THE PARADOX OF ICE CREAM-SPRING ROLL W GROUND PEANUT BRITTLE

Ingredients

PEANUT BRITTLE:
• 1 3/4 cup (227 grams) skinless peanuts
• 1 tbsp (14 grams) unsalted butter
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) water
BROWN SUGAR MOCHI: (optional)
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) sticky rice flour
• 1/3 cup (87 grams) water
• 2 tbsp (30 grams) dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp canola oil
FLOUR CREPE:
• 1 cup (125 grams) bread flour, or all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp (215 grams) water
• 1/4 tsp salt
TO ASSEMBLE:
• Simple flavoured ice creams ranked in preference: taro, vanilla, coconut, mango, strawberry, chocolate
• Fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE PEANUT BRITTLE: Roast the peanuts on a baking-sheet, in a preheated 350F/175C oven for 20 min, until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and let cool in the fridge for 10 min, then add the unsalted butter (*no need to mix*), and sprinkle the sea salt and baking soda evenly over the top. Set aside. Line a baking-sheet with parchment paper then set aside. In a pot, heat granulated sugar and water over medium-high heat. Swirling the pot occasionally but DO NOT stir (or sugar crystals may form), and cook for 10~20 min until the mixture turns into a light golden/amber color. Once it does, REMOVE FROM THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY (otherwise it's gonna burn), then add the peanut-mixture all at once and stir to evenly combine. The mixture will foam up a little while you stir. As soon as you feel that the mixture is evenly mixed, pour it onto the parchment-lined sheet into a flat slab.
2. Chill the brittle in the fridge for 20 min until completely hardened. Lay another parchment on top, then hammer it into small pieces. Pulse the pieces in a food-processor, in small batches, until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Can be made days before and stored in a jar.
3. TO MAKE BROWN SUGAR MOCHI: The original ice cream-spring roll does not have mochi in it, so omit if you'd like. Whisk sticky rice flour, water, dark brown sugar and canola oil in a microwavable bowl, until lump-free. It will feel like a loose batter. Microwave on high at a 20 seconds-interval, re-mixing with a fork in between, for approx 2 min in total. The mixture will turn into an opaque/semi-translucent blob. Keep stirring/kneading with a fork for another 5 min to improve its chewiness, then set aside to cool completely. Can be made a few hours before hand.
4. TO MAKE FLOUR CREPE: This is an adapted spring roll-crepe, made more accessible for home-kitchen. With a blender or immersion blender, blend bread flour, water and salt until smooth. Rub a non-stick crepe-pan with a bit of oil (just a sheen), then pour 3~4 tbsp of batter into the pan. Tilt/swirl the pan to distribute the batter into a thin, round sheet (*don't bother with a perfect circle, it doesn't matter in this application*), then set over medium-high heat and cook for approx 1:30~2 min, until the crepe is cooked and the edges are slightly curled up. Transfer onto a plate. Rinse the pan under cold water for a few seconds to cool, then repeat the same process until the batter's used up. You should have 4~6 crepes.
5. TO ASSEMBLE: Spoon a generous amount of ground peanut brittle (the key is a lot of it) onto the center of the crepe, then top with 2~3 scoops of ice cream. With lightly oiled fingers, torn 2~3 nubs of brown sugar mochi and place then here-and-there around the ice cream. Top with more ground peanut brittle, and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro leaves. Roll it up like... well, a spring roll, then eat immediately.