When the humidity sinks into the days and the afternoons require you to pull out the backyard sprinklers, the only food you need is ice cream. While a simple scoop is all good and fine, toppings are what really make a simple sweet treat into something simply special. Here, this Wet Walnut Ice Cream Sauce is just like what you’d find at your local ice cream stand but made simpler and enhanced with tons of flavor.
Wet Walnut Ice Cream Sauce has been an ice cream staple alongside hot fudge and strawberry sauce. It’s not quite as thick as the other two sauces but this sauce has its own unique flavor. Sort of a caramel, wet walnut gives ice cream just enough sauce without going overboard and melting the frozen treat. Here this Wet Walnut Ice Cream Sauce is a little more elevated than your average store or ice cream stand’s versions. The usual sweetness is countered by warm notes of ginger, floral accents of vanilla, and a contrast of lightening citrus.
This sauce is easier to make than caramel sauce. A base of maple syrup gets partnered with a bit of corn syrup and sugar which add structure and body to the sauce. Peeled and finely chopped ginger and powdered ginger are added to the saucepan as well.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for three minutes. Turn the heat off and let it rest for ten minutes.
Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer, making sure to press out all of the sauce from the ginger before discarding it. Finally whisk in the salt, walnuts, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Once you get a taste of this Wet Walnut Ice Cream Sauce, you’ll be wondering where it’s been all of your life.
It’s not that sweet, syrupy topping from your childhood and more of a refined and absolutely addictive sauce.
The maple syrup’s natural warm amber notes are highlighted by the fresh and powdered ginger. That added bit of lemon cuts through the additional sweetness and the vanilla gives it another layered dimension to the already present caramel-y, mapley taste.
It’s a great sauce at room temperature to pour over classic ice cream flavors like vanilla or butter pecan. You can also heat it up and serve it alongside blondies for an ultimate treat.
Wet Walnut Ice Cream Sauce
Allergens: Nuts
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup peeled and finely chopped ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cups roasted walnuts, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
- In a large nonreactive (nonstick) saucepan, combine maple syrup, corn syrup, water, sugar, fresh ginger, ground ginger, and salt.
- Bring to a simmer, allowing it to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the ginger to remove as much flavor as possible. Discard ginger.
- Stir in walnuts, vanilla, and lemon juice, mixing to combine.
- Allow the sauce to cool a little more before serving over ice cream.
- It can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave in 10-second intervals. It can be stored for up to a month.
Recipe adapted from The Merchant Baker.