Butter Tart Ice Cream

I was starting to think about things I could make to celebrate Canada Day this year when I happened upon an article in the Canadian Living 40th Anniversary Magazine (July 2015).

Now... we all know butter tarts are in the top 5 Canadian foods of all time. 

Don't argue.

But to take the the humble butter tart and turn it into an amazing ice cream... I mean...... *boom* mind blown. This is a beyond brilliant idea!

Last year we turned another Canadian favorite - the Nanaimo Bar - into an amazing ice cream. (You can check that out HERE!) 

Anyway...back to butter tarts. You can go HERE to check out how to make the original Butter Tarts, or HERE to check out our Maple Syrup Butter Tarts.  

Seriously. You need to try them if you haven't. Then come back here and make this ice cream.

Canada Day is coming. You should be prepared.

Butter Tart Ice Cream

(Adapted From Canadian Living Magazine, July 2015)

Ingredients

Ice cream

6 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cups half & half cream

1 vanilla bean

Butter Tart Filling

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup currants

Crust Pieces

1 cup Shortbread Cookies, broken up

Directions

Prepare ice cream - Place egg yolks in a large saucepan.

Whisk in the sugar until well combined. Whisk in the 1 3/4 cup whipping cream and the half & half.

Cut the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, and scrape out seeds. Place seeds into the cream mixture and whisk well. (Discard bean pod or reserve for another use.)

Place pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon - about 10 to 15 minutes. (**Do not boil the mixture**)

Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate until chilled - at least 2 hours, up to overnight. (If you are going to leave it overnight then cover it in the fridge)

Once custard is chilling you can prepare the butter tart filling.

Prepare filling - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the brown sugar and butter until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved - about 4 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup whipping cream and the currants. Stir until smooth then scrape into a bowl.

Let cool to room temp. (You can chill for about 30 minutes to speed this up.) 

When the ice cream mixture has chilled for at least 2 hours you can transfer it to an ice cream machine and process it according to manufacturer's directions.

When it has been processed - layer half of the ice cream into an 8 inch square cake pan. Drizzle (or drop by the teaspoon full) half of the butter tart mixture over the ice cream. 

Take your shortbread cookies - 

And break up enough of the cookies into small pieces that you have about 1 cup - 

Sprinkle half of the broken cookies over the ice cream.

Repeat the layers one more time - ice cream, butter tart filling, cookies.

Freeze until solid - at least 4 to 6 hours.

Enjoy its butter tart-y goodness.

Let's go in for a closer look, shall we?

It really does taste like a butter tart. The creamy vanilla bean custard is a really nice partner to the sweet caramel filling. And can we talk about how awesome the shortbread pieces are? 

Yeah. 

They are.

I was just thinking I should whip up some butter tarts to have with this butter tart ice cream.

That would be even more brilliant.

Be sure to stop by Carole's Chatter for tons of tasty links!!