RCP: Roasted Cinnamon Ice Cream
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:50 pm
Seems like cinnamon ice cream is a bit of a cliche. The stuff shows up on a lot of menus around here but despite that, I usually find that it misses the mark in delivering good cinnamon flavor. Because of those disappointments, I've been keeping an eye out for a really good recipe for it. This one hits on all cylinders, providing a rich, creamy texture and deep cinnamon flavor. It's an excellent showcase for Penzey's Vietnamese cassia. Definitely the best cinnamon ice cream I've had and one of the best ice creams I've made. The recipe is from Regan Daley's book, In the Sweet Kitchen. She also includes a variant that goes with vanilla beans instead of cinnamon but the latter is so good I'll probably never get to the former. We served this with a very bittersweet chocolate cake and it was a great way to end our Christmas supper.
Roasted Cinnamon Ice Cream
2 teaspoons good quality ground cassia or cinnamon (I strongly recommend the aforementioned Penzey's cassia)
2 cups half and half
1 large cinnamon or cassia stick, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
In a small, dry, non-stick skillet over low heat, toast the ground cinnamon until it is warm to the touch and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the spice moving, either by shaking the pan or by stirring, to prevent scorching. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, combine the half-and-half with the pieces of cinnamon stick. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring just to the boil, watching closely so the half-and-half doesn't boil over. As soon as bubbles break the surface, remove the pot from the heat and let the cinnamon infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then gradually whisk in the sugar. Beat until it just pales and thickens ever so slightly. Place a damp kitchen towel around the base of the bowl to keep it in place and whisk in the hot half-and-half, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated. Rinse out the saucepan but don't dry it and return the custard to the sauce pan. (Note: I did this by whisking in a few tablespoonfuls of the hot half-and-half with the egg and then slowly whisking the egg mix back into the pot containing the half and half.)
Have a fine strainer ready over a clean bowl. Carefully heat the custard mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. A finger drawn across the back of the spoon should leave a clean trail. Immediately pour the custard through the strainer and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoonfuls of the heavy cream to the roasted cinnamon and use a rubber spatula to blend it into a thick, smooth paste. Add another 2 tablespoonfuls of this cream and work it in until the mixture is about the thickness of a spreadable icing. (Note: This seemed pretty thin when I did it.) Whisk the cinnamon paste into the hot custard until it is smooth. Stir in the remaining heavy cream and press apiece of plastic wrap onto the surface to keep it from forming a skin. Poke a few holes in the plastic to allow steam to escape and place the bowl into the refrigerator until very cold, at least 4 hours but preferable overnight.
Process the custard in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the softly frozen ice cream to a freezable dish and freeze until firm.
Roasted Cinnamon Ice Cream
2 teaspoons good quality ground cassia or cinnamon (I strongly recommend the aforementioned Penzey's cassia)
2 cups half and half
1 large cinnamon or cassia stick, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
In a small, dry, non-stick skillet over low heat, toast the ground cinnamon until it is warm to the touch and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the spice moving, either by shaking the pan or by stirring, to prevent scorching. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, combine the half-and-half with the pieces of cinnamon stick. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring just to the boil, watching closely so the half-and-half doesn't boil over. As soon as bubbles break the surface, remove the pot from the heat and let the cinnamon infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then gradually whisk in the sugar. Beat until it just pales and thickens ever so slightly. Place a damp kitchen towel around the base of the bowl to keep it in place and whisk in the hot half-and-half, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated. Rinse out the saucepan but don't dry it and return the custard to the sauce pan. (Note: I did this by whisking in a few tablespoonfuls of the hot half-and-half with the egg and then slowly whisking the egg mix back into the pot containing the half and half.)
Have a fine strainer ready over a clean bowl. Carefully heat the custard mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. A finger drawn across the back of the spoon should leave a clean trail. Immediately pour the custard through the strainer and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoonfuls of the heavy cream to the roasted cinnamon and use a rubber spatula to blend it into a thick, smooth paste. Add another 2 tablespoonfuls of this cream and work it in until the mixture is about the thickness of a spreadable icing. (Note: This seemed pretty thin when I did it.) Whisk the cinnamon paste into the hot custard until it is smooth. Stir in the remaining heavy cream and press apiece of plastic wrap onto the surface to keep it from forming a skin. Poke a few holes in the plastic to allow steam to escape and place the bowl into the refrigerator until very cold, at least 4 hours but preferable overnight.
Process the custard in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the softly frozen ice cream to a freezable dish and freeze until firm.