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red bean ice cream

July 21, 2014

red bean ice cream, for Food52

It’s Monday!  (I was going to say “Happy Monday,” but, you know, Monday.)  In the off chance that ice cream will make it better, here’s one of my favorites.  Even in my days as a red bean-hating kid, I loved red bean ice cream.  Something about red bean in a cold confection gets me every time.  My family was the same way — we had red bean popsicles in the fridge for midnight snacks, red bean ice cream on family outings.  My parents aren’t normally huge fans of sweets, so dinners out usually didn’t end with dessert, but if this was on the menu we almost always got it.  One dish of rapidly disappearing red bean ice cream and four spoons.

It took me a few attempts to find a homemade version I loved, but thanks to Jeni Britton Bauer and some old-fashioned pondering, I arrived at this recipe, now up on Food52.  I just recently made another Jeni’s ice cream on this blog in this memorable creation, but using her ice cream base for this flavor a few months ago was actually my first introduction to her genius — and I feel like I’ll never switch back to a traditional custard.  Instead of a multitude of egg yolks, she uses a combination of cornstarch, corn syrup and cream cheese to give the ice cream structure.  The result is a dreamily scoopable, softer and fluffier ice cream that seems to accentuate any flavor it’s given, without making you stand sentinel over a slowly thickening custard or leaving you a half-cup of egg whites in the fridge afterwards.  I love it.  I can’t wait to try her other flavors (Bangkok peanut, guys!  Sweet potato with torched marshmallow!) but for now, you can check out my teensy red bean piggyback here.  Also, if you’re interested in making more of Jeni’s ice cream too, you can buy her cookbook here.

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead!

red bean ice cream, for Food52

red bean ice cream, for Food52

red bean ice cream, for Food52

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view more: asian· desserts· ice cream

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  1. Marissa @ In My Yellow Cardigan

    July 21, 2014 at 7:53 am

    This looks so good! Never had red bean ice cream but have always wanted to try it! And per usual the photos are so pretty! Pinning!

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 21, 2014 at 10:37 am

      Thank you so much, Marissa!! I hope you get the chance to try it at some point :)!

      Reply
  2. Medha @ Whisk & Shout

    July 21, 2014 at 7:58 am

    How creative! These photos look gorgeous!

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 21, 2014 at 10:37 am

      You are so kind, Medha — thank you!

      Reply
  3. Tieghan

    July 21, 2014 at 9:27 am

    Oh my gosh, this ice cream would be so out there for me. BUT I am loving everything about it, it’s so different. And these photos are just gorgeous!

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 22, 2014 at 10:48 am

      Ahh, thank you so much, Tieghan!! Don’t you love that about our community? I’m always amazed by the things I come across that are super out there to me too, but might be familiar to someone else. But I think red bean ice cream might not be as different in taste as it sounds 🙂 if you ever try some you’ll have to let me know what you think!!

      Reply
  4. Sini | my blue&white kitchen

    July 21, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Whoa! That ice cream base sounds so interesting: cornstarch, cornsyrup + CREAM CHEESE! Who would have thought that you could use those in place of the classic custard; well, definitely not me. I love that I (almost) always learn something new and exciting when I visit your space, Cynthia. Oh and these shots are absolutely gorgeous.

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 22, 2014 at 10:49 am

      Right?! And so much quicker, and no worrying about cooking the eggs? I love it. Jeni is a genius. And thank you so much for the kind words, Sini! I could say the exact same about your space, except more <3

      Reply
  5. Michelle @ Hummingbird High

    July 21, 2014 at 11:14 am

    This. is. GORGEOUS. Also, red bean ice cream is the BEST. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 24, 2014 at 7:47 pm

      Isn’t it?! Such a classic. Thanks so much, Michelle! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Anne

    July 21, 2014 at 12:56 pm

    Oh this looks delightful!!! Temps started rising here… and now I want ice cream now!!! With red beans in it and those beautiful pictures, how can I not?! Wishing you a lovely week!

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 24, 2014 at 7:47 pm

      Thanks so much, Anne!

