Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Gari McMellon

Rich, creamy homemade butter pecan ice cream made with a brown sugar and maple custard base. The pecans are toasted in butter until fragrant and lightly caramelized, then folded into the ice cream during the final minutes of churning.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Comfort Food

Equipment

ice cream maker

Ingredients

Buttered Pecans

1 cup chopped pecans
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
Small pinch kosher salt

Ice Cream Base

2 cups heavy cream
1 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and a small pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pecans are fragrant and toasted and the butter is lightly golden. Watch carefully so neither the butter nor the pecans burns.
Spread the pecans and all the butter from the skillet onto a parchment-lined plate or small baking sheet. Separate any large clumps, allow the pecans to cool completely, and then refrigerate until cold.
Add the heavy cream, whole milk, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until hot and steaming, but do not allow it to boil.
Whisk the egg yolks, ½ cup brown sugar, and maple syrup in a separate bowl until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
While whisking constantly, slowly pour approximately 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon or spatula. The custard should reach 170–175°F. Do not allow it to boil.
Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl.
Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4–6 hours or preferably overnight.
Churn the cold custard according to your ice-cream maker’s instructions. Add the chilled buttered pecans and their firmed buttery coating during the final 2–3 minutes of churning.
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.

Keyword creamy, homemade, rich, sweet

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