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Pine Nut Ice Cream

Pine nuts and honey are a great combination, and you don't need to get an esoteric honey for this recipe. And while I use American pine nuts, you can use any pine nuts -- just beware that 95 percent of all store-bought nuts are from China, and they can potentially contain "bad" nuts that cause pine mouth. I will still use the Chinese nuts from time to time, but for me it's worth cracking my own American nuts. Italian stone pine nuts are an excellent, if expensive, alternative.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 386 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled, skinned pine nuts
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
  • a pinch of salt
  • 4 or 5 egg yolks

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan on medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Keep an eye on them, as pine nuts can burn very easily. As soon as they start to brown nicely, move the nuts to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Put the pine nuts and the remaining ingredients (except the egg yolks) into a heavy pot and heat to steaming over medium heat. If you have a thermometer, you want the cream to get to 160°F or so. Turn off the heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold, up to a day.
  3. Strain the mixture and discard the vanilla bean. Save the pine nuts and reserve.
  4. Reheat the cream mixture over medium heat to 160°F. Beat the egg yolks slightly in a bowl. Now, using two hands -- one with a small ladle, the other with a whisk -- slowly pour in some of the hot cream into the egg yolks, using your whisk hand to whisk in the hot cream. Do this a little at a time so you don't scramble your eggs. After you have 2-3 ladlefulls in the egg yolk bowl, start whisking the hot cream mixture in the pot. Slowly pour in the hot egg yolk-cream mix and whisk well. Allow this to cook below a simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. It will thicken.
  5. Strain the mixture once again and chill. Once chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until it's a soft-serve consistency. Move the ice cream to a large, chilled bowl and fold in the pine nuts. Chill hard, then serve with some honey drizzled over the top.

Notes

  • Note that prep time does not include the chill time for the custard. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 386kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 30g (46%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Cholesterol 148mg (49%) Sodium 44mg (2%) Potassium 202mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 24g (48%) Vitamin A 883IU (18%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 99mg (10%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 386

% Daily Value*

Calories 386kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 30g 46%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 44mg 2%
Potassium 202mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 24g 48%
Vitamin A 883IU 18%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 99mg 10%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.