wish is for someone to pick up this book, immerse themselves in it, enjoy every moment, and consequently spark their imaginative capabilities," Malek states.

The cookbook centers around 10 distinctive tastes: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, green tea, pistachio, cookie dough, salted caramel, cereal, and rum raisin. After grasping their fundamental aspects of taste and method, Malek suggests, "feel free to get creative."

And it really takes off in the cookbook, featuring tastes such as Toasted Sourdough, Chocolate with EVOO, and Lemon Earl Grey Shortbread.

He explains, 'Our aim was to create an experience where you feel transported into our R&D test lab, as though you're crafting recipes alongside us and grasping the reasoning behind each tweak—whether it’s increasing the saltiness or enhancing the sweetness.'

Take salted caramel, which most people think is salty and sweet.

They are entirely mistaken," Malek says with a laugh. "It’s a blend of salty, sweet, and bitterness. When you experience this trio of flavors, you begin to realize how combining saltiness, sweetness, and bitterness can truly broaden your horizons. different combinations. ”

New flavors every month

In 2011, Malek along with his cousin, Kim, ventured into the world of ice cream entrepreneurship by launching a modest food cart in Portland. Over time, their business has grown exponentially to encompass more than 40 outlets across seven states. They have gained recognition for their innovative and unconventional methods as well as their dynamic menu, which features fresh flavors introduced monthly.

Other flavours have featured items such as Malted Potato Chip Cupcake and Black Olive Brittle with Goat Cheese. During Thanksgiving, they previously served Caramelized Turkey & Cranberry Sauce. "I've penned 2,500 recipes and perhaps 20,000 failures," remarks Malek.

Salt & Straw relies on xanthan gum to address "heat shock" — a phenomenon where melted ice cream refreezes with larger crystals. As Malek notes, "it’s just as harmless as cornstarch or baking soda." Additionally, he employs acids such as citric, malic, and tartaric acid, referring to these as an "ice cream maker's secret weapon."

"I believe he combines traits of a scientist—perhaps even a mad scientist—and those of an artist," explains Francis Lam, an editor from Clarkson Potter, working alongside Susan Roxborough to develop the book. It was during an event in Portland where Lam initially tasted Salt & Straw’s prosciutto ice cream which led him to discover them. Later, after trying their sea urchin flavor at another gathering, he felt driven to connect with Malek.

"He's someone who doesn't dismiss an idea outright before giving it some trial time," Lam explained.

'Learning excites me.'

Salt & Straw has become a key player in the recent surge of craft ice cream producers, joining companies such as Van Leeuwen, Gelato Fiasco, Lick Honest Ice Creams, Morgenstern’s, and Wanderlust Creamery.

Malek has relied on partnerships for innovation; he worked alongside a baker in Florida to develop a cream cheese ice cream featuring glazed brioche doughnut pieces and guava curd. To better integrate brewing techniques into his dessert creations, Malek also completed internships at several breweries to understand the process inside and out.

My enthusiasm lies in acquiring knowledge and sharing stories. If I wasn't involved in crafting ice creams, I've often dreamed of becoming a travel writer," states Malek. "Initially, we didn't realize that starting this business would reveal how ice cream serves as an incredibly cool means for expression—it truly feels akin to narrating a tale with each scoop.

He discovered that various parts of the nation have their own areas of blindness; for instance, when Salt & Straw expanded into Los Angeles, many people were unfamiliar with rhubarb. Additionally, he was unaware that there are multiple kinds of avocados.

Another tip borrowed from soup: As with soup bases, Malek says, home cooks should make big batches of different ice cream bases, separate them into containers and freeze them.

When you're prepared to create some ice cream, heat it up swiftly in the microwave and then mix in those freshly picked strawberries from the farmers' market to craft yourself a batch of strawberry ice cream," he explains. "The key is to whip up the ice cream within just a few hours after discovering a truly exceptional ingredient.

