Gingerbread Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 ounces light or dark brown sugar (155g; about 2/3 cup)
- 4 ounces egg yolk (113g; about 1/2 cup), from about 8 large eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed; for table salt, use half as much by volume
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 3/4 ounces gingerbread cookie crumbs (190g; about 1 1/2 cups), from store-bought or homemade gingerbread cookies, plus more for mix-ins and garnishing
- 9 fluid ounces heavy cream (255g; about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 11 fluid ounces whole milk (310g; about 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 fluid ounce orange liqueur, such as Cointreau (7g; about 1/2 tablespoon) or whatever sounds tasty, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Freshly ground black pepper or other complementary spices, optional
- Caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought, optional
Instructions
- 1
In a 3-quart stainless steel saucier, combine brown sugar, egg yolks, salt, and baking soda. Whisk in cookie crumbs, cream, and milk. Cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until warm to the touch. Increase heat to medium, stirring and scraping constantly with a flexible spatula, and cook until mixture is steaming hot and registers 155ºF (68ºC) on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 minutes. Stir in liqueur and vanilla and season to taste with salt, black pepper, and/or additional spices if desired. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large stainless steel bowl, pressing gently with a flexible spatula to release the liquid trapped in the crumbs.
- 2
Set up an ice bath by filling a sink compartment or an extra-large bowl a combination of cold water and ice, and place bowl of custard inside, stirring from time to time, until cool, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until no warmer than 40°F (4°C), about 4 hours. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Meanwhile, place a 1-quart container and flexible spatula in the freezer.
- 3
When ice cream looks thick and light, shut off the machine and scrape ice cream into chilled container, using chilled spatula. If desired, layer ice cream with chilled caramel sauce and an extra handful of crushed gingerbread cookies, in pieces as large or small as you like. Enjoy as soft-serve, or cover with plastic pressed directly against surface of ice cream, then close lid and freeze until hard, about 4 hours. Serve plain, with gingerbread cookies on the side, or as an à la mode scoop for gingerbread cake or cherry pie.
