Butter Pecan Ice Cream

I think, before this recipe, I had only had butter pecan ice cream once in my life. As I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before, chocolate is usually my go-to flavor when dessert is involved, and I'm not usually a big fan of nuts, so butter pecan was never on my ice cream radar. But Jonathan loves butter pecan ice cream, and it was his birthday this week, so butter pecan it was. And it was really good. I'm looking forward to having more tonight after the kids go to bed.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Courtesy of Gourmet

2 cups pecans (1/2 lb), finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt (fleur de sel makes this especially delicious)
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 7 to 8 minutes. Add butter and salt to hot pecans and toss until butter is melted, then cool pecans completely (they will absorb butter).

Whisk together brown sugar and cornstarch, then add eggs, whisking until combined. Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then add to egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly, and transfer custard to saucepan.

Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let boil).

Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla, then cool, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker until almost firm. Stir together ice cream and pecans in a bowl, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.