      Reply
  7. stephanie

    July 21, 2014 at 1:10 pm

    yes, yes, YES! cynthia, you always have the.best. asian desserts. super duper love! i have so many fond memories of icy red bean drinks. you know, the kind that come in a classic old fashioned soda cup? there’d be a pile of red bean at the bottom topped with ice and milk and condensed milk and if they were an awesome establishment, a scoop of red bean ice cream!! i have the biggest smile on my face right now. you make mondays lovely 🙂

    Reply
    • tworedbowls

      July 24, 2014 at 7:49 pm

      What! Would you believe I’ve never had that? It sounds amazing. I need to live on the West Coast T__T

      And ahh, thank you so much for your sweet words! Now those are what make Mondays lovely <3

      Reply
  8. Sarah @ SnixyKitchen

    July 21, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    This ice cream is everything my dreams are made of – I don’t suppose you’d mail me a pint? 😉 I’ve also switched over to Jeni’s base and am considering never going back – it’s so easy and turns out so creamy and delicious!

    Reply
  9. ileana

    July 21, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    You make beans look so good!

    Reply
  10. Todd

    July 21, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    Just had red bean ice cream for the first time on my ice cream tour of SF last week. This one’s a winner 4-sure!!

    Reply
  11. Alanna Taylor-Tobin

    July 21, 2014 at 6:10 pm

    OMG these photos!!! I love sweetened red beans but have never tried them in ice cream. That must change stat!

    Reply
  12. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    July 21, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    wow red bean ice cream takes me back to my childhood.. i am so craving a scoop right now. definitely a recipe i will be saving. love it!

    Reply
  13. cheri

    July 22, 2014 at 1:07 am

    I have no idea how this would taste but it sounds incredible, love your photos, as always they are amazing!

    Reply
  14. Meghan

    July 22, 2014 at 1:17 am

    You magical woman, you. Red beans in my ice cream? Get. Out. I’m dying over here.

    Reply
  15. Ala

    July 22, 2014 at 1:43 am

    Cynthia, we need to talk because we are red-bean no-thanks babies (in an Asian household? WHAT MONSTERS ARE WE). But I see what you mean: I’d take red bean ice cream mochi anyday, so this recipe looks bomb! Love the fact that it’s scoopable and fluffy without being cloyingly sweet. My dad definitely abides by the rule of not-too-sweet Asian desserts ONLY. Guess I know what I’ll be making next time! Happy IT’S-ALMOST-NOT-MONDAY-ANYMORE.

    Reply
  16. Jennifer from Milk and Honey

    July 22, 2014 at 5:50 am

    I love everything about this ice cream. EVERYTHING!

    Reply
  17. Pang

    July 22, 2014 at 9:56 am

    When Food52 posted your recipe on FB last week, I went WHOA!!!!
    I can’t say anything, except I <3 <3 <3 this recipe/photos; red bean popsicle was my favourite as a child, but I have a feeling that your recipe is going to be 1000 times better 🙂

    Reply
  18. Monica

    July 22, 2014 at 10:08 am

    This is beautiful, as always. You’ve reminded me of all the red bean ices and popsicles I ate as a child. I loved red bean things as a kid and I still do but don’t have enough of it. I could use a container of this ice cream in my freezer. Great job working out such a lovely recipe!

    Reply
  19. theatillberg

    July 22, 2014 at 4:07 pm

    You’re so creative! To come up with such a weird and amazing recipe is so great. I’ve used beans for brownies but would never have thought of using them in an ice cream recipe… 🙂

    Reply
  20. Ellie@fitforthesoul

    July 22, 2014 at 7:33 pm

    Oh mah goooodness, this is sooooo amazing! It’s beautiful and it’s reminiscent of patbingsoo~*drooool* 😀 Great job with the photography as well, as per usual. 🙂

    Reply
  21. Jessica (bakecetera)

    July 22, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    i love red bean everything – but i’ve never tried an ice cream… it looks amazing!! good work : )

    Reply
  22. Nikki

    July 23, 2014 at 2:58 am

    This looks absolutely delicious! I love red bean desserts, especially a big scoop at the bottom of my halo halo, but this ice cream is a step above and looks divine!!

    Reply
  23. Ashley McLaughlin

    July 23, 2014 at 11:05 am

    Jeni’s method for ice cream is simply the BEST! I’ve never even tried the custard approach because her’s is just so easy and so good. BTW – These photos + this recipe just blew me away.

    Reply
  24. Gabriel

    July 23, 2014 at 2:40 pm

    Oh LAWD. That drippy shot at the beginning: bliss! I’ma make me sum..and add some mochi..and add some booze too..and make it a party. So what I’m trying to say is: thank you!

    Reply
  25. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

    July 23, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    Your ice cream looks lusciously creamy, gorgeous!

