Beer and chocolate ice cream...a recipe for both ice cream and Guinness lovers.
Do I dare start this post by stating that this isn't my kind of ice cream? Very rarely do I post something that I do not like, and if I do share it, it is only because it won the approval from Ben, the almighty taste tester. 🙂 And, not only any approval, but a highly favored approval. One that is accompanied with a few different mentions of the dish again the next day.
So there you have it. I didn't like it, Ben loved it. Yes, opposites attract. But, it's only fair I tell you that while I didn't have a fondness for this particular flavored ice cream, I really could tell that it was a great recipe for two specific reasons. One, David Lebovitz never shares a bad formula, and two, what I did taste from this recipe was another creamy and deliciously textured ice cream. So the texture was spot on.
Heck, I knew I wouldn't like this dessert before I even made it because..."hello!"...I do not enjoy the two main ingredients, Guinness and milk chocolate. Blek! This ice cream was churned purely with my husband's interest in mind, and for the fact that we had some Guinness left over from the onion soup I made the other day. (Ironically enough, I loved the soup despite the Guinness.)
So if you have some Guinness left in your fridge that you amazingly didn't chug down on St. Patty's, then give this unique ice cream a try. If you don't like beer, then give this one a pass, because although Ben said he didn't think the beer flavor was very strong, I thought it was pungent.
Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Yield: About 1 quart
7 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup Guinness Stout or Draught
1 teaspoon vanilla
Place the pieces of chocolate into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top; set aside.
In a medium heavy saucepan, warm the milk, sugar and salt until the sides are just foaming. Using a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the warmed milk into the egg yolks, making sure to whisk constantly. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan set on medium heat. Stir constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens. You should be able to run your finger through the mixture that coats the spatula without the mixture filling back into the line you made with your finger.
Pour the thickened custard into the mesh strainer over the milk chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in the cream, then the Guinness and vanilla. Let cool completely to room temperature (stir over and ice bath to speed this process, if desired) then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Source: The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz
