Brown Sugar Buttermilk Pecan Ice Cream

I liked the previous brown sugar ice cream that I made so much, I decided to make another one. This time, the base has egg yolks and it is cooked.

And there's buttermilk. Which, despite the name, is a low-fat option. This isn't a low-fat ice cream, though, since it's got half-and half.

And ... instead of maple whisky, I used vanilla for the accent flavor.

But the brown sugar and pecans are still there. It's a similar ice cream but not identical.

How to decide? Which one should you make? Look in the refrigerator and see what you've got on hand.

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Pecan Ice Cream

2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup pecans, chopped roughly

Heat the half-and-half, brown sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring as needed, until the sugar melts and the mixture comes to a simmer.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl, just to break up the yolks. Begin adding the hot mixture to the yolks, a little at a time, whisking as you go, until you've added about cup of the mixture to the yolks.

Next, add the yolk mixture back to the pot, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and if you dip a spoon into the mixture and run your finger across the back of the spoon, the line will stay.

Add the buttermilk and vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture through a strainer to remove any curdled bits, into a storage container. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled - at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Add the nuts towards the end of the churning time, or stir them in when the churning is done.

Transfer the ice cream to a storage container and freeze until firm.

Yum