Butter Pecan Ice Cream

This buttery delicious ice cream uses a custard base with cream and eggs to give it an unbelievably unctuous consistency. The salted pecans toasted in butter add richness and depth and give it that famous 'butter pecan' flavor, punctuated with that dash of salt.

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

4 egg yokes

1/3 cup cane sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pecans (I used roasted, salted) chopped into 1/4-inch pieces 

1/4 cup butter 

The day before churning, freeze churn bowl of the ice cream maker for 18-24 hours.

The day of churning, heat milk and cream to 180F, whisking often. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, whisk sugar into egg yokes in a separate medium bowl. 

Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of hot cream to yokes whisking continuously. Do the same with two more 1/2 cups cream. 

Return yoke mixture to remaining cream in pot. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Your cream mixture will fall down to something like 140F.

Over low heat, bring the cream mixture back to 180F (probably about 10 minutes). Whisk often. This cream custard mixture should be able to coat the back of a spoon.

Place the medium bowl of cream in an ice bath in a larger bowl for 10 minutes to cool it off. 

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, toast the pecans in the butter over medium heat in a large skillet, for about 2-3 minutes, or just until fragrant. 

Set aside to bring down to room temperature.

After the cream custard mixture chilled for 2 hours, place churn bowl and paddle on ice cream maker. Strain the custard mixture into the churn bowl and churn for about 20 minutes.

Tip in the toasted pecans and continue churning per manufacturer’s instructions. 

Mine took another 10 more minutes using a CuisineArt 1.5 quart ice cream maker.

Scoop ice cream into a container. 

Cover and freeze for about 2 more hours or until you achieve the consistency you desire.

Makes about a quart and a half of ice cream.