Lick's Ice Cream & Coffee Recipe
Offering ice cream made in AZ & scooping small town love in every scoop.
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Ingredients
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Base Ice Cream Custard (makes ~1 quart)
Arizona Honey Swirl (local touch)
Coffee Ribbon (optional — to emphasize coffee aspect)
Chunks & Mix-ins (scooping love)
Method
Base Ice Cream Custard (makes ~1 quart)
- 1
Warm dairy
Combine the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugars dissolve and the mixture is hot but not boiling (steaming, small bubbles around the edge), about 5–7 minutes.
- 2
Temper yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper them. Then slowly whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream mixture.
- 3
Cook custard
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C). Do not let it boil. This should take 4–6 minutes.
- 4
Strain and chill
Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. For best texture, place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally until the custard cools to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Arizona Honey Swirl (local touch)
- 5
Make honey swirl
Combine the local Arizona honey and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until the honey loosens and becomes slightly syrupy, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice to brighten flavor. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge if making ahead; the swirl should be pourable but not hot when used.
Coffee Ribbon (optional — to emphasize coffee aspect)
- 6
Sweeten coffee
If using the coffee ribbon, stir the cooled espresso/coffee with the 2 tsp granulated sugar until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness — the coffee should be stronger than normal so the flavor comes through when swirled into the sweet custard. Chill until cold.
Churning, Layering & Mix-ins
- 7
Churn custard
Once the custard is thoroughly chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes).
- 8
- 9
Layer with honey & coffee
Spoon about one-third of the churned ice cream into the prepared container and spread gently. Drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled honey swirl over the layer. If using coffee ribbon, drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of sweetened coffee over the honey layer (this creates ribbons of coffee-honey). Add another one-third of the ice cream, then repeat drizzling with another 2 tablespoons honey and a little coffee ribbon. Fold gently with a spatula to create marbling but avoid fully mixing — you want distinct ribbons.
- 10
Add mix-ins
Scatter half of the toasted pecans, mini chocolate chips and cookie crumbles over the top of the middle layer so they become embedded as you add the final layer. Add the remaining churned ice cream, then drizzle the last of the honey swirl and coffee ribbon on top. Lightly ripple with a spoon for a finished marbled surface. Reserve a few chips/crumbles for garnish.
- 11
Harden
Cover the container tightly and freeze for at least 4–6 hours, preferably overnight, until firm.
- 12
Serve
Let the ice cream sit at room temperature 3–5 minutes before scooping for easier scoops. Serve in cones or bowls, and top with the reserved toasted pecans, extra cookie crumbles or a light drizzle of warmed honey if desired. For a coffee-forward serving, offer an extra shot of espresso or a small coffee pour-over alongside.