Apple Butter Rummy Pecan

Frigid temperatures are upon us this winter, but it does not mean that you have to put away the ice cream scoop.  Ice cream is enjoyable any time of year, a perfect treat to enjoy while curled up by a roaring fire and snuggling with your sweetheart.  We all survived the Polar Vortex to live another day and to eat another scoop. In this New Year, I am determined to get back to regular ice cream making and scooping, and I cannot wait to share some my new and exciting recipes!  I will also be sharing a few more Cookbook Recipe Previews before the release of the cookbook in March (three months away!!).

Apple Butter Rummy Pecan is an ice cream that will warm you inside and out this frigid winter season.  Warm spices of cinnamon and cloves are combined with sweet apples, crunchy pecans, and nose-tingling rum.  Throw on an extra sweater, break out the ice cream maker, and make some crunchy and satisfying ice cream on a cold winter day.  Enjoy!

Apple Butter Rummy Pecan
Hartzell’s Ice Cream, Bloomington, Indiana
Recipe found in Scoop Adventures: The Best Ice Cream of the 50 States
Makes 1 1/2 quarts

The story of this flavor began when Owner Hartzell Martel traveled to the quaint artist town of Nashville, Indiana. There he tasted his first homemade apple butter and immediately thought it would be a great ingredient for ice cream.  While developing the flavor for his shop, a good friend shared some Appleton Jamaican rum with Hartzell and he quickly decided that the spicy notes would pair well with apple butter.  The addition of allspice, cloves, and pecans give this scoop a comforting and warm feeling, especially welcome during the crisp Fall and Winter months in Indiana. Enjoy when you need a little bit of warmth or during any season.

2 cups (473ml) whole milk
1 ½ tsp (4g) cornstarch
1 ¼ cup (295ml) heavy cream
2/3 cup (134g) brown sugar
2 tbsp (30ml) light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 ¼ cup (295ml) unsweetened apple butter
1 tsp (3g) freshly ground cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice*
1/8 tsp ground cloves*
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45ml) Appleton Jamaican Rum
1 cup (120g) salted pecans

Fill a large bowl with ice water.  In a small bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons milk with cornstarch, whisk and set aside.  In another large bowl, add cream and set aside.

Combine the remaining milk with next 8 ingredients (brown sugar through sea salt) in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat.  Bring milk mixture to a low boil.  Cook until the sugar dissolves, 3 minutes.  Remove milk mixture from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl with cream and stir to combine. Carefully remove the vanilla bean.  Set bowl in the ice water bath to cool, 20 minutes, whisking occasionally.  Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, add rum, adjusting to taste.  Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  When churning is complete, gently fold in salted pecans.  Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

*Note: If you are using spiced apple butter, omit cloves and allspice from recipe.

Salted pecans
1 cup (120g) chopped pecans
1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
¼ tsp sea salt

In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add pecans and stir to coat.  Sauté until the pecans begin to brown, stirring occasionally.  Stir in salt and remove from heat. Cool completely before adding to ice cream.

Tip:  Prefer the flavor of peaches?  Substitute peach butter and bourbon for a sweet southern-inspired treat