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Here's a recipe from "America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook" by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode:

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Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Dough

Yields approximately 2.5 pints

Ingredients

3 cups of 17% Butterfat Base (refer to the individual recipe provided below)

1 1/2 teaspoons of molasses (excluding blackstrap)

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon Diamond

Crystal kosher salt

1 cup of compacted Malted Cookie Dough (the recipe for which follows), chilled

¾ cup Caramelized Malt Chocolate (see recipe below)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the ice cream base, molasses, vanilla and salt, and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and turn on the machine. Churn just until the mixture has the texture of soft serve, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the machine.

Layer alternately the ice cream and large scoops of cookie dough with fudge into freezer-friendly containers.

Chill until solid, at minimum of 6 hours or up to 3 months.

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Salt & Straw’s 17% Rich Cream Base

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of powdered skim milk

¼ tsp of xanthan gum (I'm quite simple to locate!)

1 1/8 cups of full-fat milk

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 1/8 cups of chilled heavy cream

Directions

In a little bowl, mix the sugar, milk powder, and xanthan gum.

In a medium-sized pot, combine the whole milk with the corn syrup. Once mixed, add the sugary mixture and whisk vigorously right away until everything is smoothly incorporated. Place this pot over medium heat and continue cooking, frequently stirring and lowering the temperature as needed to avoid boiling, until all the sugar dissolves completely—this should take around three minutes. Take the pot off the stove now. Mix in the chilled cream thoroughly until well blended.

Move the mixture into a sealed container and chill it in the refrigerator until thoroughly cooled, which should take a minimum of 6 hours. For improved consistency and taste, leave it for up to 24 hours. Make sure to mix it thoroughly prior to use.

The mixture can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for as long as three months. Ensure you thaw it entirely and mix thoroughly prior to use.

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Malted Cookie Dough

Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of softened unsalted butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup of lightly compacted dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon of clear corn syrup

1 teaspoon of molasses (excluding blackstrap)

1 teaspoon of genuine vanilla extract

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, lightly browned

2 tablespoons malt powder

1/4 cup of finely chopped dark chocolate (cut into small chip-sized pieces)

Directions

Using a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, both types of sugar, and the salt at medium-high speed, making sure to scrape down the bowl’s edges when needed, until the butter becomes noticeably paler, approximately 2 minutes. Pause mixing and incorporate the cream, corn syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract, continuing to blend on medium-low speed for another minute or so, just until everything is mixed well enough.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour and malt powder through sifting. Transfer this mixture into your stand mixer and blend at medium speed, ensuring you scrape the sides of the bowl once, until all lumps of flour have disappeared (it's okay to still see bits of malt), approximately 1 minute. Next, incorporate the chopped chocolate into the stand mixer and continue blending on low speed until evenly dispersed throughout.

Seal securely in an airtight container and keep in the freezer until you're ready to use it, or for up to two months.

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Toasting flour note:

Our cookie dough doesn’t include eggs to ensure an additional layer of food safety, considering the well-known fact that raw eggs can pose a slight yet genuine risk of salmonella contamination. You may not know this, but raw flour also comes with similar risks. If you steer clear of dishes like sunny-side-up eggs or carbonara due to these concerns, take extra precautions and toast your flour for this recipe instead: Distribute the flour evenly on a baking tray and roast it at 350°F for about 15 minutes.

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Malted Fudge

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup malt powder

1/2 cup mild corn syrup

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

3/4 cup of finely chopped high-quality dark chocolate

Directions

In a small saucepan, mix the malt powder with 1/4 cup of cold water and whisk until most clumps are dispersed. Stir in the corn syrup, cream, and butter, then cook over medium-low heat, continuously whisking, until the mixture starts to boil gently. Lower the heat, incorporate the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, and salt, and keep whisking until the cocoa dissolves completely and the mixture appears shiny, which should take around 3 minutes.

Switch off the heat, add the chocolate chunks, and allow them to sit for one minute. Stir continuously until the chocolate has fully melted and blended in. Allow it to reach room temperature before using right away or storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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Reprinted with permission from "America's Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook" by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode. (Clarkson Potter, 2025)

Mark Kennedy, The Canadian Press