Egg Yolks Galore

Despite not blogging for awhile, I have actually been busy experimenting with ice cream making. Over this time, I have found egg yolks make a huge difference in the texture of an ice cream. They definitely act as a natural stabilizer (see my previous post on what a stabilizer is). As a result, the ice cream holds its consistency a little bit more and does not melt as fast. You need a minimum of two egg yolks and can often use as many as six egg yolks. In general, I would say the more egg yolks you use the better. Hence the blog title.

I have also found that Bon Appetit offers not only wonderful ice cream recipes, but wonderful ice cream making advice in general. For those of you seeking tips on improving your ice cream or just curious about the ice cream making process in general, I recommend checking out this article: Common Ice Cream Mistakes - And How To Avoid Them.

For my ice cream flavor this week, I made a Bon Appetit classic. You will notice it contains plenty of egg yolks and had a great consistency.

Brown Sugar Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream (courtesy of Bon Appetit)

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar, divided

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Meanwhile, whisk yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and thermometer inserted into custard registers 180°F, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into large bowl set over another bowl of ice and water. Cool custard completely, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Cover and chill overnight.

Boil balsamic vinegar in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Cool syrup in pan.

Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream is done, spoon in balsamic syrup and churn 3 to 4 seconds longer to swirl. Transfer ice cream to container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

I liked this ice cream. The vinegar was a nice balance for the sweetness of the brown sugar and the egg yolks gave the ice cream itself a great texture.

Until next time, keep calm and get your ice cream eating on.