If you don’t know by now, I’m definitely someone who will try, fail, and fail again until I somewhat succeed with recipes—this story is no different. Before we even talk about the Earl Grey ice cream you're here for, there are a few pieces to chat about for how I even landed on making a batch of ice cream (jump to "The Verdict" for the results of this batch).
And to make sure we are all on the same page about what makes a good scoop, these are some key factors:
- Fats: These provide the rich mouthfeel and carry the flavor. If there is too little fat, the texture becomes icy; if there is too much, the fatty coating starts to feel like a "peanut butter" experience in your mouth.
- Sugar: Beyond sweetness, sugar is essential for texture; it lowers the freezing point so the ice cream stays soft enough to scoop rather than freezing into a solid block.
- Air: Technically called "overrun," air provides the structure and prevents the ice cream from feeling like a dense, heavy brick.
- Salt: You need it as a baseline to make the other flavors actually shine through.
Previous Failed Attempt
Years ago, I bought a Cuisinart ice cream machine and I was so excited to be able to make ice cream from home. But these ice cream machines suck for a few reasons:
- No on-demand making: The bowl must be chilled in advance.
- Storage issues: You need enough freezer space to fit a bulky bowl.
- Temperature drops: The bowl warms up as the ice cream is being made, so it doesn't stay at a consistent temperature.
The technical challenges were real, and the results were subpar. Consequently, that Cuisinart stayed in deep storage for years like a kitchen appliance in witness protection.
The Great Canadian Ice Cream Trial
Fast forward to this most recent winter. I did a head-to-head test, trying three different brands of vanilla bean ice cream to see what the best option in the Canadian market was (I know—nerd, right?).
I went into this with a few assumptions about which brand would take the crown, but the results actually surprised us:
Results of Taste Test
|
Brand |
Profile & Texture |
The Verdict |
|
Häagen-Dazs |
Egg-yolk custard base; felt very heavy and fatty in the mouth. |
Good, but too rich for a standard base. |
|
PC Creamery |
Old-school flavor with a good texture; nostalgic but tasted a bit "cheap." |
Good, but not the winner. |
|
Breyers (Black Container - Vanilla Bean) |
Rich but not heavy; creamy without being icy. |
The clear winner. |
The Upgrade
I was still dreaming about being able to make my own ice cream from home. I landed on the Breville Smart Scoop to upgrade my experience and, naturally, I opened up Gemini to start "Round 2" with this new machine.
Why I Recruited an AI Chef
I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m no food scientist. I have some experience making ice cream, but I’m far from an expert on the specific ratios needed to hit that "sweet spot."
I wanted to replicate the exact mouthfeel of our head-to-head winner, Breyers, but I didn't want to guess with expensive ingredients. I used Gemini to kick off the recipe development, needing a custom blueprint that prioritized texture over traditional rules.
Chasing Breyers: My Recipe Development
The first attempt was actually a mint chip and the base was a milk/cream base without eggs. It was a bit too icy, and Gemini recommended WAY too much mint—it was like eating a frozen tube of toothpaste. But it gave me a good base to iterate on.
Here are some prompts I used during that first conversation:
The Earl Grey Double Threat
Now, let’s look at the ice cream you’re actually here for: Earl Grey. I adapted the mint chip base for tea, and since I had some leftover Earl Grey caramel sauce from Easter, I went for a "double threat": Earl Grey base with an Earl Grey caramel swirl.
Pay attention; I'll say it again: the secret ingredient for the best Earl Grey ice cream is.... Earl Grey caramel sauce. Take the time to make this the day before and you won't be disappointed!
When I say this was life changing, that's not all that dramatic.
The prompts I used to adjust the mint recipe for the tea version:
The Verdict
After steeping the tea, blending the base, and swirling in that Easter caramel, I finally sat down for a taste. One bite and I was done for.
This was honestly better than any restaurant/shop ice cream I have ever had. It makes you realize that many people in the world don't care about making an exceptional product. This scoop was perfectly sweet, had a deep tea flavor, and just a hint of salt to balance it all out. Silky smooth and irresistible. And it wasn't even hard to do that. I genuinely was shocked at the mouth feel and how delicious it was.
Changes to think about next time - AI doesn't know what's right, but I do:
- The Tea: While the flavor was incredible, Gemini’s recommended amount was a bit much. It was surprising, since most Earl Grey ice creams I’ve had usually err on the side of making you hunt for the flavor—this one was unmistakable but almost a bit too much. I'll reduce it by a pinch next time.
- Texture: I want to add a crunchy component of sorts next time to really round out the experience entering sundae territory.
Second Verdict: What You Need To Do
Look, you owe it to yourself to experience this ice cream. Here is your mission: figure out who you know who has an ice cream machine. Your aunt, your neighbor, that friend with the wedding registry they actually used—find them.
Then, steal their machine, make this, and do not return their machine so you can make this on repeat. Do not settle for the "good enough"; it’s an exceptional product that you can’t un-taste once you’ve had it.
Note: Some images have been created with genAI - because well, this is a genAI food blog.
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