Independence Day Dessert: Red, White and Blue Ice Cream

I have an addiction to buying spices. I make a trip to Penzey’s Spices every couple of months. I get their catalog in the mail and circle all of the spices I am running low on and, plus a few new ones I want to try. The pink peppercorns caught my eye, so I picked up a small jar of them. As soon as I tasted one I knew it had to go into ice cream. They are  floral, fruity, and spicy all at the same time. Paired with sweet blueberry compote and white chocolate chips, this is one ice cream you will never forget.

Pink Peppercorn, White Chocolate & Blueberry Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs pink peppercorns, crushed (if you don’t have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle: put the peppercorns in a small ziplock bag and run them over with a rolling pin a few times)
• 1 Tbs light corn syrup
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Method

1. Bring the cream, milk, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and peppercorns to a boil over medium high heat in a 4-quart saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, until the blueberries are tender (break a few of the blueberries open to speed up the process). Chill in the fridge.
3. Strain the milk-peppercorn mixture through a mesh sieve. Return the milk to the saucepan, add the corn syrup, and heat over medium until hot. Slowly drizzle the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, constantly stirring with a heat resistant spatula, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of the spatula. Remove from heat. Stir in the blueberry compote and chill the mixture until very cold.
4. Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Add the white chocolate chips during the last 2 minutes of churning. Store in a flat container, covered with plastic wrap and an airtight lid. Keeps for up to 1 month in the freezer.

Find all of our ice cream recipes in Endless Ice Cream