Tsokolate Ice Cream + Ube Marshmallows + Peanuts = Rocky Road

Back when I discovered the joys of Filipino chocolate (AKA Tsokolate), I immediately made plans to churn some Tsokolate Ice Cream as soon as the weather warmed up a bit. But when I finally got around to making said ice cream, I decided to also throw some peanuts and marshmallows into the mix as well for my own version of Rocky Road Ice Cream. Of course, I couldn't settle for just any marshmallow, so I went ahead and whipped up some homemade Ube Marshmallows!

Yes. Ube Marshmallows.

As crazy as that sounds, it's actually fairly easy to create a purple fluffy confection vaguely reminiscent in flavor to the Filipino Purple Yam thanks to some Ube-in-a-bottle I happened across at my Asian market.

Purple Rain in a bottle

Although I do try to stay away from anything artificially flavored/colored/intelligenced (beware evil robots!), I made an exception just this once. I mean, I couldn't pass up a bottle of "New!" "Ube Flavor" could I? Of course not, silly.

To make Ube Marshmallows, just follow most any recipe for homemade marshmallows and then throw in some of the Ube colorant/flavorant until the fluff reaches the desired purpleness. For my marshmallows, I used David Lebovitz' marshmallow recipe from his ice cream book, "The Perfect Scoop." I just replaced the vanilla extract called for in David's recipe with Ube Flavor.

Purple(ish) marshmallows, they're Magically Delicious!

Because the marshmallows in the above picture are dusted with powdered sugar (it helps reduce stickiness when cutting the fluff into cubes), and because I should've added more pseudo-ube, you probably can't really tell that the marshmallows are indeed tinged a princely purple--but they are!

After your Ube Marshmallows are made, you could enjoy them as is, or even plonk them atop a cup of hot Tsokolate.

We've got a floater!

And of course, you could add the marshmallows to some freshly churned Tsokolate Ice Cream for a Filipino Rocky Road. To make things even more Filipinized, you could even add some Nilagang Mani (Filipino boiled peanuts) to the ice cream, though I stuck with regular roasted peanuts. Either way, the result is a chocolatey, peanutty, ube-y concoction of sweet Rocky Road Ice Cream.

Ah, Weird Al. He's a genius. And farty hands should be used more often as musical instruments.

NOTE: Anyways, it should also be noted that the type of chocolate tablea you have will greatly effect the resultant ice cream. Some brands of tablea are sweeter and/or more bitter than other brands. So to get a rough idea of how much tablea you should add to your ice cream base, first make yourself a cup of hot tsokolate--warm up a cup of milk and add one tablea at a time until it reaches the desired flavor and sweetness, then use that ratio for your ice cream base. To make my Tsokolate ice cream, I added two tablea per cup of liquid, then added two more for the hell of it (for a total of 8 tablea). I also did not add any additional sugar to the ice cream base--so if your brand of tablea doesn't contain any sugar, you will have to add some sugar to your ice cream base.

Tsokolate Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
*8 chocolate tablea chopped fine (the amount needed depends on your brand of tablea, see note above)
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the milk into a large bowl and place a mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Set aside

Warm the cream with the chopped tablea in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the tablea are completely melted. Do not boil this mixture. When tablea has melted, reduce heat to lowest setting then stir in the pinch of salt.

In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks together. Slowly pour the warm cream/tablea mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks/cream/tablea mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon like so:

The custard! She's ready!

Pour the custard through the strainer and into the bowl of milk. Add the vanilla extract and stir the mixture over an ice bath.

On the rocks, but not in them.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To make Filipino Rocky Road Ice Cream: Fold in a cup each of ube marshmallows and peanuts after the ice cream has been churned.

So have another scoop with me!

Ube Marshmallows
(adapted from Lebovitz' Marshmallow recipe in The Perfect Scoop)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons Ube flavoring, plus more for desired color (ube flavoring can be found at Filipino markets)
About 1.5 cups powdered sugar, plus more for tossing with marshmallows

Pour 1/4 cup of the cold water into the bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin into the water and allow to soften.

