This cocktail-inspired recipe for a fancy frozen custard is from Jay Tovar-Ballagh, the award-winning pastry chef at Pachamamas in Lawrence, Kan. To read his tips on choosing the perfect frozen dessert for your needs, check out Discover the Many Delicious Types of Frozen Desserts.
Ingredients:
For the ice cream:
1 cup sweet vermouth
8 to 10 dashes of bitters
1 cup bourbon
4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces egg yolks
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
For bourbon cherries:
2 cups fresh cherries washed and pitted (chopped if you want)
1/3 cup bourbon
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions:
In a saucepot, combine the vermouth, bitters and bourbon. Flame off alcohol and reduce to 1/2 cup. Add in the cream and milk. Heat but do not boil. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the egg yolks, sugars and salt. Slowly temper the hot cream mixture into the yolks, return everything to the pot and while stirring constantly, heat gently to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Strain into a bowl set over an ice bath. Cool completely.
While your custard is cooling, mix together and let steep the cherries, bourbon and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved into the bourbon. Strain the liquid into the custard and reserve the cherries.
Freeze the custard according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. When the custard reaches a soft-serve state, scoop it out into a bowl and fold the reserved cherries in. Store in an airtight container. Hint: Good bourbon tastes good. Serve over pineapple upside down cake.
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