Date, Rum, and Pecan Ice Cream

Name: Date, Rum, and Pecan Ice Cream
Yield: makes about 1 1/4 quarts (1 1/4 liters)
Ingredients: 12 dates (4 ounces, 115 g), pitted; 1/4 cup (60 ml) dark rum; 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk; 2/3 cup (130 g) sugar; Big pinch of salt; 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) heavy cream; 6 large egg yolks; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons dark rum; 1 cup (100 g) pecans, toasted (see page 13) and coarsely chopped (see Note)

December 9, 2011

This is the perfect date ice cream. Ha ha…er, sorry about that. Ahem. Anyway, sweet dates and rum make a good duo, but having lived in San Francisco for many years, where it’s often whispered that there’s no better way to liven up a pairing than by adding a third element, I offer you this ménage à trois of flavors in one sybaritic ice cream. Be careful when heating the rum and dates: The rum can flame up, so keep an eye on the action before it gets too hot to handle.

Cooks' Note

Feel free to substitute 1 cup Wet Pecans (page 198) or 1 cup Spiced Pecans (page 197) for the toasted pecans.

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