Looking for a unique spruce tip recipe? This unique ice cream combines wild, citrusy spruce tip syrup with rich olive oil for a delicate, sweet, and savory flavor.
Recipe Highlights
Simple Ingredients: With just 6 simple ingredients, this ice cream is easy to make!
Layers of Delicate Flavor: At first bite, the fruity olive oil and briny sea salt take the lead, but as the ice cream melts, the bright, citrusy flavor of the spruce tip syrup emerges and lingers. The combination is beautifully balanced! Don't forget to check out this spruce tip old fashioned for another unique way to use spruce tips!
No Eggs Needed: Achieves a silky-smooth texture without a custard base.
Ingredients
- Ice Cream Base: This recipe uses a simple egg-free ice cream base of heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and cane sugar. The spruce tip syrup replaces some of the sugar used in a typical ice cream base.
- Spruce Tip Syrup: Homemade spruce tip syrup is an essential ingredient for this ice cream. It's a simple syrup base that's easy to make. You can also steep fresh spruce tips in the ice cream base overnight for extra flavor!
- Olive Oil: The olive oil you choose for this ice cream will drastically affect the flavor. Look for a high-quality extra virgin olive oil with fruity or grassy notes.
See recipe card for quantities.
What are Spruce Tips?
Spruce tips are the bright green new growth ends of spruce tree branches that emerge in early spring or summer. In my neck of the woods, spruce tip season is in the very tail end of spring to early summer.
You can find them at lower elevations in early spring. Young spruce tips are ideal for cooking because they can become bitter the older they are. If you've never tried them, the flavor of spruce tips can be quite surprising. They have a fruity, fresh flavor reminiscent of some hops used for beer.
As with any wild plants, it's important to identify the plant correctly and also not to take more than you need. When removing spruce tips, don't remove all of the tips from one tree, don't remove them from the tops of trees, and don't take them all from one area of the tree to allow for future growth.
How To Make Spruce Tip Ice Cream
This spruce tip recipe comes together in a few simple steps!
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together cream, milk, sugar, and spruce tip syrup until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Step 2: Whisk in olive oil and sea salt. There will still be some droplets of olive oil on the surface, and that's ok.
- Step 3: With the machine running, slowly pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker.
- Step 4: Churn in the ice cream maker according to the appliance's instructions.
- Step 5: Transfer to a freezer-safe container when the mixture resembles soft serve, usually after 15-20 minutes, depending on your machine. Press a layer of parchment paper on the top of the container to prevent freezer burn, then cover and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight until firm.
- Step 6: Scoop ice cream into bowls and add a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt. Enjoy!
Pro Tip
Use the best quality olive oil you can find, ideally one with grassy, fruity notes rather than a strong peppery flavor. A delicate oil will complement the spruce tip flavor beautifully without overpowering it.
Serving Suggestions
A drizzle of olive oil or spruce tip syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt is all you need to serve this unique treat. Or you can enjoy it without the extra toppings, just the same!
Recipe FAQs
Spruce tip syrup adds a unique, citrusy-herbal flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. It's often used to sweeten cocktails like this spruce tip old fashioned, lemonades, and sparkling water, or drizzled over pancakes, yogurt, or ice cream. It can also be used in marinades, glazes, or vinaigrettes.
People harvest spruce tips for their bright, citrusy flavor and high vitamin C content. They're a seasonal wild food that signals the arrival of spring or early summer. Foragers use them in recipes like syrups, teas, vinegars, salts, and baked goods.
Spruce tips can be cooked into syrup or jelly, blended into salts or meat rubs, or infused in vinegars and oils. They're also great in baked goods, like shortbread or scones, or simmered in simple syrups for drinks and desserts.
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Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Spruce Tip Ice Cream with Olive Oil
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup spruce tip syrup
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
- ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cream, milk, sugar, and spruce tip syrup until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Whisk in olive oil and sea salt. There will still be some droplets of olive oil on the surface, and that's ok.
- Turn the ice cream maker on. With the machine running, slowly pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker.
- Churn in the ice cream maker according to the appliance's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container when the mixture resembles soft serve, usually after 15-20 minutes, depending on your machine. Press a layer of parchment paper on the top of the container to prevent freezer burn, then cover and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight until firm.
- Scoop ice cream into bowls and add a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe uses a simple egg-free ice cream base of heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and cane sugar. The spruce tip syrup replaces some of the sugar used in a typical ice cream base.
- Homemade spruce tip syrup is an essential ingredient for this ice cream. It's a simple syrup base that's easy to make. You can also steep fresh spruce tips in the ice cream base overnight for extra flavor!
- The olive oil you choose for this ice cream will drastically affect the flavor.Use the best quality olive oil you can find, ideally one with grassy, fruity notes rather than a strong peppery flavor. A delicate oil will complement the spruce tip flavor beautifully without overpowering it.
Annie Weisz says
Such a fun and flavorful treat! The combo of spruce tips and olive oil is unexpectedly delicious.