Maple Butter Pecan Ice Cream Food

MAPLE BUTTER-PECAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Coarsely chop pecans. In a skillet melt butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Toast pecans in butter, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Cool pecans and chill in a sealable plastic bag. Buttered pecans may be made 3 days ahead and chilled.
• In a heavy saucepan bring cream, milk, maple syrup, and salt just to a boil, stirring occasionally. In a bowl beat yolks until smooth. Add hot cream mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170° F. Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Stir in extract. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a bowl and fold in chilled pecans. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

MAPLE-BUTTER PECAN SHAKE

Steps:

• Place milk, pecans, and maple syrup in a blender and blend to break down the pecans and mix thoroughly, about 30 seconds.
• Add the ice cream and pulse several times to begin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades.
• Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds.
• Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, and serve at once.

MAPLE BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Toast pecans in butter, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes, sprink with salt to taste. Cool pecans and chill in a sealable bag or bowl. Pecans can be made up to 3 days in advance.
• In heavy sauce pan bring cream, half and half (or milk), maple syrup and salt just to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl beat yolks until smooth. Add hot cream in a very slow stream, whisking (pour slowly over yolks so as not to scramble the eggs, this is important), and pour back into pan.
• Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thermometer reaches 170 degrees F. Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Stir in extract, cover bowl.
• Chill custard at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard according to your ice cream maker directions, adding pecans during the last few minutes of the cycle. Transfer chilled ice cream to an airtight container (I put in a sealable bowl, and cut parchment paper to fit directly on top of the ice cream), freeze until harden about 2 hours.
• As you eat ice cream up, cover exposed areas with parchment to prevent freezer burn. Ice cream will keep for about 1 week.