In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons water with the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook the syrup over medium-high heat until it reaches 250 degrees F.

When the syrup reaches 250 degrees F, turn the mixer on to medium-high speed and begin slowly pouring the syrup into the mixer bowl in a thin stream, aiming the syrup at the sides of the mixer bowl rather than on the beater.

Once you've added all the syrup, turn the mixer to high speed and whip for 8 minutes until the mixture is a stiff foam. Whip in the ube flavoring.

Sift 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar over a baking sheet to cover an area of about 8x10 inches. Scrape the marshmallow mixture from the bowl and the whisk attachment onto the powdered cookie sheet. With a slightly wet rubber spatual, spread the mixture evenly into a rectangle until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Let the marshmallow mixture stand uncovered for 2 hours.

Purple(ish), rectangular(ish) blob.

Put about a cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl and dust a pair of kitchen shears with the powdered sugar. Working in batches, snip the marshmallow into strips, and the strips into cubes, dropping the cubes into the bowl of powdered sugar. Continue dusting the shears with powdered sugar as needed.

Toss the marshmallows in the bowl of powdered sugar so they are evenly coated, then place the marshmallows in a sieve to shake off the excess sugar.

Sifted and ready to eat.

Comments

[arnold]

Love the reinvention of Rocky Road with Pinoy flavors and ingredients! Great job!

[Tracey@TangledNoodle]

You are so awesome! Magnolia Ice Cream should watch out . . .

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Brilliant! I'm always amazed at your Filipino twists to recipes. Although, more purple!

[Krista]

I love your ube marshmallows. I have a minor obsession with all things ube because...well, purple food!

[Lorena]

I need a scoop of this alongside a slice of Red Ribbon's bright purple ube cake! Such a cool take on rocky road ice cream. Yum!

[caninecologne]

Hi Marvin,
Awesome post - i love anything ube!!!!! It's so very Prince.

I also have that ube flavoring in a bottle (along with Pandan and Jackfruit flavors) but sadly, haven't used it yet. but maybe i can try this recipe now....

[beancounter]

i've been wanting to make my own ice-cream for a while...this looks really good!

Gotta run to get that ice-cream maker!

[Liren {Kitchen Worthy}]

Ube flavor in a bottle? Who knew?

Alright, this post just called to me in ways I can't describe. Rocky Road is just about my favorite ice cream flavors of all time, but THIS would likely surpass it. What a fantastic fusion of flavors!

As soon as I break out my ice cream maker from hiding, I will definitely try this.

[joey]

Rocky Road is by far my all time favorite flavor of ice cream! Your version is fantastic! Homemade ube marshmallows...wow! :)

[TS eatingclub vancouver]

Haha, genius!

[Brian Asis]

Amazing, a great way to cool down for the summer :D to be honest, I'm not really fond of ube though, but the tablea chocolate is a stroke of genius!

[CarolineAdobo]

I need to get me a bottle of that ube extract, stat! So awesome, Marvin.

[Dee]

Excellent! Looks delicious. Ube extract opens up a whole 'nother world of possibilities, especially for us bakers! I must get my hands on some...

[Dea]

Oh my goodness that looks soooo good. Such torture during my afternoon sugar craving!

[Mila]

Holy cow (or ube)! Ube in a bottle, who knew? Before reading the post, I thought you went through the trouble or roasting the ube first and finding a way to get the essence into a fluffy marshmallow, but this is definitely way easier. If you have ube essence. Which I don't. But I do have ube/purple yams in my fridge and I've been meaning to make ube jam. So another cosmic hint to get my butt into the kitchen. Thanks for the kick Marvin!

[Joy]

This is a great way to use Ube.

[Tuty @ Scentofspice]

Marvin,
You're lucky to have lived where Filipino's ingredients are easy to get. What an original twist!

