Vanilla Ice Cream with Pecan Praline
This vanilla custard ice cream with pecan praline crunch is a rich, French-style ice cream made with egg yolks for an ultra-creamy texture. Finished with buttery caramelized pecans for crunch and depth, it’s a smooth, scoopable homemade ice cream that feels nostalgic and elevated at the same time.
Servings: 1 Quart
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
- silicon Spatula
Ingredients
Vanilla Custard Ice Cream Base
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 2 cups Heavy Cream (35%)
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 4 Large Egg Yolks
- 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Pecan Praline Crunch
- 1 cup Pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Water
- Pinch Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
Making the Custard
- Add the milk, cream, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to gently temper.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C).
- Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
How to Make Pecan Praline Crunch
- Toast the Pecans. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F / 175°C for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside.
Make the Caramel
- Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan. Stir briefly to evenly moisten the sugar, then stop stirring.
- If the colour develops unevenly, gently swirl the pan — do not stir.
- Coat the Pecans
- Once the caramel reaches a warm amber colour and smells lightly toasted, remove from heat immediately. Carefully stir in the toasted pecans and salt until fully coated. Cool and Chop
- Pour the praline onto parchment paper in a thin layer. Allow it to cool completely until hard and brittle, then break or chop it into small pieces.
Churn and Assemble
- Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve texture.
- Fold in the pecan praline pieces evenly.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for 4–6 hours, or until firm and scoopable.
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