Ginger Ice Cream

The month of July has flown by.  There were so many 90-plus degree days that it was difficult to enjoy the outdoors.  During one of those many hot days, I made ginger ice cream, using this recipe from the November 1998 issue of Epicurious Magazine.

Ginger Ice Cream

Yield: Makes about 1 quart 4 large egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup coarsely grated peeled fresh gingerroot 2 tablespoons water 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup crystallized ginger* *available at some supermarkets and specialty foods shops. In a large bowl lightly whisk yolks. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook sugar, fresh gingerroot, and water over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Add hot half-and-half mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a sieve into cleaned bowl and stir in cream and vanilla. Cool custard. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours, and up to 1 day. Finely chop crystallized ginger. Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, adding crystallized ginger three fourths of way through freezing process. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

The ice cream was delicious.  It was a little spicy for our littlest guy, but our oldest daughter loved it.  Boy, I will miss having her around when she goes off to college in less than three weeks.