This Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream recipe is so delicious and so good!
Since I got my Kitchen Aid, I’ve been using it non-stop. Today was no different, except for this time I tried out my ice cream maker attachment. My husband has been kindly reminding me that I promised to make him some a couple of days ago and that he was really looking forward to it. So this afternoon I was thumbing through recipes and decided to give one a try. I made a few alterations (because unfortunately I didn’t have whisky on hand) but I think the substitutions I made helped make it even better. If you’re not totally into pecans, no worries, just don’t add them. They do however make the ice cream even more amazing!
Homemade Butterscotch Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pecans
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup pecans - chopped
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the Ice Cream
- 5 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cup heavy cream - divided
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius).
- Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a small microwavable bowl. Toss the pecans in the butter. Spread onto a baking sheet and lightly salt. Place in the oven to bake for 10–12 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, pour 1 cup of heavy cream in, then place a mesh sieve over the top.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the brown sugar and salt (the mixture will become clumpy). Stir in 1 cup of the heavy cream and the whole milk. Once the mixture is warm, add it to the bowl with the yolks. Stir continuously to temper the eggs.
- Return the mixture to medium heat. Add the butterscotch chips, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches approximately 160–170 degrees Fahrenheit (71–77 degrees Celsius). Immediately remove and pour through the sieve into the remaining cream. Add the vanilla and stir.
- Cover the bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator until completely cooled, or place/stir over an ice bath to chill.
- Once the mixture is chilled, freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. After 15 minutes, add the toasted pecans. Transfer into a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for 2–4 hours.
NOTES
Nutrition
While the reviews on the Kitchen Aid attachment are 50/50, I was really pleased with the results. If you are thinking about using it, whether it’s for the first time or you just can’t quite figure out why you’re getting soupy results, I have a few suggestions. First, make sure you’ve frozen that bowl for at least 15 hours. I would even say 24 to be safe. Second, don’t make ice cream in a hot kitchen. While the bowl is completely frozen solid, it melts really quickly (in a matter of 40-50 minutes). Third, I never heard “scraping” to suggest the ice cream was done, and since it didn’t look the right consistency, I left it in an extra 10 minutes. So when it comes to mixing time, go ahead and leave it longer (30-40 minutes)… unless of course the ice cream is stiff and unable to churn.
