Recipe: Frozen Custard Ice Cream with Variations - Banana Nut, Cherry, Chocolate, Plum, and Strawberry

FROZEN CUSTARD ICE CREAM

6 eggs
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Crushed ice
Rock salt

In medium saucepan, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, honey and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160 degrees F.

Cool quickly by setting pan in ice or cold water and stirring for a few minutes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

When ready to freeze, pour chilled custard, whipping cream and vanilla into 1-gallon ice cream freezer can. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. If using an ice cream maker that used rock salt, use 6 parts ice to 1 part rock salt.

Transfer to freezer containers and freeze until firm.

VARIATIONS:

BANANA NUT:
Reduce vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Cook and cool as above. Stir 3 large ripe bananas, mashed and 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans into custard mixture. Freeze as above.

CHERRY:
Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Add 2 tablespoons almond extract. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 pounds pitted pureed dark sweet fresh cherries OR 1 can (16 to 17 oz.) pitted dark sweet cherries, drained and chopped. Complete freezing.

CHOCOLATE:
Add 3 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate to egg mixture. Cook, cool and freeze as above.

PLUM:
Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 1 1/2 pounds pitted pureed ripe fresh plums. Complete freezing.

STRAWBERRY:
Omit vanilla. Cook and cool as above. Partially freeze. Add 2 cups sweetened crushed fresh strawberries. Complete freezing.

Makes1 1/2 to 2 quarts
Source: American Egg Board