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The Ultimate Maple-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream: A Sweet & Savory Masterpiece

A spoonful of creamy Maple-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream with a piece of bacon brittle.

A sophisticated sweet and savory dessert, this recipe features a from-scratch, custard-style maple ice cream with crunchy pieces of homemade bacon brittle mixed in. The ice cream base is made with egg yolks and Grade B maple syrup for a rich flavor. The brittle is created by folding crisp, finely chopped bacon and a hint of chipotle chile powder into a golden caramel. Shards of the cooled brittle are then incorporated into the freshly churned ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the ice cream:
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • For the bacon brittle:
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for the baking sheet
  • 3 strips smoked bacon (preferably Nueske’s brand)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Make the ice cream base: Whisk the egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a bowl until pale yellow. Transfer to a saucepan and whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon (do not boil). Stir in the maple syrup. Transfer the custard to a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
  2. Make the bacon brittle: Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, let cool, then chop very finely.
  3. Cook 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it melts and turns golden, about 4 minutes. Continue cooking and stirring until it becomes a light amber color, about 2 more minutes.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in 1 tablespoon of butter. Carefully stir in the baking soda, then the chopped bacon and chile powder.
  5. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool until set, about 15 minutes.
  6. Break the cooled brittle into bite-size pieces. Smash about one-third of these pieces into smaller shards using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Reserve the remaining brittle for other uses.
  7. Churn the ice cream: Stir the heavy cream into the chilled custard base. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
  8. Stir the bacon brittle shards into the churned ice cream.
  9. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Notes

  • An ice cream maker is required for this recipe.
  • When making the brittle, if lumps form in the melting sugar, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring until they have melted.
  • The leftover bacon brittle can be stored in a container for up to 3 days.
  • Ingredient substitutions are noted as being available on the source website.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/maple-bacon-crunch-ice-cream/