Cinnamon Apple Pie Ice Cream
I'm a firm believer that a good home should have fresh homemade ice cream in the freezer at any given time, and preferably multiple flavors. It's the perfect treat for guests and it lasts months (though it never makes it that long). I realize this makes me a snob and I'm okay with that. This week, my good friend came over to cook, and since most "normal" people cringe at the idea of dairy-free ice cream, I went with the full cream variety this time (though I'm more than certain you could substitute it with coconut cream + coconut milk and fully intend on updating you when I do).
Since it finally feels like Fall, I wanted to celebrate with apples and cinnamon. I figured while I was at it why not throw an entire apple pie into the ice cream. So that's exactly what I did. What I love most about cooking is that you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want, there really aren't rules, the more creative you are the better, and chances are you can find a way to make it work. This philosophy applies so well to homemade ice cream. So this stuff starts with my favorite all-butter pie crust, and cinnamon nutmeg maple syrup stewed apples. How could I go wrong? The answer is I can't. This ice cream is fantastic in every way.
Cinnamon Apple Pie Ice Cream
Makes one quart
For the ice cream base:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp cane sugar, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 egg yolks
For the pie crust (from The Art and Soul of Baking):
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 - 4 tbsp cold water
For the apples:
2 large apples (I used Pink Lady)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Make the ice cream base. In a medium saucepan combine heavy cream, milk, 1/4 cup cane sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla beans along with pod, and maple syrup. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil. In a separate bowl whisk together egg yolks and 1 tbsp cane sugar. Pour about 1/4 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks and whisk quickly. Slowly add the rest of the cream mixture to the add yolks, a little at a time until completely combined. Pour entire mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any egg chunks along with the vanilla bean pod. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, cover and refrigerate until cold, at least two hours.
Meanwhile, slice your butter into 1/2 inch pieces and freeze for 15-20 minutes. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in butter chunks and pulse until the mixture looks like sand with pea-sized pieces of butter. With the food processor running pour in water. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough pieces together to form a disc and knead one or two times. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Remove your dough from the fridge and roll it out onto your parchment paper until it's about 1/8 inch thick. Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly browned around the edges. Set aside and let cool.
Peel, core and slice your apples. In a small saucepan, combine apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes until apples are soft. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, add the apple mixture to a food processor with a blade and pulse 2-3 times until you achieve your desired consistency. Refrigerate.
Pour the ice cream base into your ice cream maker, following your manufacturer's instructions. Just before your ice cream is finished churning, break up your pie crust into chunks and add about 3/4 of it to the ice cream followed by the apples. If you like a soft-serve consistency you can serve right away. Or pop it in my freezer for 20 minutes to harden up like traditional ice cream. Top with remaining pie crust crumbles and serve.