Cinnamon Ice Cream – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

It’s supposed to be 80 degrees today, so it seems like a good time for the first ice cream post of the season!  I discovered home-made ice cream when I first got my KitchenAid mixer, and every time I make it I struggle to remember why I don’t do it more often (other than the fact that it’s a 24-hour gratification process, which might really be enough of a reason).

I actually  made this cinnamon ice cream for Thanksgiving last fall, to go with mom’s apple pie, and it was amazing.  My favorite part of making my own ice cream is that the flavor is entirely up to me – if I want more or less of something, I don’t have to whine about Breyer’s choices – I just have to change the recipe!  I have big plans for the ice cream season this year – chocolate, black raspberry, ginger…   I also want to experiment with some sorbets and frozen yogert. We’ll see what I actually get around to.

Like the cardamom rose ice cream, this was a custard base, which I’m pretty sure just means you cook it.  It’s a little time consuming because you have to watch and stir it constantly, but not terribly so, and the results are much creamier than an uncooked base.

Once the custard base is cooked, it has to be strained to make sure you didn’t get any clotted milk clumps (because that’s what milk and cream do when you cook them).  This part involves too many hands, but it’s actually sort of fun.  And ice baths look neat.

Once it’s strained and cooled a little, it has to be refrigerated overnight to completely chill it.  Before you do that, you usually add most of the spices and flavorings (if they weren’t already in the custard).  I use the same air-tight plastic containers for chilling that I do for freezing the completed ice cream, because I have tons of them.

I didn’t end up taking any pictures of the churning this time, for some reason, but it worked a lot like the cardamom rose or the peach ice cream I made ages ago – pour the chilled custard in the frozen mixer bowl (They have a separate bowl for this that also has to be frozen, so don’t let that throw you off if you’re making ice cream yourself.  It needs at least 18 hours frozen, so I just keep mine in our chest freezer at the ready for “spontaneous” ice cream making.) and churn until it’s done, following the instructions in the ice cream maker manual.  And every now and then sneak a taste of what’s splashed up the sides. (They always leave that part out of the directions, for some reason…)

Cinnamon ice cream was perfect with apple pie.  I don’t know why I didn’t think of this years ago – I’m pretty sure it’s going to become an annual occurrence. (Ha. I like to predict things, but I’m not so big on going back to see if I ever follow through.  Don’t hold me to that.) But it’s also a really easy mix, since it’s just flavorings and no extra ingredients.  Highly recommended!

Mmm, now I may need to sneak out for ice cream after my lunch.

~*~

Cinnamon Ice Cream
Sweat Pea’s Kitchen

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 inch piece vanilla bean, slit lengthwise and seeds removed, pod reserved OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Set a fine mesh strainer over a medium sized bowl and set the bowl over a large container of ice water.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla seeds and pod, stirring occasionally to break up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the liquid is hot (175 degrees) about 5 minutes.
3. When the milk mixture is cooking, in a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar together until smooth.
4. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them.
5. Then slowly whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining hot milk mixture.
6. Continue to cook the custard mixture over medium heat until it is very hot but not simmering (180-185 degrees).
7. Pour the custard mixture into the strainer bowl set in the ice bath and let cool, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
8. Remove the custard mixture from the ice bath and add cinnamon.
9. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold (40 degrees), about 3 hours.
10. Remove and discard the vanilla pod from the custard (or add the vanilla extract, if using) and stir well.
11. Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream, about 20 minutes.
12. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours.

Recipe Note: Two teaspoons of vanilla extract may be substituted for the vanilla bean. Stir it into the chilled custard just before churning. (I don’t like vanilla specks in my vanilla, so I went with extract.  Also, beans are much more difficult than just pouring things out of a bottle.)

April 24, 2013 | Categories: Cooking, Kitchen | Tags: cinnamon, cinnamon ice cream, custard, desserts, ice cream, Sweet Pea's Kitchen, Thanksgiving | Leave a comment