Gunniess Chocolate Ice Cream with Cashews

St. Patrick's Day is coming up this weekend and, like most holidays, we have a beer to celebrate with.  What better way to embrace this than in ice cream?


There is a slight problem... the beer in question is Guinness.  I do not like Guinness.  As far as I know I don't have any Irish in me, so I don't feel too bad.  Guinness ice cream is a completely different story.  The beer flavor acts as a complimentary flavor rather than the star of the show.


Honestly,  this has got to be my favorite chocolate ice cream right now.  And the cashews? Over the top!  They are buttery smooth, while adding a great saltiness.  You could replace these with a different nut, but I would suggest getting salted nuts!


Maybe top this off with some caramel sauce and make a turtle sundae?  Mmm, just right!!

Guinness Chocolate Ice Cream with Cashews
Makes: 1 quart
Active time: 50 min
In active time: 2-4 hours
Inspired by: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz via The Kitchn

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 7 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup Guinness Stout
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup salted cashews, chopped
• dark chocolate pieces, optional

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt over medium heat.  While that mixture is warming, place the semi-sweet chocolate in a large bowl, and place a strainer over it.  In another separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  When milk mixture is warm, ladle 1 spoonful of the mixture while whisking vigorously and constantly.  Repeat this step until all of the milk mixture is incorporated in.

Pour this mixture back into your sauce pan and continue to heat over medium.  Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the pan until your spatula is coated, or when you run the spatula on the pan-- it takes a while to drip.

Once thick, pour this mixture into the strainer over the chocolate.

Begin to stir the mixture until it is completely smooth.

Pour in the cream, then the beer, then the vanilla, stirring after each addition.  Chill the mixture in the fridge until it is completely cool.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer instructions.  During the last five minutes of churning, throw in the cashews a handful at a time.  Once my ice cream is done churning it is more like frozen yogurt and needs to be chilled a little longer in the freezer to firm up.

:-)