SALTED PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZELS
We can’t get enough of this ice cream. Chocolate and peanut butter are perhaps one of the universe’s greatest food pairings, but throw in salty pretzels and you have the dessert trifecta. If you don’t want to dip pretzels into chocolate, by all means, find premade chocolate-covered pretzels that you like and go with those.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Immersion blender
FOR THE CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZELS
80 grams (3 ounces) dark chocolate (72% cacao), preferably Michel Cluizel (see Sources)
½ cup thin pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, plus more to taste
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM
1½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) sugar
½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
6 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons (54 grams) smooth natural peanut butter
1. To make the chocolate-covered pretzels, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). When the chocolate has melted completely, add the pretzel pieces and stir until all the pieces are generously coated with chocolate. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chocolate-covered pretzels to the prepared baking sheet, making sure to keep each piece separate; sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Refrigerate, uncovered, until fully set and cold (see Ben’s Note). For a thicker coating of chocolate, repeat this process up to 2 more times.
2. To make the peanut butter ice cream, pour the cream and milk into a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk in ½ cup (100 grams) of the sugar and the salt and stir until they have dissolved. Warm the mixture until you see steam rising from the top.
3. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, with a kitchen towel underneath it to prevent slipping, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar until uniform. While whisking, add a splash of the hot dairy mixture to the yolks. Continue to add the dairy mixture, whisking it in bit by bit, until you’ve added about half. Add the yolk mixture to the remaining dairy mixture in the double boiler. Set the heat under the double boiler to medium and cook the custard, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and reducing the heat to medium-low as necessary, until steam begins to rise from the surface and the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Hold the spoon horizontally and run your finger through the custard. If the trail left by your finger stays separated, the custard is ready to be cooled.
5. Strain the custard into a bowl and stir in the peanut butter. Using an immersion blender, buzz the custard until emulsified. Place the bowl over the prepared ice bath and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the custard has cooled. Transfer the custard to a quart-size container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.
6. Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the container in which you refrigerated the custard in the freezer so you can use it to store the finished ice cream. Churn the ice cream until the texture resembles “soft serve.” Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate-covered pretzels until incorporated. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled storage container and freeze until hardened to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can serve it immediately—it will be the consistency of gelato. The ice cream will keep, frozen, for up to 7 days.
ben’s note For commercial batches, we double-dip our pretzels in chocolate in order to give them a thicker chocolate shell and keep the pretzels crunchy longer. We don’t think it’s necessary for a home batch, and it might just be an extra step for you. Still, if you feel like you want to recreate the ice cream shop experience, by all means, double-dip the pretzels before folding them into the ice cream.