Alfredo's Italian Ice Cream Recipe
Make Alfredo's Italian Ice Cream Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Base Custard
Flavor & Texture Additions
Finishing
Method
Base Custard
- 1
Warm dairy and infuse vanilla
In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the granulated sugar (about 6 tablespoons). Add the scraped seeds and the pod of the vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract if using). Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edges — do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to intensify vanilla flavor; if using vanilla extract, skip steeping and stir it in after warming.
- 2
Temper egg yolks
While the dairy warms, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a medium heatproof bowl until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes). Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them and prevent scrambling. Continue adding hot milk in a slow stream (about 2 more ladles) while whisking until roughly half of the warmed dairy has been incorporated into the yolks.
- 3
Cook custard to nappe
Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy and return to medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, making figure-eights and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (nappe), about 170–175°F (77–80°C). This should take 4–7 minutes; do not let it boil. When it reaches the proper thickness, remove from heat.
- 4
Strain and cool
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits and the vanilla pod. Stir in the light corn syrup and the liqueur, if using. Stir in the fine sea salt. Place the bowl in an ice bath (bowl set into a larger bowl of ice water) and stir occasionally until the custard is chilled to near room temperature, about 15–20 minutes.
Churn & Add-ins
- 5
Chill thoroughly
For best texture, cover the custard and refrigerate until fully cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. If short on time, place the covered custard in the freezer for 45–60 minutes but stir occasionally to release heat; it must be cold before churning.
- 6
Churn in ice cream maker
Set up your ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions. Pour the cold custard into the chilled machine and churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually 20–30 minutes depending on the machine.
- 7
Fold in mix-ins
During the last 2–3 minutes of churning or immediately after removing the ice cream from the machine, fold in the chopped toasted nuts and/or chocolate shavings so they distribute evenly without melting the ice cream. If you want swirls rather than evenly distributed mix-ins, layer half the churned ice cream into a container, sprinkle half the chocolate or nuts, add the rest of the ice cream and the remaining toppings, then gently ripple with a spatula.
Finish & Serve
- 8
Harden in freezer
Transfer the ice cream to an airtight, shallow container, smoothing the top. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze until firm, 3–4 hours for scoopable firmness.
- 9
Serve
Scoop the ice cream into bowls or cones. Garnish with the extra chopped nuts or additional chocolate shavings. If using alcohol in the base, let scoops rest 2–3 minutes at room temperature for easiest serving.