History
Wisconsin frozen custard emerged from Coney Island beachfront stands in the 1910s, then found its Wisconsin home when Leon Schneider opened Leon's Frozen Custard in Milwaukee in 1942. Madison's frozen custard tradition runs through Culver's, the Wisconsin chain founded in nearby Sauk City in 1984, and Michael's Frozen Custard, the Madison-area chain operating on Atwood, Schroeder and Monroe. The dense low-overrun custard with high egg yolk became Wisconsin's defining dessert by the 1970s.
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Common allergens: Dairy, Eggs
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 500ml heavy cream
- 250ml whole milk
- 150g sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 vanilla bean, split, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Method
- In a saucepan, heat cream, milk, half the sugar and the vanilla bean over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat.
- Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar and salt in a bowl until pale.
- Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper.
- Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 175F on a thermometer.
- Strain into a clean bowl, cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer instructions until thick and creamy.
- Transfer to a container and freeze 2 hours before serving for ideal texture.
Tip from the editors. Best served fresh at -10F. If freezer-stored, temper 5 minutes before scooping. Vanilla bean is canonical; add fruit only after.
Where to eat wisconsin frozen custard
Wisconsin frozen custard in Madison
Mickies Dairy Bar ★ 4.4
Mickies Dairy Bar on Monroe Street, the campus-side diner since 1946 across from Camp Randall, runs Wisconsin diner breakfasts and the legendary Scrambler.
TryScrambler with hash browns and pancake
Wisconsin frozen custard in Milwaukee
Kopp's Frozen Custard ★ 4.7
Kopp's Frozen Custard on North Port Washington Road in Glendale serves jumbo cheeseburgers and a daily-changing custard flavour at counter prices since Elsa.
TryJumbo cheeseburger and custard cone
Leon's Frozen Custard ★ 4.6
Leon's Frozen Custard on South 27th Street has served Milwaukee frozen custard since Leon Schneider opened in 1942, with chocolate, vanilla and butter pecan.
TryFrozen custard cone
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