Recipe: Maple Walnut Ice Cream

I’ve been making a bunch of homemade ice cream lately and have become obsessed with topping it with walnuts. Something about the texture is just perfect. Of course then it dawned on me that I should just make a walnut based ice cream. Smart lady, I am. Maple walnut was the perfect choice!

Domestocrat’s Maple Walnut Ice Cream
4 cups cream
3 tbsp. brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I use King Arthur’s Vietnamese cinnamon)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
For candied walnuts:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1.5 cups walnuts
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Add the cream and sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. When the sugar has dissolved add in the syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook together for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat.

Using pure maple syrup is key here. Anything else from the syrup aisle probably has corn syrup and other fillers in it.

While the base is heating up, make the candied walnuts. Bring the syrup, cinnamon, and salt to a boil.

Once the mixture begins to boil, add the walnuts, toss to coat thoroughly, and spread out on parchment paper to cool. The nuts will remain wet and sticky even when they are cool. They can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

While the base is done, prepare the egg yolks for tempering. Whisk them together in a separate, heat-safe bowl. To temper the eggs: Take a cup of the hot mixture and slowly pour it into the bowl of yolks, whisking quickly and constantly. You have to do this slowly or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. I mix in just about 3 cups of my hot mixture before the temperature is up high enough to pour the entire bowl back into the sauce pan without scrambling the eggs.

After the eggs are fully incorporated into the mixture (now a custard, really), stir continuously over low heat until the mixture has fully thickened. This takes 7-10 minutes. Don’t skimp on the stirring, if you do the eggs will separate and the custard will be ruined! After the custard is done, transfer it back into the heat-safe bowl. Let the batter come to room temperature and then put it in the fridge overnight.

When the batter has chilled overnight, it’s time to make ice cream! According to your ice cream mixer manufacturer’s instructions, mix the batter in the attachment bowl until it becomes ice cream. For my KitchenAid, this takes 20-30 minutes.

Transfer the ice cream into a tupperware container. Stir in 2/3 of the candied walnuts. Store the rest in an airtight container in the fridge and use for garnish.

Freeze overnight.

When you serve up the ice cream don’t forget to top with the extra candied walnuts!

This ice cream is sweet, full of great maple flavor, and has great texture because of the walnuts. The cinnamon also adds the perfect hint of depth and warmth. A lovely Fall treat!