How to Make Honey Vanilla Whiskey Ice Cream!

This is my #1 Thanksgiving/Holiday food trick: Honey Vanilla Whiskey Ice Cream. You don’t compete with someone’s “best” pumpkin pie. You’re not adding an extra dessert to make everyone’s choices difficult. A scoop of ice cream goes with everything and anything (and sometimes is just great all on its own). Making your own ice cream can seem daunting, but it’s really not harder than making a pie. AND you can do it any day of the week before Thanksgiving. Homemade ice cream seems like the you’ve created the most decadent, complex dessert in the world. You walk in and you’re the master of Thanksgiving. Another added benefit is that–while not alcoholic–the taste isn’t usually enjoyed by children and that means more for the grown ups.

Here’s the ingredients:

2 cups cream

1 cup whole milk

1 vanilla bean (Mexican or Bourbon), split and scraped

3 tablespoons whisky (something cheap)

8 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

 

Time: 90 minutes of prep time, 4-6 hours of chill time or overnight

Equipment needed: 4 quart pan, airtight container, whisk, wooden spoon, strainer, measuring cups, measuring spoons, and an ice cream maker.

Step 01: Combine the cream, milk, honey, and whiskey into the same pan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the contents into a 4 quart pan. Put on a stove on low heat for an hour (this will help cook out some of the alcohol.)

Step 02: Seperate the eggs. You only need the yolks for this recipe. I recommend saving the whites and making meringue cookies–they are also very simple, and seem really impressive to non-bakers. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light in color. Slowly add to the warm cream mixture on the stove.

Step 03: Cook the custard on low heat, continuously whisking until the mixture thickens–it should coat the back of a wooden spoon, but leave a clean line when wiped with your finger. Add the vanilla extract and the salt.

HARD PART IS DONE. Strain that mixture into an airtight container, and stick it in the fridge overnight.

Step 04: Once the mixture is cool (I wait overnight), take it out of the fridge. Turn on your ice cream maker, and pour in the mixture. Let it churn for 30 minutes. Once it’s thick, store it in the freezer. Chow down after 2-3 hours.