Honey Cinnamon Ice Cream

I made this ice cream to top some apple pie (which is a great combination), but it's definitely delicious enough to be served all on its own. As usual, the end product is only as good as your ingredients...so if you use a really nice honey and fresh cinnamon, you'll have great results. But don't take my word for it - dust off the ice cream maker and taste for yourself.

HONEY-CINNAMON ICE CREAM

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts

2 cups (480 g) milk

2 cups (480 g) heavy cream

1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup (255 g) honey

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1.      In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Break up the cinnamon stick into several pieces and toss them into the pan. Scald the milk mixture over medium-high heat (bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, but the liquid is not boiling). Remove from the heat and let the cinnamon steep in the milk mixture for about 1 hour.

2.      In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended, and then slowly whisk in the honey, sugar, and ground cinnamon until combined. Return the milk mixture to medium-high heat and scald again. Slowly add the hot milk mixture to the egg-honey mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly. When all of the hot milk mixture has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. The mixture will seem watery at first, then it will start to steam, and then it will start to develop a little body and get thicker. Remove from the heat and immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container. Whisk in the salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until cold, or up to overnight.

3.      Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

4.      When the ice cream has finished churning, freeze it for at least 2 hours to allow it to ripen. During the ripening process, the ice cream becomes harder and smoother and the flavors more fully develop. The ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.

from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang with Christie Matheson (epicurious.com)

broken cinnamon sticks

cinnamon sticks, milk & cream

adding a nice local honey to the yolks

As soon as I started pouring, I realized I was supposed
to whisk the yolks first, so I whisked them right after.

whisking in the cinnamon and sugar

hot milk/cream mixture whisked into the eggs

(I'm not talented enough to do that and take a photo at
the same time without ending up with scrambled eggs).

thickened

straining

adding salt

honey cinnamon custard

in the ice cream machine

honey cinnamon ice cream

.