Buttermilk Brown Sugar Rye Bread Ice Cream

• double cream↗400ml ml
• granulated sugar↗150g g
• large egg yolks↗5
• buttermilk↗400ml ml
• rye bread↗125g g

  or pumpernickel bread, crustless

• butter↗20g g
• soft light brown sugar↗50g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the caramelised croutons, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C with convection/gas 4. Tear half of the bread into small pieces (preferably by hand rather than a food processor; the largest piece should not be bigger than a pea). Pulse the remaining bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, aiming for a mix of textures.

2. 2

   In a pan melt the butter until it liquefies, then continue cooking until it lightly browns. Remove from heat and add the bread and sugar, stir. Spread the mixture on a baking tray (making sure it does not clump) and bake for 20 minutes, stirring several times during baking until browned. Let cool.

3. 3

   Heat the cream with 100 g sugar and a pinch of salt in a heavy saucepan until just below boiling. Remove from heat and let stand about 5 minutes. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and gradually pour in the cream while constantly stirring. Rinse the saucepan, then return the creamy mixture to it.

4. 4

   Place over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 8‑10 minutes). Ensure it does not boil, otherwise it will curdle. Once thick enough, transfer to a cold bowl and whisk in the buttermilk. Continue to stir occasionally as it cools. Cover and refrigerate.

5. 5

   Churn the custard in an ice‑cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the croutons when the ice cream is almost set. Transfer to a container, cover with film and freeze. If you don’t have an ice‑cream maker, pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze, scraping every few hours to break up ice crystals and adding croutons when the ice cream is nearly set. The result should be a smooth, creamy texture.