Recipe

Carrot Cake Ice Cream

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Photo by gingerroot

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Carrot Recipe
singing_baker's Testing Notes: I've always made ice cream custard with eggs as opposed to cornstarch so I was a little concerned before making this recipe but I was delightfully surprised when I tried it. The texture was...
I've always made ice cream custard with eggs as opposed to cornstarch so I was a little concerned before making this recipe but I was delightfully surprised when I tried it. The texture was as creamy and smooth as other ice creams I've made in the past. The infusion of the spices in the beginning of the recipe was very successful. You could really taste them in the final ice cream but they weren’t too overpowering. The one thing I would change is the amount of maple walnuts—I’d double it, they were delicious! Perhaps only adding half to the ice cream and then sprinkling some on the final product when plating; I had to hold myself back from eating them. Another nice addition to the ice cream was the raw shaved carrot, it gave a good crunch along with the walnuts. Also, Gingerroot mentioned that it is best right after making and she was definitely right. If making ahead of time, let it sit out for a good 15 minutes before serving to soften up.

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Chef
gingerroot's Notes: I love making ice cream and other frozen confections. When the carrot theme was announced, one of the first thoughts that popped into my head was Carrot Cake Ice Cream. The idea stuck, and...
I love making ice cream and other frozen confections. When the carrot theme was announced, one of the first thoughts that popped into my head was Carrot Cake Ice Cream. The idea stuck, and in addition to the main flavors of carrot cake - cinnamon, allspice, grated carrot, brown sugar, vanilla, and walnuts - I added carrot juice for a boost of sweet carrot flavor, orange zest for brightness and mascarpone for added richness. The resulting ice cream is a decadent frosty relative of carrot cake - think carrot cake with orange creamsicle frosting. - gingerroot

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Makes about 1 quart

For the ice cream: Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup heavy cream Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup 1% milk Ask a question about this ingredient

4 tablespoons light brown sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half Ask a question about this ingredient

10 whole allspice pods Ask a question about this ingredient

2 tablespoons cornstarch Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup carrot juice (I used Bolthouse Farms) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 medium carrot, peeled Ask a question about this ingredient

1 navel orange Ask a question about this ingredient

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Ask a question about this ingredient

4 tablespoons mascarpone Ask a question about this ingredient

For Maple Walnuts: Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup walnut halves Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon maple syrup Ask a question about this ingredient

Pinch sea salt Ask a question about this ingredient

Combine cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and allspice in a saucepan. Allow mixture to steam over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Right before mixture simmers, remove pan from heat and set aside, leting spices infuse for 30 minutes.
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Return pan to low heat and steam again; make slurry by dissolving cornstarch in carrot juice and whisk this into warmed cream mixture. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens and will hold a line drawn with finger on the back of a spoon.
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Strain mixture through a sieve into a glass container, like a quart Pyrex measure, pressing down on solids with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap on surface of cream to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until chilled, at least three hours.
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While ice cream base is chilling, make maple walnuts. Heat small frying pan over medium heat; add walnuts, and drizzle 1 t of maple syrup, tossing to coat. Sprinkle sea salt over nuts and toast, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Allow nuts to cool, chop fine and store in an airtight container until ready to use. You can also make these a day in advance.
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When ready to make ice cream, finely grate carrot into a bowl. I found it easier to cut carrot in half first. Zest ½ of a navel orange into same bowl and set mixture aside. Save orange for another use.
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Add vanilla and mascarpone to ice cream base, whisking to combine thoroughly. Stir in grated carrot and zest. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. When your ice cream is the consistency of soft serve, add maple walnuts to machine. When finished, transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze longer for a firmer consistency. Note: This is best enjoyed soon after making it; since there is not a lot of sugar, prolonged freezing will result in a harder ice cream. To remedy, simply leave container out for ten minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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6 Comments on Carrot Cake Ice Cream

hardlikearmour added about 1 year ago

Sounds super yummy! Love the thought of carrot cake with orange creamsicle icing.

gingerroot added about 1 year ago

Thanks hardlikearmour!! The orange definitely mellowed once the ice cream froze. When I first tasted the base, it was really bright and citrusy...in the finished ice cream, it is a nice creamy orange background.