Vanilla Ice Cream with Wild Turkey Walnuts and Caramel

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With all the premium ice cream on the market, you may wonder why you'd want to make your own.

The answer is simple and luscious: because ice cream is easy to make and you can add even more indulgent ingredients than the name brands do.

If you wished your usual brand of chocolate fudge ripple had a few more waves of chocolate running through it, you can add more to your version. Or, if you prefer macadamia nuts to pecans, by all means, make the switch.

Whatever you add, your ice cream recipe starts with a custard base. You can use heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk. Tempting though it may be, don't use all heavy cream. The result is too fatty tasting. Instead, try a combination of cream and milk, only milk or only half-and-half.

Be generous with the mix-ins, but don't overdo it; you want to experience the different textures and flavors.

Although the following recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream with Wild Turkey Walnuts and Caramel is designed for use with an ice cream machine, you can make a quick version of it without starting from scratch.

Make the walnuts and buy a jar of caramel sauce. Soften a pint of good-quality vanilla ice cream just so you can stir it. Don't let it get soupy. Fold in a half-cup of the walnuts and a quarter- to half-cup of the caramel sauce. Immediately spoon the mixture into a larger container. Cover and return to the freezer. Sprinkle on more walnuts and caramel sauce to serve.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Wild Turkey Walnuts and Caramel

Makes 6 servings

2 cups half-and-half

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 cup Wild Turkey Walnuts (recipe follows)

1/2 cup caramel sauce (see note)

Combine half-and-half, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Beat egg yolks in a heatproof bowl. Gradually add about 1/2 cup of the half-and-half to the yolks, beating constantly. Pour egg mixture into saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil. Remove from heat. Sieve through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, prepare Wild Turkey Walnuts; cool.

To make ice cream, pour vanilla ice cream base into ice cream machine, following manufacturer's directions. When ice cream begins to firm up, stir in 1 cup Wild Turkey Walnuts. When ice cream is firm, drizzle in caramel sauce.

Immediately remove from ice cream machine. Pack half the ice cream into a container; cover and freeze. Serve remainder immediately.

Store leftovers in tightly covered container in freezer up to one month.

Note: Use your favorite brand of caramel sauce.

Each serving has: 360 calories; 23 grams total fat; 6 grams protein; 35 grams carbohydrates; 100 milligrams cholesterol; 132 milligrams sodium and 1 gram dietary fiber.

Wild Turkey Walnuts

1 egg white

4 teaspoons Wild Turkey (or bourbon)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound walnut halves and pieces

In a large bowl, beat egg white until frothy. Stir in Wild Turkey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Beat again until sugar dissolves. Add walnuts. Stir well to lightly coat with egg mixture.

Spread nut mixture on baking sheet coated with butter-flavored cooking spray. Bake nuts in preheated 300-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring with wooden spoon every 10 minutes. Remove from oven when nuts are aromatic and lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Makes about 5 cups nuts; 20 servings. Store leftovers in covered container in freezer.

Note: the walnuts freeze well and are excellent served plain as a snack.

Each 1/4-cup serving has: 164.5 calories; 15 grams total fat; 3.5 grams protein; 6.5 grams carbohydrates; 15 milligrams sodium and 1.5 grams dietary fiber.

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Vanilla Ice Cream with Wild Turkey Walnuts and Caramel

(c) 2009, Bev Bennett