Coffee Ice Cream

Ice cream is hard to photograph because I really just wanted to eat it. I am not a big sweets person. Of course, I LOVE dessert, but I don't ever crave it. I won't have a ton of dessert recipes on here. I do whip up a few here and there. On the other hand, I LOVE ice cream. And I just got an ice cream maker for Christmas from the parents-in-law (thanks!).

I have tried a few different recipes with it. The first was a disaster for several reasons. The second was forgettable. The third (this one) was ridiculously amazing. I made the custard last night so that it could completely chill overnight. It takes a little while to make the custard, but it isn't hard and there is a bit of waiting. The only chance you have to ruin it is if you don't temper the eggs. Add the hot cream very slowly while whisking the eggs as the recipes says, and you will have no problems.

It has such a good coffee flavor. I like my coffee strong and I like my coffee ice cream strong. It is so smooth and velvety. I might become addicted to making ice cream. I would have to say that this is my favorite recipe so far posted on this blog. Annie's Eats blog has a lot of amazing looking desserts. This recipe is hers. It is perfect, I wouldn't change a thing.

Oh yeah, and this sort of made up for the Viking's lose. Wait, no it didn't. Just going to have to wait that one out...check in with him in the morning.

Coffee Ice Cream

from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz via Annie’s Eats

11/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

11/2 cups whole coffee beans

Pinch of salt

11/2 cups heavy cream, divided

5 large egg yolks

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. finely ground coffee or espresso powder

Combine the milk, sugar, coffee beans, salt and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is warm and just begins to bubble, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

After steeping, return the saucepan with the coffee mixture to the burner over medium heat. Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Once the coffee mixture has become warm again, slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return the egg-coffee bean mixture to the saucepan over medium high heat.

Cook the mixture, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula or spoon (about 170-175° F.) Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible, then discard the beans (I used a heavy-bottomed drinking glass to do this.) Mix in the vanilla and ground coffee or espresso powder. Chill the batter over an ice bath, or in the refrigerator. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Printable Version