Peanut Butter Ice Cream

I’ve wanted to post more often this month. Really I have. But there was a flopped quiche and another quiche-like tart that wasn’t quite right and a berry galette that was better than I thought it would be, so I probably should have taken some photos and some blurry pictures of the banana-nut yeast bread I baked. In the end I had nothing to show for this month’s cooking.

Then I felt really silly as I remembered that I had some absolutely delicious ice cream in the freezer that I hadn’t told you about yet. Now, this, even more than the obstacles to blogging I mentioned above, is a true testament to how much I’ve been off my game when it comes to getting butt in chair and fingers to keyboard. I can’t believe I’ve been so busy or so tired or so lazy that I haven’t been cheering and ranting and hooray-ing about this ice cream ad nauseum!

Well, no more delay. Here it is! Delicious, delicious Peanut Butter Ice Cream! Can you believe it? Peanut butter in ice cream. As if peanut butter wasn’t wonderful enough. As if chilled and churned butterfat needed additional richness. But this isn’t about “need” or “enough.” This is about a velvety rich, sweet, and creamy dessert. This is about going beyond what is necessary.

Speaking of going beyond, I also added chopped peanut butter cups to this ice cream. You could add something different, like chocolate chunks, peanuts, honey roasted peanuts, whatever. Or you could add nothing at all. But really. What would you be trying to do? Save calories? This might not be the place to fool yourself at that level. This is the place to indulge in a smooth summer treat with a fabulous flavor combination. Hooray!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Based on a recipe in Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book

2 large eggs

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

¾ cup chopped peanut butter cups (optional, or substitute with a mix-in of your choice)

1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is pale and no longer grainy. Whisk in the milk.

2. Pour the mixture into a medium-size saucepan. Heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring often until the mixture reaches 160 F (about 72 C). (Use an instant-read or candy thermometer.)

3. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl. Whisk in the peanut butter until completely smooth. Stir in the heavy cream. Cover and chill at least 2 hours, or until very cold.

4. Pour the chilled mixture into the freezing canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is nearly finished, add to peanut butter cups and continue churning until well distributed. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm. (You could eat it right out of the ice cream maker, but it will be quite soft. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

Makes a generous quart (about 1 liter).

Other recipes like this one: Rich Chocolate Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Mint Ice Cream with Andes Mints, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Revel Bars, Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups