Ice Cream Sunday: Espresso Ice Cream

As the ice cream machine finished churning, I scooped a taste…and another…then another…and a few more.

It took all my will power to resist eating the entire quart of this espresso ice cream. Let me tell ya, I was sorely tempted to!

As I forcefully pulled myself away from the container and left the house to run errands, the flavor teased my thoughts all day and I longed to return home and attack the frozen treat with gusto.

I kept thinking about the espresso shouting with robustness and the Kahlua subtly sighing with each spoonful, about the half-and-half whispering with velvety richness. Oh, I couldn’t get home soon enough!

I’m smitten with the full-bodied, rich espresso flavor. Thus far, it ranks second in ice creams I’ve made this summer, the chocolate peanut butter maintaining first place. It’s a close call, though.

Espresso Ice Cream

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups half-and-half
• 6 extra-large egg yolks (I used 8 large eggs instead)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp. ground espresso coffee beans
• 1 tbsp. coffee liqueur (recommended: Kahlua)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) chocolate-covered espresso beans, chopped (I left this out; I prefer my ice cream without frozen chunks of goodies)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half on medium-low heat until it forms bubbles around the edge of the pan and steam starts to rise.
2. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until mixed.
3. Slowly add the hot half-and-half to the egg yolks until combined, creating a custard base.
4. Pour the custard back into the pan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5-10 minutes, until is it thickened and the cream coats the back of the spoon (170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer).
5. Pour the custard through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Add the ground espresso beans, coffee liqueur, and vanilla. Refrigerate until completely chilled (preferably overnight).
6. Pour into ice-cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. If using chocolate-covered espresso beans, mix them in the last two minutes during churning. Spoon into a container and allow to freeze for a few hours.

SOURCE: slightly adapted from Food Network (Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa)

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