Brown Sugar & Toasted Almond Ice Cream
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Brown sugar and toasted almond ice cream, a custard base with deep butterscotch notes, warm cinnamon, and crunchy toasted almonds. Made lighter with milk and evaporated milk, churned smooth and scoopable.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
5 minREADY
4½ hrsThis ice cream trades heavy cream for a clever lighter base, yet still churns up smooth and rich. Low-fat milk and evaporated skim milk stand in for cream, while a little gelatin keeps the texture creamy rather than icy.
The flavor leans warm and caramel-like: brown sugar gives it a butterscotch depth that white sugar can’t, rounded out with a touch of cinnamon.
It’s a true custard, so you cook egg yolks gently with the milk until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, then strain it for silky smoothness. Don’t let it boil, or the custard curdles.
A tablespoon of vodka (or rum) is the secret to scoopability; the alcohol lowers the freezing point so the ice cream stays soft rather than rock-hard.
Toasted almonds folded in at the end add buttery crunch in every bite.
Chef Tips
- Cook the custard low and slow, just until it coats the spoon; boiling will scramble the yolks.
- Strain the custard for the smoothest possible texture.
- Chill the base completely, at least 4 hours or overnight, before churning.
- Toast the almonds first and add them in the last few minutes so they stay crunchy.
Variations
- Use pecans or hazelnuts in place of almonds.
- Add a swirl of caramel or dulce de leche after churning.
- Bump up the cinnamon or add a pinch of nutmeg for more spice.
Ingredients
Directions
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl, let stand, stirring once or twice, while you make the base for the ice cream.
Pour 1½ cups milk into a large saucepan.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon, whisking until well blended.
Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until steaming.
Whisk egg yolks and evaporated milk in a medium bowl until well blended.
Whisking frequently, slowly add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture until mixed.
Bring the mixture back to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the back of the spoon is lightly coated, about 4 minutes.
Do not bring to a boil, otherwise the custard will curdle.
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean large bowl (preferably stainless-steel).
Stir in the softened gelatin and whisk until melted.
Pour in the remaining 1 cup milk and vodka (or rum), whisking constantly until well mixed.
Cover and chili until cold and set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whisk the ice cream mixture and pour into the ice cream maker.
Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add almonds.
Put the ice cream in the freezer to firm up.
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