Description
This rich and creamy Brown Butter Ice Cream features the deep, nutty flavor of browned butter, combined with a smooth custard base made from cream, milk, and egg yolks. The brown butter imparts a unique toasted aroma and enhances the sweetness, resulting in an indulgent homemade ice cream perfect for dessert lovers seeking a gourmet twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Brown Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter
Cream Base
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
Custard Mixture
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the unsalted butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir frequently and cook until it turns a rich golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Heat the Cream and Milk: In a separate saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat the mixture until it starts to simmer, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
- Whisk Eggs and Sugar: In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened, indicating that the sugar has started to dissolve into the yolks.
- Temper the Eggs: Gradually pour the hot cream and milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This careful process prevents the eggs from scrambling by slowly raising their temperature.
- Cook the Custard: Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook gently until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, but avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
- Combine and Chill: Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Stir in the cooled brown butter, vanilla extract, and salt until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the mixture until thoroughly chilled, about 2-3 hours.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the chilled custard mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically about 20-30 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze: Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours or until firm before serving.
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the butter while browning; it should smell nutty but not burnt.
- Tempering the eggs is essential to avoid scrambling and achieve a smooth custard.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture in a shallow container and stir vigorously every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals.
- Chilling the custard thoroughly before churning helps improve texture and freezing time.
- The recipe yields a rich and creamy dessert suitable for individual servings.
