Jacked up Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Recipe by : Guilty Kitchen

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Servings: 10-12 small bowls
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 10-20 minutes
Freezing Time: Overnight


 For the Custard Base:
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
 3/4 cup
2% or whole milk

note on the dairy: You could makeahead and use any combination of dairy creams and milks that you like, but try to only play with the 2 1/4 cups on top of the 2 cups of heavy cream. If you take away too much of the heavy cream, your ice cream texture will suffer, and you will be left with more of an ice milk with loads of ice crystals.

 Good combinations would be:
 3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
 3/4 cup milk
OR
 2 cups heavy cream
 1 cup half and half
1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup milk
OR
2 cups heavy cream
 1 1/2 cups half and half
3/4 cup milk
etc.

7 egg yolks
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 vanilla bean
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 dash salt
1 oz whiskey, bourbon, vodka or other alcohol (optional, best used by those without an ice cream maker)

1. In small bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, pour your dairy (heavy cream, half and half, sour cream and milk).
3. Split vanilla bean vertically, scrape out seeds into saucepan, toss in pods and set to medium heat.
4. Once cream begins to simmer, cover and remove from heat. Allow to steep for one hour.
5. Remove pods from cream and reheat to steaming. Gradually pour a thin stream of cream mix into egg yolk/sugar mix, whisking constantly.
6. Using a rubber scraper, scrape the cream/egg mix back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened. (Use the wooden spoon method here: when back of spoon is coated in custard, run a finger down the center. If the custard runs back together it’s not thick enough yet, if it remains separated, it’s ready.)
7. Strain into a bowl and either set that into an ice bath, continuously stirring until custard has cooled or set in fridge, stirring every 20 minutes or so until cooled.
8. When cooled, stir in vanilla extract and alcohol (if using). Cover and leave in refrigerator overnight.
9. For those with no ice cream maker: Place container (preferably metal with lid) in freezer. For first two hours, stir vigorously every 30 minutes. After that stir every hour or so until completely frozen. When almost completely set, stir in mix ins (recipe follows).
For those with an ice cream maker: Follow manufacturer’s instructions for freezing. When almost completely set, stir in mix ins (recipe follows).

For Cookies:
20 Oreo Cookies
6oz good quality chocolate (dark or milk)
1. Over a double boiler, melt chocolate.
2. Dip cookies in to coat both sides and lay onto wax paper to set.
3. When completely set, store in an airtight container in fridge until needed.
4. Chop into desired size right before using.

For Dulce de Leche Swirl:
adapted from David Lebovitz
1 300ml can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 oz whiskey, bourbon or vodka (optional, for those with no ice cream maker)
1. In a small glass dish (pyrex, corningware, pie plate, etc.) pour the can of sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of sea salt and stir and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
2. Set the small dish inside a larger one that is the same depth or deeper.
3. Fill the larger dish with water right up to within 3/4″ of the top of the smaller dish.
4. Set into a 425°F oven and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the shallowness of the dish you used. I used a small corningware ramekin and it took 2 hours for mine to be perfect. Begin checking after 1 hour and continue to check until done.
5. Refill the water as it’s cooking if it gets too low.
6. When cool, add the alcohol (if using) and whisk the dulce de leche until smooth.