Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream
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The brown sugar gives the Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream a complex caramel flavor while the bourbon rounds it off by adding smoky caramel and vanilla notes.
I am continuously in pursuit of making outstanding ice cream recipes. If you have ever made your own homemade ice cream, you know why I get so excited about it. Having an ice cream maker
really motivates me to experiment with different ice cream flavors and textures. There are many ways to improve ice cream, but ultimately the way I like to eat my ice cream is by adding alcohol. This time, I was thinking of making a bowl of something sweet and boozy to celebrate the end of the year. It has been a hectic year and Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream seems like a perfect flavor combination for holiday vibes.
Ice cream is one of those things that we never grow out of. However, with the older we get and the more willing we are to try extraordinary flavors, I must say Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream is one of the flavors for grown-ups only. I fed my family with this ice cream and only my mom and dad kept going for the second round. This recipe is seriously not for kiddos. I have warned you.
About Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. It is bottled for no less than 40% alcohol by volume. While bourbon can be seen as intimidating, when it comes to cooking and baking with liquor, bourbon is one of my favorites. It is particularly well matched with brown sugar. The brown sugar gives the ice cream a complex caramel flavor while the bourbon rounds it off by adding smoky caramel and vanilla notes.
The bourbon is definitely the star here. Not only bourbon provides a depth of flavor, but also it certainly making the ice cream texture softer and smoother. By adding booze to your homemade ice cream recipe, you’re essentially lowering its freezing point. There is nothing that can be more satisfying than scooping ice cream directly from the fridge.
Tips on Making Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream
1. Choose light or dark brown sugar
You can use light and brown sugar interchangeably depending on your personal preference. Both types of brown sugar are a mixture of sugar and molasses. While dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar, giving it a stronger caramel flavor than light brown sugar.
2. Add egg yolks
I really recommend using egg yolks for this recipe. I know adding alcohol to ice cream batter will not only lower its freezing point as well as make the ice cream softer and easier to scoop, but also increase its tendency to melt faster. Therefore, using egg yolks in this recipe will help to improve the stability of the ice cream and making ice cream creamier, chewier, and denser.
Adding eggs to make ice cream requires some caution as heating eggs in an ice cream base might result in curdles of cooked eggs in your ice cream. To prevent this from happening, you need to temper the eggs by warming the milk-heavy cream-sugar on its own and whisk a small scoop of the hot mixture into the eggs yolks and sugar. This is making the egg yolks less likely to curdle when you stir them into the pot with the rest of the milk to cook over direct heat. Heat everything slowly until it is thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon and then turn off the heat. Please note not to let the mixture boil.
3. Add bourbon little by little
Adding bourbon or any alcohol to any ice cream base is a good idea since it lowers the freezing point of the mixture and creates smoother ice cream. Try adding bourbon by a tablespoon at a time. Taste and add more bourbon if desired. Do not add too much alcohol or your ice cream might become slushy.
More Boozy Ice Cream Recipes
While you are here, don’t forget to check out these ice cream recipes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp granulated sguar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) bourbon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, and salt over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth and pale yellow color.
- While whisking egg yolk mixture constantly, gradually add hot cream mixture. Return to saucepan to low heat. Stir the mixture slowly, but constantly, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot until the base is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. (Do not let the mixture boil or you will end up with egg curdles)
- Let the mixture cool completely. Add vanilla extract and bourbon.
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Process the ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer container. Freeze for least 4 hours before serving.
