Cruella’s Pepper Ice Cream | The Hundred and One Dalmatians
In The Hundred and One Dalmatians, the play on ‘De Vil’ is portrayed much more strongly than in Disney’s adaptation. Her need to be constantly warmed by a blazing fire is matched only by her love of spicy food. While those around her melt from the heat, Cruella shivers and heaps absurd amounts of pepper onto her food, as if nothing is ever hot enough.
Quote It.
“The soup was dark purple. And what did it taste of? Pepper!
The fish was bright green. And what did it taste of? Pepper!
The meat was pale blue. And what did it taste of? Pepper!
Everything tasted of pepper, even the ice-cream– which was black.”
-The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Dodie Smith
Everything (Black) Pepper!
At the Dearlys’ dinner party, it’s clear she’s using black pepper. She piles so much of it onto her meal that everyone else is left sneezing uncontrollably. But Cruella is unbothered; it seems there’s no such thing as too much heat for her. And at Cruella’s own dinner party, every food the guests eat, tastes of pepper. The meat, the fish, the soup– even the ice cream!
Black Pepper in Dessert
When we think of black pepper, we imagine a warm, pungent spice that adds a distinct bite to savory dishes. It’s a kitchen staple, but we don’t often consider its potential in sweet treats. Yet, black pepper can be paired with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to create a well-rounded flavor—perfect for spice cakes or even a surprising addition to ice cream. Pepper ice cream may sound strange, but try it for yourself and you might find Cruella was onto something.
Chilli Pepper Instead of Black Pepper
For those that want to assume pepper ice cream should include chilli pepper, team chilli up with a chocolate ice cream–a pretty common flavour combination nowadays. There are many levels of fiery heat available so start with a mild pepper to begin with. Add enough chilli and Cruella might just want to join you for a dish!
Cruella’s Pepper Ice Cream | The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of ginger
- 1 cup full fat milk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2/4 cup white sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 300 ml thickened cream
- 5-8 drops black pepper essence
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, pour in the milk, peppercorns, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a simmer. Stir to ensure all sugar is dissolved.
- Turn off heat, cover with a lid and let sit for 1 hour to infuse.
- After 1 hour, strain into a larger saucepan, and reheat until the milk is still ‘touchable’– warm but not hot enough to cook an egg.
- Whisk in 3 egg yolks, and consistently stir until the mixture thickens. (Approximately 10-15 minutes).
- Add in the thickened cream, add in the and stir until combined.
- Freeze according to your ice cream maker.
I’m a certified PEPPER-phile [in my book, anyway :-) ] and this definitely hits the spot. Spot on!