Marty B's Ice Cream Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream. Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Warm over medium heat until steam appears and edges begin to shimmer (do not boil), about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.

Temper egg yolks

In a medium bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Continue adding warm milk a little at a time until about one-third of the hot liquid has been incorporated and the yolks are warmed.

Cook custard

Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spatula (an instant-read thermometer should read 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Strain and chill

Remove from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Let cool slightly, then cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn

Once chilled, pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency, typically 20–30 minutes. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze in a shallow container and stir vigorously every 30 minutes until set to break up ice crystals.

Make chocolate chunks

While the custard chills, melt 4 oz chopped dark chocolate with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a small heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water (double boiler) or in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate thinly on parchment and chill until firm, then roughly chop into small shards. Alternatively, fold in small chocolate chips at churn stage.

Toast pecans

Toast 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove and let cool.

Layer in mix-ins

When the ice cream reaches soft-serve consistency in the machine, transfer about one-third of it to a freezer-safe container. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of caramel sauce and sprinkle some chopped chocolate shards, toasted pecans, and 2–3 tablespoons of the Marty B's signature mix over the layer. Add another third of ice cream and repeat with more caramel, chocolate, pecans, and signature mix. Finish with remaining ice cream and a final ribbon of caramel and sprinkle. Use a knife to gently ripple the caramel through the top layer for a marbled effect. Avoid overmixing so distinct swirls remain.

Freeze to firm

Cover the container and freeze the assembled ice cream for at least 4 hours to harden fully. For best texture, remove from freezer 5–10 minutes before scooping.