Maple-Bourbon Ice Cream
If you follow this blog you know that I don’t endorse products too often but every once in a while something comes along that’s so special it’s worth mentioning. I was given a sample of NYfoods milk and eggs recently, a small company whose mission is to bring the best local organic dairies, eggs and cheese to our tables, and I was so pleasantly surprised by the quality of their milk and eggs (picture the glorious bright orange yolks of fresh farm eggs) that I decided to experiment with a few batches of ice cream. After a few emails Jean of NYFoods brought the dairies, Massimo of The Little Cupcake Bakeshop in Nolita opened his kitchen and Jeremy of Stir the Pots came to crack some eggs.
Vanilla and chocolate gelato were made and eaten to great acclaim by the owner and employees of the Bake Shop but since we didn’t have enough time to spin it all I brought some maple custard home, gave it a little shot of Bourbon, and put my ice cream maker to good use. Ice cream is made with as little as four ingredients so the quality of those ingredients greatly affect the results, use commercial grade dairies and eggs and you’ll get average ice cream, use the best local organic dairies and the quality will be increased a hundredfold. Those who ever had a simple omelet made with freshly picked eggs already know this.
Maple and Bourbon is a match made in heaven. Of course if you feel so inclined you could add a walnut-bacon praline to the mix and that would take you beyond heaven – wherever that is.
If you live in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area give NYFoods a try, support the local economy and be good to the environment while being good to yourself. Their products are available at Eataly, Fresh Direct, Whole Foods and more places to come.
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Maple-Bourbon Ice Cream
- Serves 6 to 8
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For the maple-bourbon ice cream:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 cup good quality maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons Bourbon
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For the maple-bourbon ice cream:
- Combine the whole milk, heavy cream, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. When the milk mixture is hot pour about a cup of the hot liquid on the eggs yolks while whisking. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Do not boil. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and cool. Add the maple syrup and Bourbon. Cool completely and chill before churning in an ice cream maker.
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