You’re probably thinking of Sanguinaccio Dolce. Or maybe that one episode of a cooking competition where a chef got way too experimental with a savory dessert. But the reality of mixing blood and ice cream isn't just a dare for culinary school students or a prop for a horror-themed pop-up shop. It’s a legitimate, historical, and scientifically fascinating intersection of nutrition and pastry.
Most people recoil at the thought. Metal and milk? It sounds like a mistake. Honestly, though, if you’ve ever eaten a rare steak or a piece of black pudding, you’ve already crossed that bridge. The culinary world is currently seeing a weirdly quiet resurgence of interest in using blood as a functional ingredient, specifically in frozen desserts. This isn't about being edgy. It’s about the fact that blood, particularly porcine or bovine blood, behaves almost exactly like egg whites when heated.
Why Chefs are Obsessed with Blood and Ice Cream
The chemistry is actually pretty cool. Blood is roughly 80% water and 17% protein. Specifically, it contains albumin. If you’ve ever baked a meringue, you know albumin is the magic stuff in egg whites that lets you whip air into a stable foam.
Ben Reade, formerly of the Nordic Food Lab (the research arm of the famous restaurant Noma), spent years digging into this. He found that you can swap eggs for blood in almost any recipe using a specific ratio: roughly 65g of blood for one egg, or 43g for one egg white. When you fold that into an ice cream base, the proteins coagulate during the churning and freezing process. The result? A texture that is incredibly creamy but carries a distinct, earthy weight.
It's deep. It's rich.
And, yeah, it’s a little metallic.
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But that’s where the chocolate comes in. Historically, in regions like Southern Italy, particularly Naples, Sanguinaccio Dolce was a traditional carnival cream made with pig's blood and dark chocolate. It was thick, served warm or chilled like a custard. Nowadays, selling actual blood in food is heavily regulated, and the "modern" versions you find in Italian bakeries usually skip the blood entirely, replacing it with extra cocoa and cornstarch. But the original intent was all about using every part of the animal. Waste not, want not—even in your dessert.
The Iron Factor: Is it Actually Healthy?
Let's talk about the biology of it. Most people are chronically low on iron. If you’re looking at blood and ice cream from a nutritional standpoint, you’re looking at a delivery system for heme iron.
Heme iron is the kind your body actually likes. It’s found in animal products and is absorbed much more efficiently than the non-heme iron you get from spinach or supplements. A study published in the Journal of Food Science explored using porcine blood as a fortifying agent in various foods. The challenge is always the "sensory profile." Basically: how do you stop it from tasting like a nosebleed?
Managing the Flavor Profile
- Acid is your friend. Citrus or vinegar cuts through the copper-like tang.
- Fat content. High-butterfat cream coats the tongue, masking the metallic notes.
- Spices. Cinnamon, cloves, and star anise are the traditional go-tos for a reason.
In 2014, a research team in Spain actually experimented with "Blood Sausages" that were essentially sweet, dessert-like bars. They found that by processing the blood into a powder or strictly controlling the temperature, they could keep the nutritional benefits without the "iron" aftertaste.
The Cultural Divide
In the US, we're squeamish. In other parts of the world, blood is just another pantry staple.
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Think about it. We eat gelatin, which is boiled skin and bones. We eat honey, which is bee vomit. But blood? That’s where many draw the line. However, the rise of the "nose-to-tail" eating movement, championed by the late Anthony Bourdain and chefs like Fergus Henderson, changed the conversation. If you’re going to kill an animal for meat, it’s arguably more ethical to use the blood than to wash it down the drain.
Wait, is it vegan? Obviously not. Is it vegetarian? No. But for the "conscious carnivore," blood-infused dairy products represent a way to respect the whole animal.
The Safety Question (The Not-So-Fun Part)
You can't just go to a butcher, grab a bucket of blood, and dump it in your Cuisinart. That's a great way to get food poisoning.
Food-grade blood must be harvested in a sterile environment. It separates quickly. If it's not treated with an anticoagulant or whisked constantly (to remove fibrin), it turns into a solid clot. For ice cream production, the blood has to be homogenized and pasteurized.
Most artisanal producers who have dabbled in this—like Salt & Straw during their "Spooktacular" seasonal runs—have to jump through massive regulatory hoops with local health departments. When Salt & Straw did their "Cured Meat Medley" or "Dracula’s Blood Pudding" flavors, they weren't just being "gross" for marketing. They were working with high-end charcuterie partners to ensure the ingredient was safe, stable, and culinary-grade.
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How to Try it Without Being Grossed Out
If you’re genuinely curious about the blood and ice cream combo, don't start with a bowl of plain blood sorbet. That’s for the hardcore.
Instead, look for a traditional Sanguinaccio recipe.
You take high-quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), sugar, pine nuts, raisins, and candied citron. The blood is whisked in at the very end as the mixture thickens over low heat. If you freeze that mixture, you get something that tastes like a very intense, slightly spicy chocolate gelato with a savory "umami" finish. It’s the savory note that makes it addictive. It’s that salt-caramel effect, but deeper.
Practical Steps for the Curious
If you're looking to explore this or even just want to understand the "ferrous" side of food, here's how to proceed:
- Check Local Laws: In many US states, selling fresh blood for human consumption is restricted. You might need to find a specialty butcher that provides "food grade" porcine blood.
- Start with a Substitute: If you want the texture but aren't ready for the "blood" part, try using "aquafaba" (chickpea water). It mimics the protein structure of blood and egg whites without the flavor profile.
- The Chocolate Rule: Never use cheap chocolate. The tannins in high-end cocoa are necessary to bond with the proteins in the blood and neutralize the metallic scent.
- Temperature Control: Never boil it. If you hit 170°F (75°C), the blood proteins will scramble. You’ll end up with "iron-flavored scrambled eggs" in your cream. Keep it low and slow.
- Sourcing: Always ask for the "Certificate of Inspection" if buying in bulk from a wholesaler. You need to know the animal was healthy and the collection was aseptic.
The reality is that our ancestors wouldn't have blinked at this. They didn't have the luxury of wasting protein. As we move toward a more sustainable food system where we try to reduce the environmental impact of livestock, these "forgotten" ingredients are going to make a comeback. Today it's a "weird" ice cream flavor. Tomorrow, it might just be a standard way we fortify our food with natural, bioavailable iron.
It's not just a gimmick. It's chemistry. It's history. It's just... a little bit redder than you're used to.
To actually try this at home, your first step is to secure a reliable source of fresh, non-clotted pig's blood from a licensed butcher. Once you have that, start with a 10% substitution of your liquid base (milk/cream) and scale up as you get used to the flavor. Always keep your acidity high by adding a touch of balsamic vinegar or lemon zest to the mix to keep the flavors balanced and bright.