Make My Own Ice Cream

Ice Cream, Oh how I love you!  It could be raining outside, it could be "freezing" for San Diego standards, but I still find comfort enjoying a cup of ice cream.  Like so many of my favorite desserts, I try to replicate them.  For the past few months I had been on a hunt for a cheap ice cream maker.  I couldn't justify spending over $50 for one.  Last month as I was cruising the aisles of Costco I found a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker for $24.  Now that's more like it!   I snagged it and searched for a recipe to create my very first batch of ice cream.   I chose a Butter Pecan Ice Cream recipe, while making some of my own modifications, like using more heavy cream than half and half, using less brown sugar, and only using egg yolks instead of the entire egg.   It definitely was not low fat or healthy in the slightest. 

 

I first browned some chopped pecans in a pan with butter (they don't call it butter pecan for nothing).  Once browned and fragrant I took it out of the pan and set it aside. 

I mixed my wet and dry ingredients and put it back in the pan.  I cooked it on a low heat for a few minutes until I got a slight simmer, and I was able to coat the back of a wooden spoon with the mixture.  I then removed it from the heat and stirred in some vanilla and my pecans. 

 

This is when my ice cream maker comes into the picture!  I poured my mixture into my freezer bowl, and then started my ice cream maker.  Easy Peasy!

I let my ice cream maker do its magic for roughly 30 minutes.  It was just enough time to clean up the mess I had made, and to wash all the pans.  Since I was running late to dance with Matt I had no time to put the ice cream in the freezer for a few hours before eating.  The smell of the ice cream was calling my name, so I had a cup before going out in the San Diego heat. 

The finish product!  It's a little melted because of time constraints.  But trust me when I say it was the best Butter Pecan Ice Cream I have ever tasted.  It was Scrumdiddlyumptious!  The best part is that I have enough remaining ingredients to make a second batch!  Who wants to come over for an ice cream party?

Date Accomplished:  July 2nd, 2011