How is cookie and cream ice cream made?
This recipe starts with a base of pastry cream prepared in the oven, which technically makes it an ice cream custard, the rich and creamy cousin of ice cream. Although both ice creams are made with milk, cream and sugar, frozen custard gets its luxurious texture from egg yolks. Don’t worry, they are cooked in the pan! Double cream, milk, sugar and a pinch of salt are heated until the sugar has melted and the mixture is barely steaming. As in many custard recipes, the eggs are gently dipped into a small amount of hot liquid, called tempering, so that they do not scramble when they are over the hot pot. The crème pâtissière is then cooked until it covers the back of a spoon or the mixture reaches a temperature of between 160 and 180 degrees (a thermometer is very useful in this case). Strain the rich custard to prevent it from curdling and flavor it with vanilla. Before putting the custard into the ice cream machine, it should cool completely. Okay, the custard is covered, but where are the cookies? To get those big, tasty cookie bites, crushed cookies should only be added to the ice cream machine five minutes before the manufacturer’s instructions say the ice cream is ready.
What can be served with cookie and cream ice cream?
The obvious first answer is a cone, but ice cream also makes a tasty topping for any ice cream-based dessert. You can put it on a funnel cake, make an ice cream sandwich with chocolate chip cookies or serve it with a chocolate cake.
YIELDS: 2 qt.
PREP TIME: 30 mins
TOTAL TIME: 10 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients :
- 1 pt. heavy whipping cream
- 1 c. whole milk
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 18 chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped and divided
Directions :
- In a medium pot, combine the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir frequently, just until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming (do not boil). Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Remove 1/3 cup of the warm cream mixture from the pot. While whisking the yolks constantly, slowly drizzle the cream into the eggs to temper. Transfer the warmed egg mixture to the pot with the remaining cream mixture, whisking well to combine. Return the pot to medium heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (on a thermometer, the temperature should be 160°F to 180°F). Immediately pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. Set the bowl over a bowl of ice water and stir to cool the mixture.
- Add the vanilla and stir until the mixture is at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the ice cream base until cold, 4 or overnight.
- Transfer the ice cream base to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thickened to the texture of soft serve, 20 to 30 minutes. Add in 15 chopped sandwich cookies and churn for 5 minutes more until well combined.
- You can eat this directly from the machine, like soft serve, or transfer to a container. Sprinkle the top of the ice cream with the remaining 3 chopped sandwich cookies. Wrap the container in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours, or up to 48 hours for best texture and scoop-a-bility.
