History

The term 'creemee' is Vermont vernacular for soft-serve; maple creemees rose to prominence in the 1960s as sugarhouses began folding maple syrup into commercial soft-serve mix to differentiate from out-of-state ice cream. Palmer Lane Maple, Morse Farm and dozens of sugarhouses serve the canonical version; in Burlington proper, the Skinny Pancake and seasonal lakefront vendors run them through summer.

Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream (35% fat)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup Vermont Grade A Dark maple syrup (Amber Rich or Dark Robust for stronger flavour)
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Whisk yolks, salt and 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
  2. Combine cream, milk and remaining maple syrup in a saucepan; warm over medium heat to 75C, stirring, until steam rises but no boil.
  3. Temper the yolks by streaming about a cup of hot dairy into the bowl while whisking, then pour the yolks back into the pan.
  4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon at 80-82C.
  5. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, stir in vanilla, cover with cling film touching the surface, and chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
  6. Churn in an ice-cream maker per the manufacturer (15-20 minutes for soft-serve consistency); serve immediately for a true creemee texture, or pack and freeze 1 hour for firmer scoops.

Tip from the editors. Use the darkest grade of maple you can find; Grade A Golden is too delicate and the cream flattens its flavour.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat maple creemee

Maple creemee in Burlington

The Skinny Pancake ★ 4.3

Crepes and Vermont fare$waterfront

Burlington's waterfront creperie on the corner of Lake and College streets on Lake Champlain. Member of the Vermont Fresh Network sourcing local producers.

Signature: Choco Monkey crepe, Johnny Crepe, Maple BBQ pulled pork

Order: Choco Monkey sweet crepe and the Johnny Crepe with maple-BBQ pulled pork.

Tip: Lake patio in summer and expect a 20-30 minute wait on weekend brunch; the Choco Monkey crepe goes to nearly every table.

60 Lake St, Burlington, VT 05401 Book →

Beansie's Bus ★ 4.5

old-north-end

An $8 chili-dog-and-fries combo at Battery Park with a Lake Champlain view is cheaper than any sit-down room downtown. Seasonal April-September only;

Try: Michigan hot dog and fries combo

1 Sherman St, Burlington, VT 05401

More cities are in research. Want maple creemee covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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