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White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread Ice Cream
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
Trader Joe's makes the best white chocolate for this ice cream. It's extremely creamy with strong notes of vanilla, chocolate, and herbs.
If you have a favorite shortbread recipe, feel free to use it here. This version is designed to stay soft when frozen (hence the very high proportion of butter to flour) and has a salty kick to cut through white chocolate's sweetness.
About This Recipe
| Yield: | Makes 1 quart |
| Active time: | 45 minutes |
| Total time: | 1 1/4 hours, plus an overnight chill |
| Special equipment: | ice cream machine |
| This recipe appears in: | Scooped: White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread Ice Cream |
Ingredients
- For ice cream
- 3 cups half and half
- 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and finely grated, with juice
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 ounces white chocolate (recommended: Trader Joe's)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
- For shortbread crumble
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon raw (turbinado) sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup flour
Procedures
-
1
For ice cream: Bring half and half to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in ginger, and let steep covered for 30 minutes. Half and half may separate slightly but it won't affect the final ice cream.
-
2
In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until they thicken and lighten in color. When ginger is done steeping, quickly whisk yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until custard coats the back of a spoon but a swiped finger leaves a clean line.
-
3
Strain custard into an airtight container. Add white chocolate chunks, and when melt, add salt to taste. Chill custard overnight and churn the next day according to manufacturer's instructions.
-
4
For shortbread crumble: Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then add both sugars and salt until white sugar mostly dissolves. Stir in flour until mixture resembles a thick paste. Do not overmix.
-
5
Pat dough out on a sheetpan to 1/4 inch thickness and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until shortbread is just set. Let cool, then crumble into mixed-size chunks. When ice cream is churned, stir in candied ginger and most of the crumble, reserving some for topping. Let ice cream chill in freezer for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving.
