Buttermilk and ice cream don’t sound like a natural pairing to me, but I decided to be bold and try this recipe. It was delicious! The ice cream was incredibly creamy and the buttermilk gave it a nice little tang. It reminded me a bit of the tang that Pinkberry frozen yogurt has.

The original recipe called for using up to 12 egg yolks. I’ve only made this once and I chose to use 6 yolks, and I thought that was the perfect amount. The ice cream was very rich and creamy. I used the ice cream to make ice cream sandwiches with these cookies. I thought they were really great.

Buttermilk Ice Cream
Adapted from The Last Course via Smitten Kitchen

2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla or half a vanilla bean, scraped and simmered with the cream
Pinch of salt

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the heavy cream and one cup of sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. If you are using a vanilla bean, scrape it into the cream while it’s heating.

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat. Drizzle a small amount into the yolks, slowly, and whisk constantly to keep the eggs from curdling. Do this a few more times to warm up the yolks before pouring the yolk mixture back into the cream, whisking constantly.

Cook over low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the mixture and whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely and freeze according manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: 1 quart of ice cream

One year ago: Indian Summer Gratin with Butternut Squash, Potatoes, Corn, and Bacon
Two years ago: Roasted Potatoes
Three years ago: Tuna Salad with Cannellini Beans

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