    Reply
  26. Jessica (Coco & Mingo)

    July 23, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Oh. my. god. This is one of my favorite things! OH, an red bean azuki with ice cream and shaved ice….THAT is my favorite. Such a great job over at Food 52, Cynthia! I’m bookmarking this recipe for that one day when I can attempt to make ice cream (i’m a little scared). lol

    Reply
  27. Skye

    July 24, 2014 at 6:50 am

    Cynthia, that is the most decadent looking photo of ice cream I think that I have ever seen. Too too too good. Can barely contain my excitement! Also, yay for the feature of Food52!!! Bravissima! Xx

    Reply
  28. amsterdamfoodstories

    July 24, 2014 at 10:36 am

    Cynthia, this is truly amazing! Red bean ice cream!? Really? I have never eaten it before, but now I think I definitely should. And I love you read your posts, as always! Great (:

    Reply
  29. dinnersforwinners

    July 24, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    Red bean is such an amazing flavor for ice cream! I MUST try it! That drippy, melty photo just has me hankering for some 🙂 Gorgeous photos, lady! Dreamy ice cream, too!

    Reply
  30. Nancy @ gottagetbaked

    July 24, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    Cynthia! These photos are gorgeous! And your ice cream looks unbelievably rich, creamy and indulgent. My mom used to make the sweet red bean soup at home when I was a kid so the restaurant version is never as good (its always lukewarm, gloopy, just really subpar). It’s weird but I never had icy red bean desserts growing up. That needs to change with your ice cream!

    Reply
  31. Shikha la mode

    July 24, 2014 at 7:40 pm

    I JUST had Jeni’s ice cream during my Chicago trip and holy crap, IT IS SO GOOD. I need to use her recipes cus she is definitely doing something right – and how funny that you mention her on your post!

    Reply
  32. cococakeland

    July 24, 2014 at 9:59 pm

    oh shnikey. read beans and ice cream = perennial FAVE!! team it up with anything green tea and mochi and my life is completely made. ha, we had red beany stuff as kids too – mostly the red bean soup that lay in waiting at the end of chinese restaurant meals – i always turned my nose up at it – now i love red bean buns and red bean filling anything! these photos are just bonkers cynthia – so beautiful and super tempting! xo

    Reply
  33. Amanda Vuu

    July 25, 2014 at 11:13 pm

    Red bean Popsicles…yes! And going to make this recipe in the near future!!

    Reply
  34. cookienameddesire

    July 30, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    I am the opposite with red beans. I love them in savory dishes, yet I never was able to find them appealing in sweeter applications (I would give always give my red bean sweets to my mother who adores them) This…. this looks too good to not at least give it a try, Plus, I am also a convert to what I call the Jeni-method of ice cream making. It really is a game changer when it comes to making ice cream!

    Reply
  35. Valerie

    July 31, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    That does it, I Need an ice cream machine!! This looks devastatingly luscious. *love* Jeni’s ice cream (her lemon frozen yogurt is the best thing. Ever!). Gotta try this red bean concoction… 😀

    Reply
  36. Kate Ramos (@holajalapeno)

    August 1, 2014 at 6:35 am

    I have heard a million times over of Jeni’s Ice Cream and all that is magical but still have yet to try it. Your version however may just push me over the edge. Well done!

    Reply
  37. kristan

    August 1, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    Sweet Cynthia, you are SO talented!! I, like many others have never tried red bean, well anything. These pictures make me want to on a hunt for some. Hope you& bowl #2 have a great weekend!

    Reply
  38. milkteaxx

    August 5, 2014 at 2:51 am

    ive just blogged about a batch of red bean popsicles too, i love red beans in desserts, i can claim they are beans, hence healthy!

    Reply
  39. Graham @ Glazed & Confused

    August 6, 2014 at 6:07 pm

    Yes yes yes! This looks so delicious and so so beautiful!

    I’ve been dreaming up some red bean desserts lately and this is only making the list longer.

    Reply
  40. emily

    August 14, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    So, I had the immense and immeasurable pleasure of eating entirely too much Jeni’s ice cream when I lived in Columbus, and it was (and still is!) one of my favorite things about that city. Jeni’s genius with ice cream…I can’t even — and I’m an ICE CREAM GIRL. Like, I’m not literally an ice cream girl or I would for sure be melting out here in CA this summer. But, like, I know a thing or two about [eating] ice cream. I love-times-infinity this concept, Cynthia. And of course it looks just dreamy. <3

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Cynthia

An avid eater and dabbling food-maker living in California with my husband, “Bowl #2,” and our baby bowls, Luke, Clara, and Fiona.

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