Kim Na-on’s Mango and Oigochu Ice Cream Pairs Sweetness With Delayed Heat

Chef Kim Na-on of Ellis Project, which serves a dessert course in Yangjae, presented a signature mango and oigochu ice cream whose sweetness gives way to a spicy aftertaste. A SONGCHELIN GUIDE video followed the unusual dessert’s preparation and the participants’ reactions to its combination of sweet mango and spicy pepperoncino.

Tasters said the finished mango and oigochu ice cream retained its sweetness while the pepperoncino—described in the video’s account as belonging to the oigochu family—delivered heat that helped cut the richness. The delayed arrival of that heat, rather than an immediate spicy sensation, was singled out as a feature of the dish.

“It seems like it wouldn’t go together, but it does,” the participants said. They found that the spiciness balanced the dessert’s sweetness without being unpleasantly sharp.

A mango aroma causes confusion

The preparation brought an unexpected moment of confusion as pepperoncino simmered in milk for the ice cream base. An aroma of mango fillet emerged, leading the participants to question why they could taste mango when none had been added.

At the stage when egg yolk needed to be mixed into the hot milk, the scene gave the impression that mango had gone in instead of the yolk, heightening the tension during preparation.

To reach the temperature needed for the ice cream, Kim Na-on immediately placed the boiled milk in an ice bath to cool it. The chef then mixed powdered sugar and buckwheat flour into egg whites and added melted butter to complete the texture. Spreading and baking the finished batter helped give the dessert its form and prepare it for plating.

Two desserts completed in 14 minutes

The preparation also highlighted Kim Na-on’s professional skill. While Mun-yeong took 80 minutes to make one dessert, Kim Na-on completed two in 14 minutes. During plating, the chef added details intended to enhance the dessert’s commercial appeal, including shaping it on top of ganache.

“Even with the same ingredients, the taste can vary depending on who makes it,” Kim Na-on said, emphasizing that the condition of the ingredients and the cooking technique are important in determining a dessert’s texture and flavor.

Kim Na-on also expressed confidence in the cooking, saying, “I am rice cake. That’s why it tastes good.”

Source: original video (YouTube)