Bourbon And Maple-Bacon Ice Cream

Hello again from bacon world.  Nah, just kidding.  But I am surrounded by bacon recipes at the moment.  You'll be seeing another bacon recipe (from a different cookbook) here soon.  You'll think I'm crazy, but as I've said before, I eat ham (sometimes) and I eat bacon, but I can't bear to eat pork.  Yep, totally mad!  And as I often say, it's all to do with cannibalism.  ????? I can hear you thinking.  

Now hear me out...  You know that cannibals (if there ever really were such a beast) called human flesh 'long pig', as it apparently looked like pig aka pork.  The same colour, the same texture, the same dense, pink flesh.  So every time I see a bit of pork, I see my sister's arm.  Whaaaaaat? Yep, 'cos when I was a kid, I bit a chunk out of her upper arm.  I can still see the toothmarks...

creamy, sweet, bacon-y ice cream

Niamh's recipe is for a proper French custard-type ice cream but I took the easy way out and made a condensed milk version.  Still delicious, and soooo easy!  I had the bright idea of adding the chopped nuts to an already fabulous idea :-)  Maple syrup, bacon and bourbon - winner, winner, chicken dinner!

(Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.)

Makes just over 1 Litre/1 Quart:

ingredients:

600mL/20 oz thickened cream

1 can (395g./14oz) condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

60mL bourbon (or liquor of your choice)

100g./3.5oz toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped - you want big chunks

pinch of sea salt flakes

150g./5.5oz maple-candied bacon, blitzed in a food processor till you have fine pieces

Method:

Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl, and whip till soft peaks form

Gradually add the condensed milk, beating all the while

Add the vanilla and bourbon, and give it a quick whizz with the beaters

Take a large spoon, and stir in the nuts, sea salt and bacon pieces/dust

Now grab a monstrous piece of cling wrap or freezer film, line a large baking dish, making sure there is plenty of overhang so you can swaddle that ice cream like a baby!  Pour the mixture into the dish, spread it out evenly, cover with the wrap, and place in the freezer for several hours or overnight.  (I used my enamel baking dish which is  about 25cm x 30cm (approx 10 in x 12 in).

The next day, scoop out the mixture into a container with a lid, and whack it back into the freezer.  You can store it for a week, but I bet you eat it first!

Notes:

Toast your nuts on a baking tray till golden and fragrant (or buy ready toasted)

I asked Mr P. to chop the bacon finely for me; he gave up after a bit, as it was like chopping toffee!  I strongly suggest chucking it into a food processor and blitz, baby, blitz!  You want it quite fine

ingredients gathered

get Mr P. to blitz the bacon

beat the cream, condensed milk, vanilla and bourbon together

stir in the bacon, nuts and salt

pour it into the lined tray

wrap it up, and whack into the freezer

scoop it out

eat some

freeze some

© Sherry M.