The summer holiday is a fantastic opportunity to spend time in the kitchen with kids, experimenting and bonding. And, you’ll often end up with delightful homemade treats. On a hot day, nothing’s more fitting than pastry chef Rinat Tzadok‘s recipe for homemade ice cream cones, which was inspired by Meir Shalev’s children’s book “Vanilla on His Forehead, Strawberries on His Nose.”
The recipe itself is very simple, Rinat emphasizes, but the preparation is a bit challenging and requires precision — you’ll need a kitchen scale. Have an adult do the prep work in advance and invite your kids to help roll the cones with you. Fill them with your family’s favorite store-bought or homemade sorbet and enjoy reading Shalev’s charming tale together.
Ingredients
100 grams butter, softened
100 grams powdered sugar
100 grams egg whites
100 grams all-purpose flour
Special equipment:
A Silpat
A small offset spatula
Circle template (see recipe for instructions)
Aluminum cone or an ice cream cone wrapped in aluminum foil
Disposable latex gloves (optional)
Preparation
- Prepare the batter: Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix for 2 more minutes.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. While mixing on a low speed, gradually add the egg whites, mixing until they are fully incorporated. Occasionally, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Don’t worry if there are some lumps in the batter, keep mixing until smooth.
- Add the flour and mix briefly, just until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a container, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top (to prevent a skin from forming), cover with a lid and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the template: Meanwhile, cut a 5-inch/13-cm circle in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap (you can also use an old plastic lid that’s larger – like a rectangular takeaway container lid, essentially, you’re making a large cookie cuter).
- Roll the cones: Preheat the oven to 325F / 170C. Place the silicone baking sheet on a flat tray and place the template with the whole on top. Using a small angled icing spatula, evenly spread a thin layer of the batter across the circle. Repeat this step once more, for a total of two circles.
- Remove the template and bake in the oven for 8 minutes, until the circles are golden.
- Shape the cones: Wearing gloves (to protect your hands) and working quickly, carefully peel the first circle from the baking sheet with your hands and place on a clean towel. Place the metal cone on top and quickly roll the dough around it into a cone shape. Repeat with the remaining dough circle and let cool. Repeat step 7, creating 2 circles at a time, until all the batter is used. Don’t worry if the first cones don’t succeed, your skills will improve with practice.
*Alternatively, for crispy ice cream cups quickly place the hot dough circles in the wells of a muffin tin. Let cool.
