MAPLE WALNUT ICE CREAM

Makes about 1 quart If there’s one ice cream flavor that tastes like fall, this is it! Rich maple syrup and walnuts are the perfect pairing of toasty flavors and complementary textures. Pile a couple of scoops on top of pancakes for a decadent breakfast or dessert.
Use grade B maple syrup, preferably organic, if you can—it has a more intense flavor than the regular amber variety.

MAKES ABOUT: 1 quart

TECHNIQUE: Ice cream

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Ice cream machine

CHILLING TIME: 2 hours or overnight

SHELF LIFE: 1 week

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 large egg yolks
• ¾ cup maple syrup (preferably grade B, organic)
• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup 1% or 2% milk
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see Buying and Using Nuts)

INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKE THE BASE

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in half of the maple syrup (about 6 tablespoons). Set aside.
2. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, salt, and the remaining maple syrup (about 6 tablespoons) and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.
3. Carefully scoop out about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks. Repeat, adding another ½ cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
4. Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
5. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the base for at least 2 hours or overnight.

FREEZE THE ICE CREAM

Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

1. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you’ll use to store the ice cream into the freezer.
2. Add the walnuts in the last minute or so of churning, or fold them in by hand after transferring the ice cream to a chilled container.
3. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours.
4. Pile a couple of scoops on top of pancakes for a decadent breakfast or dessert.