Use That Half-Empty Carton Of Buttermilk To Make A Delicious Ice Cream Treat

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Sometimes a recipe calls for a specific ingredient, and after you've used it once, you're left with plenty leftover and no idea how to use it. For example, buttermilk is an important ingredient in biscuits, and a great addition to fried chicken, but you often don't need to use a whole carton. If you find yourself with some leftover buttermilk, don't let it rot in your fridge. Instead, use it to add some extra tang to a batch of homemade ice cream or sherbet.

For some tips on how to turn buttermilk into a homemade treat, we sat down for an exclusive chat with Megan Williams — the executive pastry chef at etch and etc. in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Williams, this ingredient can power up a lot of different dishes, but it makes for an especially nice addition to frozen treats. "Buttermilk will add a tanginess to your recipes, and depending on how much you use, it can make the texture of your frozen dessert a little more icy," she said. 

This ingredient can replace all or just some of the whole milk used in homemade dessert recipes. Still, buttermilk has less fat than whole milk, which is why it might lend an icy texture instead of a creamy one. To get a perfectly smooth and velvety ice cream every time, Williams says it's important to use the proper ratios and techniques to make your treats come out just as silky as intended.

Luckily, buttermilk stays fresh for a while after it's been opened (usually for about two weeks in the fridge), so you don't have to create a frozen treat right away. There are also a number of ways to make ice cream without a machine, and buttermilk can work in these recipes. Still, for the best results, Megan Williams advises using the ingredient to enhance frozen desserts made in a machine. "If you are substituting buttermilk for a small amount of the whole milk, you can make your recipe as usual but add the buttermilk at the end, after the ice cream base is cooked and cooled to 70 degrees [Fahrenheit]," Williams says. This will keep the mixture from spoiling. 

If you're using buttermilk in place of whole milk, you should add some Modernist Pantry pure sodium citrate to keep the buttermilk from curdling. Add the citrate at 1% of the weight of the milk. For example, if you're using 500 grams of buttermilk, add 5 grams of sodium citrate. Then, make the recipe as you normally would, adding your sugar, vanilla, and any other ingredients. Now you can let the machine do the work.

Because buttermilk will add extra tang to your ice cream or sherbet, Williams recommends balancing the bowl with other sweet additions. "I love pairing buttermilk with summer berries or stone fruit," she says, "or my favorite would be tropical fruits like mango and passionfruit."