French Chestnut Ice Cream Recipes

CHESTNUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds using tip of a sharp knife into a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add pod, cream, sugar, and chestnut purée and bring to a simmer, whisking until chestnut purée is broken up and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cover pan. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Whisk together yolks in a medium bowl, then add warm cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170°F on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl, discarding vanilla pod and forcing chestnut purée through sieve. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker until soft-frozen, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, about 3 hours.

FRENCH CHESTNUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put milk, chestnut puree and 3 oz of the sugar in a pan and bring to a boil over med. heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl until a light ribbon consistency.
• Pour the boiling milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
• Stir over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard lightly coats the back of the spoon. When you run your finger through it, it should leave a clear path on the spoon.
• Immediately take the pan off the heat and pour custard into a bowl.
• Add the rum now, if using.
• Cool over ice, stirring occasionally to prevent the formation of a skin.
• When cold, pass the custard through a fine strainer or a chinois into the ice cream maker and churn 10-15 minutes.
• Pour the cream into the ice cream maker, in a slow stream. Churn an additional 10 minutes. It is ready when firm but still creamy.
• Serve with the marrons glace on top, in small pieces, if desired, or with a drizzle of semi-sweet chocolate sauce, or just plain.