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Creme Brulee Ice Cream

4.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)1 vote, average: 4.00 out of 51 vote, average: 4.00 out of 51 vote, average: 4.00 out of 51 vote, average: 4.00 out of 51 vote, average: 4.00 out of 5

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Level: Intermediate

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Description

Quite possibly one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. Imagine if you will, plunging your spoon through a crispy layer of caramelized sugar to expose a silky layer of frozen creme brulee ice cream beneath. Oh yea baby, this recipe is worth every single calorie-laden bite. Break out the kitchen torch! Your family and friends are going to flip over this one.

Ingredients

  • 10 whole Egg Yolks
  • ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 pinch Fine Salt
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • 1 whole Vanilla Bean, Split And Scraped (or 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract)
  • 2 cups Cold Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cups Turbinado Sugar (aka Sugar In The Raw)

Preparation

Note: You’ll need a 1 1/2-quart or larger ice cream maker to churn this recipe (if your ice cream maker is smaller, you can churn half the mixture and refrigerate the rest to churn a day or two later). You’ll also need a kitchen thermometer and a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar.

For the ice cream base:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt; set aside.

In a 4-quart heavy-bottomed non-stick pan over medium heat, combine the milk and one whole vanilla bean that has been split open and the seeds scraped out (both the bean pod and the seeds go into the pan with the milk; if you’re using vanilla extract instead, don’t add it at this point). Over medium heat, cook the milk until it starts to bubble around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and whisk about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture; repeat with another 1/4 cup hot milk. Pour the now warm egg yolk mixture into the pan containing the remaining hot milk; stir to combine. Return pan to the stove top (med heat) and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170-180 F.

Remove pan from heat and strain mixture through a sieve into a large bowl to remove the vanilla bean pod and any bits of egg that might have coagulated. Stir in cold heavy cream (and vanilla extract, if using). Chill the ice cream base in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 4 hours before churning (or up to 48 hours – the colder, the better).

For churning the ice cream:
Process the ice cream base according to the manufacturer’s instructions that were included with your ice cream maker.

Divvy ice cream into heat-safe ramekins, leaving about 1/4-inch of space at the top. Put the ramekins into the freezer for several hours until the ice cream is hard (this can be done several days in advance—just cover ramekins with plastic wrap).

To serve:
Just before serving, use a kitchen torch to heat the surface of the ice cream just slightly so the turbinado sugar will stick to it. Add a layer of turbinado sugar over the top of each ramekin; then caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch. I like an extra thick layer or caramelized sugar so I repeat this step by sprinkling a second layer of turbinado; then caramelize with the torch again. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Cafe Johnsonia.

4 Comments

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JEEN on 10.2.2023

My ice cream melted while blow torching! Any advice?

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Colette (Coco in the Kitchen) on 8.12.2013

FINALLY! Someone figured it out. Great idea, Patricia!

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senoritabonita on 5.23.2013

Yum! I love Crème Brulee and I am sure it would be delicious in ice cream form. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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Kellie Hemmerly - The Suburban Soapbox on 5.23.2013

Oh my gosh! This looks delicious!!!

One Review

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garthok on 11.17.2013

Ice cream recipe is fantastic, followed it exactly and turned out perfectly. Extremely creamy and tastes just like the custard in crème brulee. The method of serving the ice cream in a ramekin like a traditional crème brulee doesn’t work for me, though. By the time the sugar caramelizes, you have a layer of melted soupy ice cream on top. Even after I took the ice cream straight out of the freezer, the top would melt, and then the rest of the ice cream was still hard. Also I find granulated sugar caramelizes easier and smoother, no need to use turbinado sugar. I’ll make the ice cream recipe again, but try to make a caramelized sugar swirl in the actual ice cream, which is how Ben and Jerry’s does it.

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