This ice cream is embarrassingly good.
I may have sampled nearly every spoon in my drawer while testing this recipe. Not proud of it, but true.
I snuck so many little tastes that when I reached for another spoon, they were all in the dishwasher. All of them — teaspoons and the larger spoons, every single one from my doubled-up utensil drawer. The spoons were gone, my brain was frozen, and self-control went out the window.
Those small tastes definitely don’t add up — except in joy. I probably burned calories running from the drawer to the fridge, so that’s my story.
I was home alone most of the week, which only made things worse. No one to scold me, no one to share the spoons with. Pure freedom and dessert-fueled mischief.
Honestly, this ice cream is remarkable. It’s incredibly soft, luxuriously creamy and gelato-like, almost dreamy enough to curl up on a scoop and take a nap. It’s the kind of texture and flavor that prompts repeated spoonfuls.
I’d wanted to make burnt caramel ice cream for years after tasting it during the last few summers at American Spoon. Combining that idea with my obsession for Jeni’s ice cream techniques made this inevitable. I needed to make burnt caramel ice cream — and I wanted the depth that bourbon brings.
And now, with a spoon (or fork) in hand, I can confirm: the world feels right.
Burnt Caramel Bourbon Ice Cream with Milk Chocolate Toffee
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate toffee pieces (like Heath chips or chopped Heath bar)
Instructions
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Measure the milk. Combine 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry, whisking until smooth. Add the bourbon to the remaining milk and set aside.
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Measure the heavy cream and stir in the corn syrup. In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the salt until smooth and set aside.
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To make the burnt caramel, use a dry-burning technique and watch the sugar constantly. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and spread the sugar in an even layer across the bottom. As the edges melt, use a heatproof spatula to scrape the melted sugar toward the center. Continue until the sugar is fully melted and turns a dark amber color but before it actually burns. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in a few tablespoons of the cream/corn syrup mixture (it may spit). Then slowly whisk in the remaining cream.
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Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the milk/bourbon mixture. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes, watching closely so it does not foam over. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry until combined. Return to heat and cook 1–2 more minutes until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Pour the hot mixture into the bowl with the mascarpone and whisk until smooth.
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Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl with an open gallon-sized zip-top bag placed inside. Pour the ice cream mixture into the bag, press out the air and seal. Chill for 30–45 minutes. Once chilled, churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions (about 20 minutes for a KitchenAid). Five minutes before the end of churning, add the toffee pieces. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and freeze 4–6 hours. Note: the finished ice cream will be quite soft.
Notes
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And yes — after the spoons, I kept tasting with forks. Multiple forks.