P”heath”nut Butter Oreo Ice Cream

“It’s like peanut butter and chocolate. Each is great, but they’re better together.” ~ Richard Whitehead

Snagging the last scoop!

The name of this ice cream is somewhat of a mouthful, but then again so is the ice cream itself. The Husband and I ventured to my parents for the long holiday weekend, hoping to get a little R&R, good food, and a day of skiing into the mix. The sister requested that I schlep home an ice cream maker (I now have 3!) on the bus just so that we could make ice cream together. I begrudgingly agreed.

This recipe is what came out of our brainstorming session. The sister wanted coffee oreo, but as you know, I just made that. She also loves peanut butter and caramel. Boom, it hit me.  Peanut butter Oreo with Heath Bar crunch. Then I got a little sassy and decided to name it P”heath”nut Butter Oreo. Clever, right?

I have to say that making this ice cream in my parent’s suburban kitchen with every appliance I could dream of, huge counter space, and a large stove top was just a dream. Maybe the suburbs aren’t that bad afterall…

Oh, I should also note that this weekend was the coldest yet this winter… Negative 2 degrees. And guess what, we still ate ice cream. Twice. See, I’m not a fair weather fan. As I say, an ice cream a day keeps the psychiatrist away!

Chopped up Oreos and Heath Bar

P”heath”nut Butter Oreo Ice Cream

Created by 365scoops under the advisement of my darling sister

Ingredients

3 cups of half-and-half

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Smart Balance brand — don’t use natural peanut butter)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped mini Oreos

2 bars chopped Heath bar

My sister tempering the eggs

Method

Chop the mini Oreos and Heath bar and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 3 cups half-and-half until small bubbles begin to form around the edges.  Slowly whisk in the cup of peanut butter (in 1/4 cup increments) so that it is completely mixed into the half-and-half. Remove from heat.

Whisk together three egg yolks with the 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture thickens and turns pale yellow.

Pouring the hot peanut butter mixture into the egg yolk mixture

Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, stirring frequently in order to temper the eggs. Pour the blended mixture back into the saucepan and heat until the mixture reaches 175 degrees F or is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon/spatula to ensure that the eggs are fully cooked.  Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and set aside. Let cool for at least an hour before refrigerating to chill completely, at least 2 hours.

Up close and personal

When ready to churn, pour the mixture into the base of the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (approximately 15-20 minutes). Because this ice cream is a custard (hence the egg yolks) and has 1 cup of peanut butter it’s extremely thick and will therefore require less time to churn. Approximately 5 minutes before it’s done churning pour in the Oreos and Heath bar crumbles and let mix completely. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for a few hours, or enjoy straight from the machine!

Rich and creamy!

The Verdict: My father was over the moon. My sister loved it. And what’s best, my mother, the queen of no dessert, ate a little ice cream. Even she loved it. Now that, my friends, is a complement! Enjoy.