Hazelnut Ice Cream Recipe

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Delicious and creamy homemade ice cream flavored with hazelnut paste and crunchy candied hazelnuts. Rich with egg yolks, it's a real treat. Makes a quart of ice cream.

Prep Time: 30

Bake Time: 10

Additional Time: 6

Total Time: 6 20

12 servings

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

6 oz hazelnuts (1 cup)
10 oz granulated sugar (1 ¼ cups, divided)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
12 oz heavy cream (1 ½ cups)
6 egg yolks
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Toast 6 oz hazelnuts in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Take the pan off the heat. If the hazelnuts have skins, fold them in a kitchen towel and rub back and forth to remove as much skin as possible. Set ½ the nuts aside for making the hazelnut paste. Roughly chop the other nuts.
Return the chopped nuts to the pan and sprinkle 2 oz (1/4 cup) of the granulated sugar over them. Return to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and glazes the hazelnuts. Transfer the candied nuts to parchment lined sheet pan to cool. Once cooled transfer them to a covered container and reserve for adding to the frozen ice cream.
Place the whole nuts in a food processor. Process for 4-5 minutes. At first it will look like a powder, then it will look like wet sand and eventually it will form a paste that looks like thick peanut butter. Stop the processor and scrap down the bowl whenever the mixture builds up on the sides. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and pulse to combine. Set the paste aside while you make the custard.
Set a sieve over a medium size bowl and place it near the stove. Combine 12 oz whole milk and 12 oz heavy cream in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in the remaining granulated sugar, 6 egg yolks and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook the custard until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula or wooden spoon. Do not allow it to come to a full boil.
Strain the custard into the bowl. Whisk in the hazelnut paste. Cover the bowl and chill until very cold. At least 4-5 hours or over night.
Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream machine. Just before removing the ice cream from the machine, add the candied hazelnut chunks.
When the ice cream is ready, scoop it into a container and smooth to an even layer. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream, cover tightly and freeze until firm.