[Andre@Cocoa]

Wow!Amazing ube marshmallow. You really made it on your own version of Rocky Road Ice Cream. Is their another flavor available aside from ube?
Well, two thumbs up for a job well done.
:D

[Manggy]

How did you find the combination of ube and chocolate? The last time I combined those two was in a 3-scoop cone of "dirty" ice cream!

[JungMann]

How did your ube marshmallows turn out? I would imagine the ube flavor would be a little difficult to bring out in marshmallows, not to mention stand up against tsokolate.

[BurntLumpia]

Thanks arnold!

Heh, thanks Tracey!

Hi WC. Yeah, I was holding back on the ube flavoring at first because I didn't want to go crazy, but in hindsight, I would definitely add much more.

Who doesn't love purple food, krista? :)

Thanks Lorena. RR's ube cake is always awesome.

Definitely give it a try, caninecologne. But I must warn you that making marshmallows is a bit tricky, if not sticky.

At the very least, give the tsokolate ice cream a try, beancounter.

Thanks Liren!

I never really was a fan of Rocky Road myself joey. But I admit, now I love the stuff.

Thanks TS!

If you don't like ube, just try the tsokolate ice cream Brian.

Thanks Caroline. Look for it in Filipino markets like seafood city.

I could only imagine what you could do with ube in baked goods, Dee!

Glad I could provide the torture, Dea.

Hi Mila! Yes, the ube in a bottle is definitely much easier--i can't imagine roasting ube and somehow getting that into a marshmallow!

Thanks Joy.

Thanks Tuty. I can see how ube flavoring would be hard to get in other areas.

Thanks Andre. I'm not sure about another flavor of marshmallow, I'm happy with ube:)

Hi Manggy. I was actually inspired to first make ube marshmallows to put on top of my hot tsokolate, that's where I was inspired for the rocky road ice cream. I've never had "dirty" ice cream, but it sounds tasty ;P

Hi JungMann. The ube flavor isn't that difficult to bring out in the marshmallow considering it's the only flavor in the marshmallow. You can easily add more ube extract to get even more ube flavor. And even with the tsokolate ice cream, you can still pick out the ube flavor when you get a marshmallow in each bite.

[Polo]

Hi Marvin,

Been a lurker for quite a while. I really enjoy reading your posts, They're insanely funny and very Filipino.

I just have a question, what Ice cream maker do you use? Any suggestions on a good ice cream maker.

I like the consistency of your ice cream (if only through the pictures).

Thanks!

[Lori Lynn]

Hi Marvin! Those are some groovy marshmallows! Ube!I always learn about foods I have never heard of when I come here. I bet your ice cream was a big hit!
LL

[wasabi prime]

First off -- BRILLIANT. I love your twist on traditional Rocky Road. This is why there are food bloggers, to rethink classics and prove that comfort foods are meant to be reinvented. Your marshmallows fill me with marshmallowy envy. I've made them before, but with such mixed results. Every time I see someone make them, it looks so easy, and then I'm tempted to make them again!

[Marie]

Tsokolate Ice Cream + Ube Marshmallows + Peanuts = Rocky Road yummmy, thanks for posting this

[Julie]

Oh man--Ube marshmallows!!!!!!! I'd faint with joy if I saw Ube extract at the store. I COVET. Found a site that sells it: http://www.efooddepot.com/products/mc_cormick/27606/ube_flavor__hypen__20ml.html

Oh, happy day!

[Stella]

This looks absolutely decadent and delicious. I really admire that you took the time to make your own marshmallows (and ube marshmallows-wow)...

[Erin]

This looks insanely delicious, I am going to make this very soon. I have to say, I really like your traditional recipes, but your fusion recipes are genius.

[rita]

"We've got a floater!" -- you're so funny. i will never look at marshmallows the same, again. AHAHAHA!

that rocky road looks so good though. too bad, i'm allergic to all sorts of nuts. danggit!

[Leslie]

That sounds really good - adding peanuts to it! yum!

[Scott]

I made ube creme brulee with frozen grated ube recently. It's awesome. I'll have to find some ube extract to amp up the flavor. I'm thinking of making ube meringue with the left over egg whites.