Recipe from Food Loves Beer
Andygator Ice Cream
With the unofficial kick-off to summer just days away, this lusciously smooth ice cream is the perfect vehicle to highlight the flavors of sweet, malty beers. We knew that the bread and honey notes in Andygator, a helles doppelbock from Abita, would shine through in our frozen creation, and provide more malt character without any unpleasant bitterness. The trick is to start with a higher alcohol beer with low hop levels, then reduce half of the beer to intensify the flavors. Adding the rest of the beer to the cooling custard retains the alcohol, resulting in authentic beer essence.
Start to finish: 24 hours
Active time: 1 hour
Servings: Makes 1 quart
Ingredients
12 ounces Abita Andygator
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
6 large yolks
2 cups half and half
Directions
1. Pour beer into liquid measuring cup. Add 6 ounces beer to a large saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer until beer is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return reduced beer to measuring cup with remaining 6 ounces beer, add vanilla, and stir to combine.
2. Place fine-mesh strainer over shallow medium bowl. Prepare ice bath in large bowl, then put the smaller bowl with the strainer on top of the ice/water mixture.
3. Whisk together sugar, salt, and egg yolks in large saucepan until smooth. Whisk in cream and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture thickens to custardy consistency and registers 180 F, about 10 minutes.
4. Immediately pour mixture through strainer set over shallow bowl and whisk in beer mixture. Whisk occasionally until custard reaches room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
5. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a plastic container, press plastic wrap or waxed paper against surface of ice cream, and cover with tight-fitting lid. Freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and preferably 24 hours.
