The Ultimate Maple-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream: A Sweet & Savory Masterpiece
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.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes cooling/chilling times)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes churning and freezing)
- Yield: Approximately 1.5 quarts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Making Custard, Making Brittle, Churning, Freezing
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool until set, about 15 minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stir the bacon brittle shards into the churned ice cream.
- 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.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/maple-bacon-crunch-ice-cream/