Earl Grey-Caramel Ice Cream Cake
Chocolate Fudge, Blackberry Jam, Earl Grey Whipped Cream, Blackberries
Pastry Chef Abigail Navis-Black of Henrietta Red | Nashville, TN
Yield: One 8½-inch loaf
Adapted by StarChefs | June 2026 | Photo: Courtney Eckdahl
INGREDIENTS
Caramel-Earl Grey Ice Cream:
80 grams milk powder
8 grams ice cream stabilizer
311 grams granulated sugar
150 grams egg yolks
1.165 kilograms whole milk
366 grams heavy cream
36 grams Earl Grey tea leaves
66 grams glucose powder
Blackberry Jam:
500 grams fresh blackberries
441 grams granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons Nielsen-Massey pure vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Earl Grey Whipped Cream:
1 quart heavy cream
4 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves
Chocolate Fudge:
280 grams TCHO Sweet and Sassy 66% dark chocolate
160 grams black currant liqueur
70 grams TCHO Super Powder unsweetened cocoa powder
40 grams corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
160 grams heavy cream
Ice Cream Cake:
150 grams King Arthur Sir Galahad flour
50 grams TCHO Super Powder unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
85 grams butter
99 grams granulated sugar
55 grams brown sugar
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey pure vanilla extract
150 grams whole milk
To Assemble and Serve:
Fresh blackberries
METHOD
For the Caramel-Earl Grey Ice Cream:
In a spice grinder, pulse to combine milk powder, ice cream stabilizer, and 12 grams sugar. Set aside. Place egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk and cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea leaves. Let steep 5 minutes. Strain and return to saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining sugar and cook until sugar is fully caramelized. Whisk in glucose and the milk powder mixture. Temper egg yolks with cream mixture, then whisk yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook until mixture reaches 175°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, purée until smooth. Transfer to a nonreactive container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a nonreactive container and freeze.
For the Blackberry Jam:
In a mixing bowl, combine blackberries and 375 grams sugar. Transfer to a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until blackberries are fully macerated. Add remaining sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture reaches 75 brix on a refractometer, adding additional sugar as needed. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Earl Grey Whipped Cream:
In a saucepan over medium-high flame, bring cream to 200°F. Remove from heat and add tea leaves. Let steep 5 minutes. Strain and transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip until medium peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag with desired-sized tip and refrigerate.
For the Chocolate Fudge:
Place chocolate in a metal mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine liqueur, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt, and 100 grams water. Cook until liquid has reduced by one-third. Add cream and bring mixture to a boil. Pour over chocolate, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is fully emulsified. Set aside.
For the Ice Cream Cake:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, sugars, and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Add half of the flour mixture. Once combined, add milk and mix to combine. Add rest of flour mixture and mix until well combined. Transfer batter to a half sheet tray. Spread into an even layer. Bake 10 minutes, or until set. Let cool. Once cooled, cut into 4 equal rectangles. Transfer 1 rectangle to a 8½-inch loaf pan. Top with 1 cup Caramel-Earl Grey Ice Cream followed by ¼ cup Chocolate Fudge and ½ cup Blackberry Jam. Swirl layers together and gently press down to adhere. Repeat process with additional cake layers. Cover and freeze overnight.
To Assemble and Serve:
Slice Ice Cream Cake into 1-inch slabs. Transfer 1 Ice Cream Cake slab to the center of a serving plate. Spoon 1 tablespoon Blackberry Jam on one side of Ice Cream Cake. Pipe Earl Grey Whipped Cream on other side of Ice Cream Cake. Garnish with fresh blackberries.
