Pralines And Cream Ice Cream

Servings: 6
Ingredients:

----PRALINES----
1 c  Sugar                             1/8 ts Salt
1 c  Brown sugar; firmly packed          2 tb Butter or margarine
3/4 c  Buttermilk                        1/2 ts Baking soda
2 c  Pecans; coarsely chopped        1 1/2 tb Vanilla extract

—ICE CREAM—
2 1/4 c Sugar 5 c Whole milk
1/3 c All purpose flour 1 qt Whipping cream
1/4 ts Salt 1 1/2 tb Vanilla
3 Eggs; beaten Plus Pralines, above

PRALINES: Combine first five ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook
over low heat, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved. Cover and cook
over medium heat for 2-3 minutes to clear sugar crystals from sides of the
pan. Uncover and cook to soft ball (234~), stirring constantly. Remove
from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Add butter and beat with a wooden
spoon until mixture begins to thicken. Working quickly, drop by
tablespoons onto buttered wax paper. Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen pralines. BUT
DON’T EAT THEM! Crumble coarsely and measure out 3 1/2 cup of the
crumblies for this ice cream.
ICE CREAM: Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a Dutch oven. Add eggs, and
stir until smooth. Stir in milk and cook over medium heat until
thermometer reaches 165~, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let
cool slightly; Chill for 3 hours. Combine whipping cream and vanilla in a
large bowl and whisk in chilled custard. Pour into freezer container of a
1 gallon ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s
instructions. Remove dasher and fold in 3 1/2 cups crumbled pralines. Let
ripen for 1 hour before serving.