Melting Cinnamon Hearts candy into cream really mellows out their flavour, making a delicious ice cream with a warm and mildly spicy taste that’s perfect for enjoying with your beloved (or eating on your own—no judgment here!)
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I have a confession to make—cinnamon hearts are a candy I never really got into. IMO they’re a bit too spicy for a candy, and they just have a weird crunchy texture that doesn’t match their flavour. Don’t get me wrong, I do love spicy food, just not in candy form. To me, cinnamon hearts are kind of like the candy corn of Valentine’s Day—a mediocre candy we’ve all just accepted as a permanent part of the holiday, but that nobody ever gets that excited about (or is it just me?) But with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought it would make for a fun challenge to try and make a recipe that uses cinnamon hearts that I actually enjoy eating. I thought about making cookies (maybe I will for next year!), but eventually landed on ice cream since it’s been a while since I did an ice cream recipe and with a cookie skillet recipe also in the works I thought it would be fun to have an ice cream recipe to go with it.
I found that melting Cinnamon Hearts into heavy cream really mellows out their flavour, and the ice cream ends up having a really delicious warm and slightly spicy flavour perfectly balanced by the creaminess of the ice cream base. All the candy melted into it also makes the ice cream extra soft (even after spending days in the freezer), which was a happy surprise. Even if you don’t like cinnamon hearts, I bet you’ll love this recipe—give it a try!
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Why You’ll Love Cinnamon Hearts Ice Cream
- It’s super easy to make! The prep takes only about 15 minutes, and then it’s just a matter of chilling it and getting it in an ice cream maker and firming it up in the freezer. It’s perfect to make ahead to serve after a Valentine’s Day dinner—just make the base and churn it the day before and get it into the freezer to serve it whenever you’re ready.
- The flavour is surprisingly warm and spicy, making this a great flavour of ice cream to enjoy on a cold winter day.
- No extra food colouring is needed. The fun pink colour comes entirely from the melted cinnamon hearts, there’s no need to use any additional food colouring.
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Tips for Success
- Pour the hot cream and cinnamon hearts mixture carefully over the egg yolks. This gradually increases the temperature of the egg yolks without making them scramble, keeping the texture of your ice cream smooth and creamy. Even so, I recommend straining the ice cream base before churning it to catch any bits of accidentally cooked yolks or un-melted cinnamon hearts.
- Make sure all of the cinnamon hearts melt. This can take 10 minutes or so and you’ll need to stir it the whole time so nothing gets stuck to the bottom and burns. The super smooth ice cream texture you’ll be rewarded with is worth the effort!
- Freeze the ice cream container for 2–3 hours before putting the freshly-churned ice cream in it. This prevents the freshly-churned ice cream from melting the way it would if it came into contact with a room temperature container.
Ingredients to make Cinnamon Hearts Ice Cream
- Heavy cream, otherwise known as whipping cream, gives the ice cream the richness and fat it needs to freeze properly and taste great, as well as hold enough air during the churning process to have the texture and mouthfeel you’re looking for in a delicious ice cream. Look for a cream with 35–40% fat content.
- Whole milk balances out the texture and richness, and usually has a fat content of around 3.25%. Avoid using any ultra-pasteurized dairy products as that will adversely affect the taste and quality of your ice cream. You could also use 2% milk if that’s what you have on hand, but avoid skim milk as it is too watery and the ice cream will freeze with a lot of noticeable ice crystals and not end up with a nice creamy texture.
- Milk powder functions as an emulsifier in the ice cream, bonding with both the fat and liquid in the recipe and preventing the ice cream from becoming icy.
- Egg yolks are another emulsifier, and they also add richness. Use yolks from large eggs—if all you have are small or medium eggs, you may need to add another yolk or two to compensate.
- Sugar contributes sweetness, of course, but is also ensures the ice cream freezes properly by helping control how much ice forms.
- Cinnamon hearts add a slightly spicy and warm flavour to this ice cream, as well as a fun pink colour. In addition, melting this amount of candy into the ice cream base makes the finished ice cream softer than the ice cream would have been without them. You can use any brand of cinnamon hearts you like—a generic store brand will work just fine.
FAQ
How long does Cinnamon Hearts Ice Cream last?
You can keep it in the freezer for 2–3 weeks. While it will be safe to eat beyond that, the texture may start to get a little grainy.
Can I make this gluten-free?
It’s already gluten-free! Just double-check the ingredients on the brand of cinnamon hearts you’re using to be sure, but most if not all Cinnamon Hearts candies are gluten-free.
Can I make these dairy free?
Maybe! I haven’t tested it myself, but using a dairy-free ice cream recipe like this one, and adding the cinnamon hearts at the step where you heat the dairy-free milk should work. If you give it a try, leave me a comment and let me know how it turns out!
Can I make this egg free?
Without the egg yolks, the ice cream would have a different texture and mouthfeel and not be as rich. However, I don’t see why you couldn’t use your favourite egg-free ice cream recipe—just melt the cinnamon hearts into the milk or cream (or milk/cream substitute used) before proceeding with the recipe.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes, though it won’t have quite the same texture or flavour. Use your favourite vegan vanilla ice cream recipe and melt the cinnamon hearts into the vegan milk/cream substitute before proceeding with the recipe.
Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
Yes, you can. After chilling the ice cream mixture in the refrigerator just spread it out in an even layer on a baking sheet and put it in your freezer. Every hour or so, give it a good stir until it’s all thick and frozen and has the consistency of soft serve. Then transfer it to a previously-frozen empty container and freeze for a further 8 hours or overnight. This method will work, but the ice cream won’t be as smooth as one made with an ice cream maker—if you end up making your own ice cream regularly, I recommend getting a machine as it really makes a difference to the quality of the ice cream.
How should I serve Cinnamon Hearts Ice Cream?
The candies melted into the ice cream make it softer than a typical ice cream. So no special instructions for serving it other than keeping in mind that it may melt a little faster than you’re used to!
Cinnamon Hearts Ice Cream
Ingredients
Method
- Fill a large bowl about halfway full with ice water. Get a medium bowl ready with a sieve that rests securely inside of it, and set aside.
- Add 1 ⅔ cup whole milk, ½ cup skim milk powder, and ¾ cup granulated sugar to a medium saucepan and whisk until combined. Add the 1 ⅔ cup heavy (whipping) cream and whisk. Place 3 large egg yolks in a medium heat-proof bowl on a heat-proof surface.
- Add 1 cup cinnamon heart candies and over medium-high heat, heat the mixture while stirring constantly until the cinnamon hearts melt completely. At one point the candies will start clumping together and will want to stick to the bottom of the pan—just keep heating and stirring until they all melt. This will take about 8–10 minutes.
- Slowly pour about half of the hot cream mixture over the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then return everything to the saucepan. Continue heating over medium heat while stirring until slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Just note that his won't get as thick as a traditional custard.
- Pour the mixture through the sieve into the medium bowl you prepped earlier. Place the medium bowl into the ice-water bath, and stir it occasionally until it cools down to room temperature. Remove the bowl from the ice-water bath and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until completely cool (about 2 hours). Place an empty food-safe container in your freezer, large enough to store 1 ½ times the size of the ice cream mixture (it will expand as it gets churned and frozen).
- Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. Alternatively, you could spread the ice cream mixture out on a baking sheet and place that in your freezer, and give it a stir every hour or so until it has the texture of soft serve.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to the frozen container, and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight for a scoopable texture. Enjoy!
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