Brown Bread Ice Cream
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 1¼ quarts 1x
Description
The buttery, caramelized nuggets of toasty brown bread studding this ice cream balance perfectly with the slightly tangy taste of the sour cream in the base.
Ingredients
For the caramelized brown bread crumbs:
- 2-3 slices of brown bread (250g)
- 45g (3 tbsp) butter, salted or unsalted
- 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the ice cream custard:
- 250ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 375ml (1 1/2 cups) double (heavy) cream
- 65g (1/3 cup) caster sugar plus 65g (1/3 cup) brown sugar (dark or light)
- A pinch of salt
- 225g (8 oz) sour cream
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the brown bread crumbs, preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF ).
- Crumble the bread into small, bite-sized bits. The largest should be no bigger than a kernel of corn. Heat the butter in a frying pan until it melts, then continue to cook until it starts to brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the bread bits, 100g (1/2 cup) sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Spread on the baking sheet and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring a few times during baking, until the bread bits are well-toasted; a deep, dark brown. Cool completely.
- To make the ice cream, heat the milk, 125ml (1/2 cup) of double cream, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Pour the remaining 250ml (1 cup) into a medium-sized bowl and the sour cream. Set a mesh strainer over the top and set the bowl in an ice bath.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Gradually pour some of the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream and sour cream and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
- Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once churned, quickly fold in about two-thirds of the brown bread crumbs, or as much as to your liking, then store the ice cream in the freezer until firm and ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.5 cup
- Calories: 320
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you bake the bread crumbs until they are “deep, dark brown” rather than just golden?
The recipe instructs baking the crumbled bread bits with butter, 1/2 cup sugar, ground ginger, and salt at 180°C (350°F) for 20–30 minutes, stirring a few times, until they reach a deep, dark brown. This level of caramelization gives the crumbs their characteristic buttery, toffee-like crunch that contrasts with the tangy sour cream custard.
Why does the custard need to chill overnight before churning?
The recipe says to refrigerate the custard until “thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight” before processing in the ice cream maker. A fully cold custard freezes more evenly and produces a smoother, creamier texture with smaller ice crystals than one that goes into the machine while still warm.
When and how are the caramelized bread crumbs added to the ice cream?
The crumbs are folded in quickly after churning — not during it — to preserve their crunch. The recipe says to fold in “about two-thirds of the brown bread crumbs, or as much as to your liking,” then transfer immediately to the freezer to firm up before serving. 
