To assemble the floats: For each float, put a long spoon in the glass and pour in about 6 tablespoons of soda water. Add two scoops of ice cream. Pour over 2 tablespoons of the syrup, then 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Drizzle over about 4 dashes of the five-spice tincture and 2 of the peppercorn. Top with soda water and garnish with a piece of fresh pineapple.
Serve immediately.
Roasted Pineapple Ice Cream:
For 24 servings of the float double the recipe.
Makes about 3 quarts
Roasted pineapple:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Toss the pineapple pieces in the sugar and the anise. Spread on a sheet pan and roast in the oven stirring once halfway through, until the pineapple is golden, about 30 minutes.
Let cool completely. The pineapple can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated.
For the ice cream base: Whisk together the eggs, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a large bowl until the mixture has thickened.
Combine the cream, milk, and pineapple concentrate in a large saucepan. Scrape the vanilla bean and add the seeds and pod to the pan. Heat to just below a simmer.
Slowly, whisk the cream mixture into the yolk mixture.
Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan.
Prepare an ice bath. Set a bowl in the ice bath with a strainer across the top.
Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, heat the ice cream base in the saucepan over medium heat, scraping the sides and bottom often, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon (steam will just begin to rise from the surface).
Strain into the bowl and cool, stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate until very cold, preferably overnight.
Pour into an ice cream maker and spin according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the texture of soft serve. Meanwhile, strain off any excess liquid from the pineapple. Fold the pineapple into the ice cream and transfer to a storage container and freeze to harden.
The ice cream is best the day it is made, but it can be frozen up to 3 days ahead.
Turbinado Syrup:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
Tinctures:
For the tinctures, spoon the spice into a tea bag, close the top, and put into a soda siphon. Pour in the vodka, charge with CO2, and let sit for 2 minutes. Discharge the contents into a small bowl, strain if necessary, and store in a glass bottle.
Recipe developed by The Ice Cream Bar, San Francisco, Calif.
