Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients:
5 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup (170g) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups (500 ml)heavy cream
3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
6 (101 g) large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon scotch whisky
Buttered pecans

Buttered pecans
1 1/2 tablespoons(25 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (150 g) pecans, chopped coarse
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

For the ice cream:
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and salt. Mix well. Add 1 cup of heavy cream and the milk. warm mixture, but do not boil. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a glass bowl. Place a strainer on top. Set aside.

Ladle small portions of the hot cream mixture into the beaten egg yolks, whisking the whole time (You don’t want the egg yolks to cook and curdle. Whisk vigorously). Keep adding the milk mixture until you temper the eggs. pour this mixture back into the saucepan.

Over low-medium heat, stir the mixture, constantly, with a heat proof spatula. The custard is ready when the mixture thickens and the coats the back of the spatula without disappearing. I like to run my finger along the back of the spatula. You know it is ready when your finger track remains on the back of the spatula for at least 10 seconds.

Pour the hot custard through the strainer into the bowl of cream. Stir to combine. Add the vanilla and whisky. Cool completely and then place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl, pressing the plastic wrap on the top of the custard. Put in the fridge until cooled completely.

Put the custard in your chilled ice cream maker and mix for 30 minutes (I have a simple Cuisinart and it gets the job done). Mix in the buttered pecans, transfer to a freezer safe container and let set.

For the buttered pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the pecans and coat. Sprinkle with salt. Spread nut mixture on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before adding to the ice cream.

 

- Recipe courtesy of Susan Salzman