Black Walnut Ice Cream

This one is for Dad...his favorite Ice Cream


1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts, divided
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
5 large eggs yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line all of the walnuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes and then let cool.

Pour 1 cup of the cream into a large bowl; set aside. Whisk together the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl; set aside.

Using a medium saucepan, heat the milk, sugar, half of the black walnuts, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup of the cream until warm. Cover, remove from heat and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the mixture then slowly pour into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape back into the saucepan.

Heat over medium heat while stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (about 10 minutes). Pour the custard into the 1 cup cream through a mesh strainer and stir. Press on the walnuts to extract as much of the walnut flavor as possible, then discard them. Mix in the vanilla and stir over an ice bath until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. After transferring the ice cream from the maker to the container, stir in the remaining black walnuts. Freeze until ready to consume.