Your Ice Cream Needs a Savory Topping
Cinnamon and chocolate are not inherently sweet. In fact, they are both quite bitter (heavenly, the bark of the same tree), but add a little sugar and you have two of the most popular dessert flavors. If ground bark can pass, other savory ingredients deserve a shot. Decorating and flavoring desserts with bitter, salty, sour, or spicy ingredients can be even better than adding more sweets. After all, the best dishes balance it all, so why should dessert be any different?
At a restaurant in Mexico City, I ate a taco for dessert, consisting of goat cheese ice cream with a crispy cheese-flavored taco shell. It was an unexpected mix of sweet, savory, quirky and spicy, with each flavor complementing the others. The flavor of the shell reminded me of Cheez – it was crossed with a cheesy curl but without the life jacket orange, and it inspired me to start expanding with my ice cream at home.
For the adventurous, crunchy, savory snacks can serve as a savory ice cream topping. Cheez-it’s have the perfect texture and some salt, and they boast a pretty authentic cheddar flavor. Try kettle chips or take a chance and crush some taki. If you’re skeptical of this whole concept, get out this trusty bag of pretzels to remind yourself that sweet and savory have a long and harmonious history together. Try making a sweet and savory cookie ice cream sandwich and explore bitter notes by adding raw nuts. Shift your focus away from salt and texture and add acidity and fat with fruity olive oil and vinegar, or add some hot sauce or sprinkle with crushed chili flakes.
After you’ve tried a few combinations and found your new favorite ice cream topping, expand your taste exploration into other desserts. Hot chocolate with chili is the duo’s favorite; try adding that same spiciness to your next batch of chocolate brownies. Gorgonzola and other blue cheeses are filled with bright salty notes that go well with fruity desserts; crumble a piece of blueberry pie a little. Once you open up your taste for these combinations, it’s a bit like seeing the matrix. The possibilities are endless and your desserts become limitless.