Ponche de Crème Ice Cream
Ponche de Crème is a Christmas staple in Trinidad and Tobago, but who says we have to keep it in a glass? This Ponche de Crème ice cream turns our favorite creamy, rum-spiced holiday drink into a frozen dessert. Made with a rich custard base and churned in an ice cream maker, it’s full of that familiar Ponche de Crème flavor, with no extra rum needed.
What is Ponche de Crème?
If you’re new to it, Ponche de Crème (or “poncha creama” as we say fast) is Trinidad and Tobago’s take on eggnog. It’s made with eggs, condensed milk, rum, bitters, and spices. Every December, there’s a bottle chilling in the fridge, waiting for family limes and Christmas Day lunch.
If you want to make your own, start with my classic Ponche de Crème recipe. And if you love turning Caribbean Christmas drinks and desserts into ice cream, you should also try my black cake ice cream.
Ingredients for Ponche de Crème ice cream
Ice Cream Base
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds richness and helps create a smooth, creamy texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the custard and helps keep the ice cream from freezing too hard.
- Cinnamon: Adds a little extra warmth to complement the spices already in the Ponche de Crème.
- Nutmeg: Enhances that familiar Ponche de Crème flavor without overpowering it.
Ponche de Crème Flavor
- Egg yolks: Help thicken the custard and give the ice cream its rich, creamy texture.
- Ponche de Crème: The star of the recipe! I use my classic Ponche de Crème, which already contains rum, so there’s no need to add more. Pumpkin and coconut versions are other flavors to experiment with.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and body to the custard.
Equipment you’ll need
Want to make this recipe just like I do? Here are the exact tools I use in my kitchen.
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- Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker: The machine I use to churn the custard into ice cream.
- Medium Saucepan: For gently cooking the custard.
- Mixing bowl: For whisking the egg yolks and Ponche de Crème.
- Fine-mesh strainer: Removes any small lumps for a smooth custard.
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon: For stirring the custard continuously while it cooks.
- Tovolo Ice Cream Container: I love using Tovolo containers to store my homemade ice cream. The lid helps keep the ice cream covered while it firms up in the freezer, and the container makes storing and scooping easy.
How to Make Ponche de Crème Ice Cream
- Heat the cream and spices. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy whipping cream, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally to prevent the spices from clumping. Once the sugar dissolves and small bubbles begin forming around the edges, remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Prepare the egg mixture. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Ponche de Crème, and condensed milk until smooth and fully combined.
- Temper the eggs. Slowly add a small amount of the warm cream mixture to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Continue adding the warm cream a little at a time to gradually raise the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.
- Combine the mixtures. Once the egg mixture has warmed, gradually whisk in the remaining cream mixture until everything is combined.
- Cook the custard. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. Cook for approximately 8–12 minutes, or until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170–175°F on a thermometer. Do not allow it to boil.
- Strain the custard. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean, shallow, heat-safe container to remove any small lumps.
- Chill completely. Refrigerate the custard promptly, loosely covered at first if still steaming, then cover securely once cooled. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely cold.
- Churn the ice cream. Pour the chilled custard into your prepared ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine took approximately 20 minutes to reach a thick, soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze until firm. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm enough to scoop.
Custard-making tips for beginners
Making custard with egg yolks might seem intimidating at first, but a few simple techniques can help you get a smooth, creamy base for your ice cream.
- Keep the heat low: Cook over medium-low heat. Too much heat can cause the eggs to cook too quickly and form lumps.
- Don’t stop stirring: Once the custard goes back on the stove, stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides of the saucepan. Even a short pause can cause the mixture to stick and start clumping. I learned that one firsthand!
- Temper the eggs slowly: Add the warm cream mixture a little at a time while whisking continuously. This gradually warms the yolks without scrambling them.
- Use a thermometer: Aim for 170–175°F. This takes some of the guesswork out of knowing when your custard is ready.
- Check the spoon test: The custard should coat the back of a spoon. Run your finger across it, and if the line stays clear, it’s ready.
- Don’t skip straining: A fine-mesh strainer catches any small lumps and helps give you a smooth custard base.
Tips & Variations
- Don’t add extra rum: The Ponche de Crème already contains alcohol, and adding more can prevent the ice cream from freezing properly. The rum flavor comes through nicely without it.
- Add a little extra spice: Grate some fresh nutmeg over the ice cream just before serving.
- Try different Ponche de Crème flavors: Pumpkin or coconut Ponche de Crème could make interesting variations, although I haven’t tested them with this ice cream base yet.
- Make it festive: Try adding small pieces of black cake during the last few minutes of churning, or drizzle a little rum caramel over the ice cream when serving. These are optional ideas I haven’t tested with this batch.
How to serve Ponche de Crème ice cream
This ice cream is delicious on its own, but it’s also lovely served alongside Caribbean Christmas desserts. Try it with a slice of fruit sponge cake, black cake, or sweet bread.
Storage
- Store the ice cream in a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks for the best quality.
- Mine was creamy and scoopable straight from the freezer, even after freezing overnight. If yours is firmer, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping.
More Ponche de Crème recipes
If you love Ponche de Crème as much as I do, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it, from different flavors of the classic Christmas drink to a homemade pound cake.
- Classic Ponche de Crème
- Pumpkin Ponche de Crème
- Coconut Ponche de Crème
- Peanut Ponche de Crème
- Ponche de Crème Pound Cake
FAQs
This recipe was developed and tested using an ice cream maker. I haven’t tested a no-churn version, so I can’t guarantee the same texture without one.
You would need to use an alcohol-free Ponche de Crème instead of the traditional version. I haven’t tested that substitution, so the flavor and texture may be different.
Custard takes time to thicken over medium-low heat. Mine took about 10 minutes of constant stirring before it coated the back of a spoon. Use a thermometer to check for a temperature of 170–175°F rather than turning up the heat.
This Ponche de Crème ice cream is another way to enjoy one of our favorite Caribbean Christmas drinks. If you give it a try, leave a comment and star rating below. I’d love to hear how yours turns out!
Recipe
Ponche de Creme Ice Cream
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy whipping cream, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Ponche de Crème, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
- Slowly add a little of the warm cream mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Continue adding the warm cream gradually until combined.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides, for approximately 8–12 minutes, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170–175°F. Do not boil.
- Remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean, shallow, heat-safe container.
- Refrigerate promptly, loosely covered if still steaming, then cover securely once cooled. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely cold.
- Pour the chilled custard into your prepared ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 20 minutes, until thick and creamy.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe ice cream container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
