Are you sick of being sticky and sweaty and ready for some cool Fourth of July fun?
Well, this Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream with Salted Bourbon-Caramel Sauce and Butterscotch Toffee (whoa, that’s what I call a mouthful… Ha Ha) recipe from Ezra Pound Cake, “the food blog, recipe collection and kitchen confessional” of Rebecca Crump, should help you keep cool, even with projected temps of 98 degrees!
Before you start salivating thinking about how delicious this ice cream/caramel/toffee will be, make sure you allot enough time to make this treat. The ice cream base needs to be refrigerated for at least four hours, and once the ice cream is made, two hours are required for this wonderful concoction to freeze.
Although it may only be 1/100000 (obviously an estimation) of the production time of soy sauce, for us interns, the process was almost nearly as difficult. We may love food, but with only the internet as our guide, this recipe was a little challenging. So, a cup of burnt pecans and two batches of toffee later, we now must wait until we can finish the process that will transform the individually-made ice cream, toffee and caramel sauce into one scrumptious creation!
P.S. Don’t let our kitchen mishaps here scare you- we were pros at making the soy sauce, and the process went extremely smoothly 🙂
Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream
Adapted from Matt Lee and Ted Lee’s “The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern”
Makes 1 1/2 pints; Serves 6
- 1 CUP BOURBON
- 1/2 CUP bourbon barrel foods’ bourbon smoked SUGAR
- 1/4 TEASPOON Bourbon barrel foods’ bourbon smoked sea salt
- 1 TEASPOON bourbon barrel foods’ bourbon barrel aged vanilla
- 2 CUPS HEAVY CREAM
- 4 LARGE EGG YOLKS
- 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
1. Pour the bourbon into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to boil until liquid is reduced by one fourth, about 6 minutes.
2. Add vanilla and cream, and heat over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 150 degrees F, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, and pour the bourbon cream into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking until the liquids are combined. Return the mixture to the pan, and heat over medium heat, stirring, until the candy thermometer reaches 175 degrees F, 3 to 4 minutes. Add milk. Transfer the ice cream base to a container with a lid, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Pour the chilled bourbon custard into an ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap. Put the lid on the container, and freeze until the ice cream has hardened, at least 2 hours. (It will keep for up to 1 month.)
5. Remove the ice cream from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.
Salted Bourbon-Caramel Sauce
Adapted from a recipe by John Currence, published in the NYT (June 14, 2010)
- 1 CUP BOURBON BARREL FOODS’ BOURBON SMOKED SUGAR
- 1/4 CUP WATER
- 2 TABLESPOONS LIGHT CORN SYRUP
- 3/4 CUP HEAVY CREAM
- 4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
- 1 TEASPOON BOURBON BARREL FOODS’ BOURBON SMOKED SEA SALT
- 1/4 CUP BOURBON
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring to a low boil.
2. Gently swirl the mixture in a circular motion (do not stir), and allow it to boil down until it is a deep amber color, at least 10 minutes.
3. Carefully whisk in the cream, protecting your hand from the steam. Immediately whisk in the butter. Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth.
4. Stir in salt and bourbon, and whisk again. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.
Buttercrunch Toffee
Adapted from David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”
Makes 2 cups
- 1 CUP ALMONDS, PECANS OR HAZELNUTS
- 1 TABLESPOON WATER
- 4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES
- 1/2 CUP bourbon barrel foods’ bourbon smoked SUGAR
- 2 TABLESPOONS PACKED LIGHT OR DARK BROWN SUGAR
- 1/8 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
- 1/2 TEASPOON bourbon barrel foods’ bourbon barrel aged VANILLA
- 1/2 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS OR 3 OUNCES BITTERSWEET OR SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED
* We used pecans*
- To Prep the Almonds: Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, and bake them at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring them halfway through so they toast evenly. Let them cool, and chop them finely.
- Set aside half of the chopped nuts. Place the other half on an ungreased baking sheet, and gather the nuts into an 8-inch circle. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar over medium heat. (Don’t overstir!) Cook the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla until just combined.
- Pour the mixture onto your circle of almonds.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the toffee, and set aside for 2 minutes while the chocolate melts. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate over the toffee.
- Scatter the remaining half of your almonds over the chocolate. Let the toffee cool completely.
We’ll keep you posted with photos and the results of the final taste tests!
For the original recipe, see here.