Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients needed:

• Eggs – I used four egg yolks for this recipe.
• Sugar – A cup of brown sugar is needed for this recipe.
• Butter – Some unsalted butter is browned for the best Butter Pecan Ice Cream.
• Dairy – Three cups of heavy cream and Two cups of whole milk for an extra creamy ice cream.
• Vanilla – Use vanilla bean paste for a special treat!
• Pecans – Use a cup of chopped pecans.
• Salt – A pinch of salt can be added, but it’s optional.

How to make brown butter:

This process is very easy. You just have to be patient while browning, and watch it very closely. You want browned butter – NOT burnt butter.

1. Place the butter in a pan on the stove, over medium heat.
2. Let the butter melt, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula. 
3. Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently, keeping the butter moving in the pan.
4. After about 15 minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer, and then remove the pan from the heat.
5. For cookies, I let the butter completely cool and solidify. For the ice cream, I let it cool just slightly before using it in the tempered eggs.

How to temper eggs:

You’ll want to temper your eggs so that they are safe to eat. You can also use pasteurized eggs instead if you can find them in the grocery store.

1. In this recipe, we start with browning some butter (as noted above). When the butter is browned, I set it aside for about 20 minutes so it can cool just slightly. Then add the whole milk and heat (stirring often) until it reaches 165 degrees on a digital thermometer. Do not boil.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs and brown sugar and whisk well.
3. When milk reaches 165 degrees, take a small measuring cup and pour into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously as you pour it in. Do not stop whisking, and continue to pour about a cup of hot milk into the eggs.
4. Then pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan and place back on heat. Continue whisking and heating until the mixture reaches 165 degrees.
5. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate.

How to make Butter Pecan Ice Cream:

Step 1
Prep. If using KitchenAid attachment, place the bowl into the freezer a full day in advance (or at least 15 hours) before churning.

Step 2
Brown the butter. See instructions above.

Step 3
Temper the eggs. See directions above.

Step 4
Combine ice cream ingredients. In a large measuring bowl, combine the tempered egg mixture (browned butter, whole milk, eggs, and brown sugar), the heavy cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least four hours before churning. The mixture should be VERY COLD!

Tips for using a KitchenAid Attachment:

1. Place bowl attachment in freezer. You’ll want to be sure to store the bowl in the freezer for AT LEAST 15 hours before using. Since we have an extra freezer in our laundry room, I keep ours in there all the time. That way we can make ice cream on a whim!
2. Run mixer in advance. Attach bowl to the KitchenAid mixer and add the attachments. Start mixer on the lowest setting BEFORE adding ice cream mixture. This will prevent the bowl from freezing up.
3. Add liquid while mixer is running. Then carefully pour the liquid into the bowl attachment while it’s running.
4. Let it slow down slightly. The ice cream is done when you see it expanding to the top of the bowl and the mixer starts to slow down.