A Life, Lived: SSS # 1 - Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream

The Sunday Slow Bakers have become scoopers . . . Krista explains it all quite well here.

Our group has grown, Originally the thought was that we would tackle ice creams while it was too bloody hot to turn on the oven but because of the size of the happy group we'll be churning ice cream well into November! I know it will be warm somewhere even if it isn't here in Canada.

I am comforted by the fact that Cindy Ruth will likely be able to churn her ice cream in the snow drifts forming in September in Alaska! Sandi put together the great graphic with one of her pics of gelato from Italy. YUM

Our guide for all things sweet and cold? The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. I bought this book last year when my friend Judy posted about it on her blog - she was right, it didn't disappoint. We enjoyed many cold treats from the book although I confess my desire for ice cream, waned when our typical frigid Canadian winter hit!

The Perfect Scoop is not only a sturdy, hardbound book, but it is full of beautiful photography and lots of tips and hints to help you on the road to frozen dessert success (which was quite helpful when I scrambled the egg yolks the first time I made a custard for ice cream). What I love about this book is that there are not only ice cream recipes here but also recipes for sorbets and granitas. If that isn't enough for you Lebovitz has included numerous recipes for sauces, toppings, and delectable tidbits to mix into your iced treats as well as recipes for things you can make on/in which to serve your creations. There may be other ice cream books on the market by why waste your money - buy THIS one!

The first ice cream the Sunday Slow Scoopers are attempting is the Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream found on p 44 of the bppk.. I selected it because it looked like a more adult version of the butter pecan ice cream I adored as a child. . . . here you have sea salt, scotch, and the most delicious salted buttered toasted pecans to mix into the ice cream. WOW As with his other recipes, this treatment is sinfully delicious. The taste is spot on and the consistency is perfectly creamy. Highly recommended if you have some Scotch on hand -- Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, any Glen will do.

Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream

5 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Scotch whiskey

Buttered Pecans (recipe below), coarsely chopped

Melt butter in medium saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and salt.

Whisk in 1 cup of the cream and milk.

Warm this mixture on the stove but do not allow it to get too hot.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 cup cream in a separate bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until combined. Slowly pour warm brown sugar mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly (careful not to scramble them). Scrape warmed yolk back into saucepan.

Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture coats the back of a spoon (about 160-175F).

Pour mixture through strainer into reserved cream and stir to combine. Add vanilla and scotch , then stir over ice bath to stop cooking.

Cover the custard with plastic wrap to prevent a 'skin' from forming on the top. Cool mixture thoroughly in fridge, then freeze in your ice cream machine according to the instructions. Add pecans in the last minute of churning.

Buttered Pecans

1 1/2 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

1/4 tsp coarse salt

Preheat over to 350F(175C). Melt butter in skillet. Toss pecans until well coated, then sprinkle with salt. Spread evenly on baking sheet and toast in oven for about 10 minutes, stirring once during baking.

Lebovitz suggests going all out by making Blondie Sundaes by serving the finished ice cream over a blondie (he provides a great recipe for this non-chocolate brownie which we had never eaten before) and then drizzling it with chocolate sauce. WOW, WOW, WOW. You can tell from the photo up above that we did, in fact, go all out!

You can check out the creations of the other Sunday Slow Scoopers (well. at least those of 'em who have blogs) here:

In and Out of the Garden: A Blog

Happy Trails for Us: My Reluctant Blog

What I Really Think

Palmabella's Passions

Whistlestop Cafe Cooking