Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream Food

VANILLA BOURBON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• If you have an ice cream maker requiring a frozen bowl, make sure to put it in the freezer at least 24 hours before you plan to churn the ice cream.
• To make the ice cream base, warm 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream with the sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until hot, but not quite boiling. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the bean. Cover, remove from heat and let the vanilla steep into the milk mixture for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream into a bowl. Set a mesh strainer over the bowl. You will be straining the ice cream base into this bowl - the strainer helps to make the ice cream silky smooth and the cold milk and cream help stop the cooking process and avoid overcooking the custard.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Return the steeped vanilla mixture to the heat briefly. Once it has returned to hot, but not quite boiling. Transfer a small amount of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, stirring constantly as you add the milk to temper the eggs. This will help prevent them from scrambling.
• Add a little more of the hot milk mixture, stir again. Continue adding liquid to the eggs while stirring until you have added about a cup of liquid total. Then add the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. This usually takes a few minutes, but it depends a bit on the saucepan and stove.
• Pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl with the milk and cream. If you are in a hurry, you can immediately chill the ice cream in an ice bath. Otherwise, refrigerate for at least 8 hours (I usually chill it overnight).
• When ready to churn, add the vanilla extract and bourbon. Stir well. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the ice cream in the freezer for a few hours before serving to allow the ice cream to firm up.

VANILLA CARAMEL BOURBON MILKSHAKE

Steps:

• Combine the milk and 1/3 cup of the Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce in a blender and blend until combined. Add the ice cream and blend until smooth.
• Drizzle some of the remaining caramel sauce into a glass in a decorative pattern. Pour in the milkshake, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and drizzle with more caramel sauce.
• Put the cream in a small saucepan, add the vanilla pod and seeds and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep while you make the caramel.
• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup cold water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; stir to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber hue, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the vanilla pod from the cream and slowly whisk the warm cream and the bourbon into the caramel. Continue simmering the mixture until smooth, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and salt, whisking until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

WHITE PEACH AND BOURBON VANILLA ICE-CREAM

Steps:

• Place the water and sugar in a large saucepan over high heat, bring to the boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peaches, cover with a round of non-stick baking paper and weigh down with a small plate to submerge. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain the peaches, reserving the syrup. Allow to cool slightly before peeling. Refrigerate half the peaches for 1-2 hours or until cold. Cut the remaining peaches in half, discarding the stones, and place in a food processor. Process until smooth and refrigerate until cold.
• Place the milk, cream and vanilla in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir until just boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg yolks and extra sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Gradually pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until the custard is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until cold.
• Add the bourbon and the peach puree to the custard and whisk to combine. Pour into a metal (not glass) brownie pan. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight until set.
• Cut the ice-cream into squares. In batches, place the squares in the cleaned food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the tin and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
• Scoop the ice-cream into serving bowls. Drizzle with the reserved peach syrup and sprinkle with the amaretti. Serve with the whole poached peaches.

VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH BOURBON BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the butter, sugar, corn syrup and heavy cream to a medium-size saucepan and cook while stirring over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Once the butterscotch appears syrupy and thick, remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the bourbon. (It will sputter and boil when you do this.) Stir in a big pinch of salt and let cool slightly before serving.
• Serve the butterscotch over good vanilla ice cream.

BACON BOURBON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Render the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until crispy. Transfer the grease to the refrigerator, chilling until the fat solidifies. Leave half the bacon the pot, and reserve the other half.
• Add the bourbon to the pot with the bacon and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Stir in the cream, milk, 1/2 cup sugar, the vanilla and a pinch of salt and remove from the heat. Cover with plastic and cool for 1 hour. Strain and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the reserved bacon with 1/4 cup sugar and the brown sugar. Spread the sugared bacon on a baking sheet and bake until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Set aside to cool.
• Whip the eggs until the volume has doubled in a stand mixer set on high speed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled and rendered fat. Beat on high for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and slowly incorporate the cooled bourbon and milk mixture, mixing just to combine.
• Pour into an ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Scoop and garnish with the bacon sweets. Ah yum. Then sit down with a spoon and EAT IT. Do not share.

NO-CHURN VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together condensed milk, vanilla, and bourbon, if desired. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes.
• With a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture. Pour into a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Freeze until firm, 6 hours.

BOURBON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar and salt. Heat over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan, stirring to dissolve sugar. , In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 180°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Immediately transfer to a bowl. , Place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in bourbon and vanilla. Press waxed paper onto surface of mixture. Refrigerate several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream maker two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. (Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) Transfer ice cream to a freezer container; freeze until firm, 4-6 hours. Repeat with remaining mixture.

VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH MAKER'S MARK (BOURBON)

Steps:

• Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla bean in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and let the bean steep for 15 minutes, then remove it and use a paring knife to scrap the seeds from the inside of the pod into the milk and cream mixture. Discard the pod.
• Combine the sugar and yolks and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds or so.
• Fill a large bowl with a 50/50 mixture of ice and water, then place a second bowl into the ice bath. Set a fine-mesh strainer into the inner bowl.
• Over medium heat, bring the milk and cream mixture just to a simmer, then pour it slowly into the yolks while whisking continuously.
• Pour the mixture back into the pan and continue whisking over medium heat until the mixture is slightly thick, or nappe (it should be pourable, but it should be thick enough on a spoon dipped into it that you can draw a line through the mixture that clings to the spoon). This will take 2 to 4 minutes.
• Pour the mixture through the strainer into the bowl that is resting in the ice water bath. Stir the custard sauce with a rubber spatula until it is cold. Add the bourbon to taste. Cover and refrigerate it until it is thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight (the colder, the better).
• Freeze according to your machine's instructions.