Ample Hills Creamery: Butter Pecan Ice Cream

There's no ice cream my father loves more than some good old butter pecan, so when we decided to have a family get together for Father's Day, I knew there needed to be more than just cake.  The only problem is finding a decent recipe for ice cream.  It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult of a proposition, but the more care you put in, the better the results that come out.  I knew when I saw this recipe (what? homemade pecan brittle??) that it met my criteria.  This is hands down the best butter pecan ice cream I've ever had.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

From Ample Hills Creamery

For the brown sugar ice cream:
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup skim milk powder
1⅔ cups whole milk

1⅔ cups heavy cream

3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the pecan brittle:
12 ounces pecans, broken into pieces
½ cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon baking soda

Make the brown sugar ice cream:
Fill a large heatproof bowl or your kitchen sink about halfway with ice water.

In a medium saucepan off the heat, combine the brown sugar, skim milk powder, and milk. Blend with an immersion or stick blender, mix with a handheld mixer, or whisk until smooth. Make sure the skim milk powder is wholly dissolved and that no lumps remain (any remaining sugar granules, on the other hand, will dissolve when heated). Stir in the cream.

Clip the candy or deep-fry thermometer to the saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and burning, until the mixture reaches 110°F (45°C), 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly pour ½ cup (120 milliliters) hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Continue to whisk slowly until the mixture is an even color and consistency, then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture.

Return the saucepan to medium heat and continue cooking the mixture, stirring often, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and reaches 165°F (75°C), 5 to 10 minutes more.

Transfer the saucepan to the ice water in the sink and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and making certain absolutely no ice water spills into the pan. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the ice cream base through a strainer into a resealable container and refrigerate for about 8 hours.

Make the pecan brittle:
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 275°F. Butter a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

Spread the pecans in a single layer on the parchment and toast until they just begin to change color, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate and let cool. Reserve the prepared baking sheet for the brittle.

Grab a medium deep-sided saucepan (3½- to 4-quart would be perfect) and add the syrup, sugar, salt, butter, and water. Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the ingredients are combined and the sugar has dissolved, then continue to cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 305°F (150°C), at least 15 minutes and up to 25 minutes. You want to constantly monitor the temperature so that it doesn’t rise above 310°F (154°C).

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the pecans and baking soda and whisk to combine. (The baking soda will cause the mixture to bubble slightly but not too furiously. This is is where that deep-sided saucepan comes in handy, as it keeps spatters to a minimum.) Working quickly, as the mixture will begin to set as the temperature drops, spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Let the mixture cool at room temperature until it’s brittle, about 2 hours.

Break the brittle into bite-size pieces and store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.

Assemble the butter pecan brittle ice cream:
Transfer the cooled base to an ice cream maker and churn it until it’s ready, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer the ice cream to a resealable freezer-safe storage container, folding in the pecan brittle pieces as you do. Use as much of the brittle as you want; you won’t necessarily need the whole batch. (We found that about ½ batch of brittle was just right.) Serve the butter pecan brittle ice cream immediately if you prefer a super soft consistency or stash it in your freezer for 8 to 12 hours to harden if you prefer to be able to scoop it.

Makes 1 quart