Buttery Bourbon Ice Cream

Buttery pecans mingle with bourbon in this mesmerizing ice cream. This recipe is adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.

Ingredients: 

For ice cream:

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon + 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 heaping tablespoons of whipped cream cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup organic sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 1 large bowl filled with ice

For buttery pecans:

  • 3/4 cup pecan bits
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions: 

Combine 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and salt.

In a saucepan, bring to a boil the rest of the milk along with the cream, sugar and corn syrup. Stir occasionally as the contents bubble for about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Swirl in the cornstarch milk mixture. 

Return the mixture to the stovetop. Over a medium flame, heat the contents for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally with a heatproof spatula. (The contents will thicken slightly.) Take the pan off the stove.

Pour a little of the heated milk mixture into the cream cheese. Whisk. Repeat. Stir in the bourbon.

Empty the contents into a 1-gallon freezer bag. Plunge the bag into an ice cube bath. Let the contents cool for 45 to 50 minutes.

While chilling the ice cream, make the buttery pecans by coating the nuts with 1 tablespoon of butter and a ½ teaspoon of salt. Toast the pecans for about 12 minutes in a 350 oven. Remove and cool.

From the ice bath transfer the mixture in the freezer bag into your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last few minutes, drop in the toasted pecans. Freeze in a parchment lined Tupperware bowl overnight.