Bourbon Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Instead of weaving some lyrical story for you that predictably ends with me in the kitchen whipping up a batch of this or that, I’m skipping right to the end. Let’s face it, once you see the words

brown sugar
ice cream
vanilla bean

strung together, does anything or anyone else matter?

No, I didn’t think so.

And then there’s the business about the bourbon. Uh, huh. You don’t have to be a whiskey lover to fall for this ice cream as my seven-year-old goddaughter can attest. (Lest you think that I’m in the habit of supplying minors with alcohol-laden desserts, it was a very small scoop.)

I like this ice cream with a few toasted pecans and a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt. If you dare, drizzle it with a salted caramel sauce; you’ll never be the same again. For maximum enjoyment, have a bowl, a very big bowl, alone. You can openly lick the empty dish, as you’ll be wont to do, without undue embarrassment. Besides, it’s too good to share unless it’s with someone you really, really love.

Now put down your smart phone or iPad. Step away from your computer. Cancel your afternoon appointments. Bribe your kids. Roll up your yoga mat. Lie to your boss. And hurry off to the store and fetch the fixings for a batch of your own Bourbon. Brown Sugar. Vanilla Bean. Ice Cream.

Bourbon Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I’m partial to the lighter mouthfeel of egg-less, Philadelphia style ice creams. If you prefer the richer, custard-based, French style ice creams, you might enjoy this recipe from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, preferably pasteurized rather than ultra-pasteurized
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1/4-1/3 cup bourbon

Preparation

1. Add the cream and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean* into the pot. Warm over medium heat, whisking until the sugar has dissolved and any clumps of vanilla seeds are broken apart. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the milk and bourbon.
2. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, for at least four hours or overnight.
3. An hour before you’re ready to churn, place the mixture in the freezer, then freeze in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 1.25 quarts.

*note: Save the vanilla bean for another use. Consider making your own vanilla sugar. Add a couple cups of granulated sugar and the vanilla bean to a jar. Give it a few shakes, and in a few weeks use the sugar in your favorite shortbread, cake, or scone recipe.