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Salted Caramel Peanut Brittle Ice Cream

Source of Recipe

From "Down South" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"Blame it on the Salted Nut Rolls that I used to tuck into my jacket pockets for fishing trips�I am crazy about peanuts and caramel. In this recipe, a rich vanilla ice cream flavored with swirls of salty caramel and peanut butter is studded with crunchy bites of peanut brittle. It's a pretty over-the-top combination, and the perfect punctuation to a dinner party. An unexpected sting of cayenne helps balance the sweetness. When you're making the candy, note that peanut brittle demands a slow, steady stir. If your peanut brittle is pale or milky white and granular, it probably was either not heated to the proper temperature or was stirred too vigorously during cooking."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 quart heavy cream
◦ 1 � cups sugar
◦ 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
◦ 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
◦ 1 cup whole milk
◦ � teaspoon kosher salt
◦ 8 large egg yolks
◦ � cup smooth peanut butter
◦ � recipe Peanut Brittle (recipe follows)



Recipe

If you're using a canister-style ice cream machine, freeze the ice cream machine canister for at least 12 hours, or preferably, for 24 hours.

Heat 1 cup of the heavy cream in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover the pan to keep warm, and set aside. Prepare an ice bath.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla bean and seeds in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and slowly cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and continue to cook to a golden caramel. Remove from the heat. Carefully stir in the hot cream, stirring until fully blended. Add the milk and salt and return the pan to medium heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully remove the vanilla bean and scrape into the caramel any seeds that cling to the bean. Return the mixture to a simmer.

Put the yolks in a medium bowl and whisk them lightly. Temper the yolks by gradually adding about one-third of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat, until the custard base thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Strain the custard base through a fine sieve into a storage container (a bowl shape is best since you'll be whisking) and transfer to the ice bath. Add the peanut butter and whisk to incorporate completely. Stir in the remaining 3 cups heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, until the mixture has the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Fold in the broken peanut brittle pieces (if your ice cream maker has an opening, add the crushed brittle toward the end of the mixing time, once the ice cream has thickened.) Transfer the ice cream to a storage container and freeze for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

Makes 2 quarts






❧ Peanut Brittle:

◦ 1 � cups sugar
◦ 1 � cups light corn syrup
◦ 12 ounces salted roasted peanuts, chopped
◦ 1 � teaspoons kosher salt
◦ Pinch of cayenne
◦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
◦ 1 teaspoon baking soda

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and � cup plus 2 tablespoons water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir constantly to ensure that the sugar is moistened, so it will dissolve evenly and not scorch. When the syrup comes to a boil, stop stirring. Continue to cook to the hardball stage, 246� F on a candy thermometer.

Stir in the peanuts, salt, and cayenne. Continue cooking, stirring slowly and gently with a wooden spoon, until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage, 318� F on a candy thermometer. As a general rule, if the mixture has reached the proper temperature but the color is not fully developed, continue cooking until the mixture has a golden-brown caramel color. Remove from the heat carefully and stir in the butter and vanilla until incorporated. Stir in the baking soda.

Pour the mixture onto a lightly oiled marble work surface or a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Allow the brittle to cool slightly until it has a pliable plastic texture. Wearing latex gloves to protect your hands, pull the brittle out from the edges and break it into pieces as it hardens. This must be done quickly, before the brittle hardens completely. The pieces will be all different shapes and sizes. Allow the brittle to cool completely and then break it into smaller, bite-size pieces. Store in a completely dry, airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 3 cups