Rich and earthy, with a haunting flavor that comes from steeping toasted walnuts in cream before making your custard, this makes a very elegant finish to a meal (and it’s good straight from the freezer at midnight, too).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 quart
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step 2
Heat the cream, milk, and salt in a large saucepan over low heat.
Step 3
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. As you pull the nuts out of the oven, turn the heat under the cream-milk mixture to high and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the nuts while they are still warm. Allow the walnuts to steep in the cream and milk for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best flavor. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan and discard the nuts. Place the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl.
Step 4
Add the sugar to the cream mixture and bring to a boil. Add about 1/2 cup of the boiling mixture to the egg yolks and whisk furiously. Add another 1/2 cup, whisk, then add all of the cream mixture to the yolks and whisk until completely combined and smooth.
Step 5
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
