This ice cream might sound like it has a lot of components, but they work together harmoniously to create an ice cream that one of my guinea pig dinner guests called “art.” (Our dinner guests are subjected to all kinds of my experiments. They don’t usually mind, though, especially when I tell them it’s bacon ice cream!) Tiny bits of salty, smoky bacon with caramelized brown sugar are suspended in a boozy bourbon and brown sugar ice cream. A swirl of spicy cinnamon runs though the base. For the perfect touch, top it off with a crisp fried wonton wrapper sprinkled with cinnamon, brown sugar and salt.
We’ve had a bit of conversation over Twitter with Jeni’s Ice Cream and the Whiskey Barrel Society. The Whiskey Barrel Society asked Jeni’s about the status of a cinnamon, bourbon, brown sugar and bacon ice cream flavor. Jeni’s passed along our cherry bourbon ice cream, but we considered it a challenge. Accepted. And nailed, quite frankly. Our dinner guests stuffed themselves with appetizers and the main course, but we all managed to find room for a second helping of this ice cream.
The fried wonton crisps are optional, but they’re really a nice touch. They add some crunch, which I think every good dish needs! Just make extra, because they’re completely addictive.
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1.5 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 c cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (use dark brown sugar for a more caramel-y flavor)
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup chopped brown sugar candied bacon (recipe below)
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- cinnamon and brown sugar wonton crisps
- Make a slurry by whisking the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl.
- Whisk the cream cheese and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Combine the rest of the milk, the cream, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes at a rolling boil.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Place back on the heat and return to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring often with a spatula. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk the milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the bourbon.
- Refrigerate, covered, until the mixture is cold, 3-4 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the swirl by combining the cinnamon and agave in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Churn the ice cream mixture according to your ice cream machine's instructions. Add the candied bacon in the last 30 seconds of churning.
- Pour into an airtight storage container and gently swirl in the cinnamon/agave mixture. Press parchment paper or wax paper against the exposed surface of the ice cream and close with the lid.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with a fried cinnamon wonton crisp (recipe below).
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- brown sugar
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray to make cleanup easier.
- Lay the bacon on the tray and sprinkle generously with brown sugar to coat.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then flip the bacon over. Bake for another 8 minutes.
- Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray. Transfer bacon to cooling rack and let cool.
- To use in the ice cream, chop into a 1/8-1/4 inch dice.
- 12-15 small pre-made wonton wrappers (can be found in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- neutral oil for frying
- Pour about 1 inch of oil into a medium-sized frying pan. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Stir.
- Test by adding a wonton to the oil. It should sizzle immediately and fry to golden brown in 2-3 minutes.
- Add a few wonton wrappers at a time and fry until golden brown, flipping them over halfway through cooking.
- Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, immediately sprinkling about 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on the wontons (sprinkle the mixture on while the wontons are still shiny with oil; this will help the mixture stick to them).
- Repeat with remaining wontons.
