Butter-Pecan Ice Cream, SL 1996

Summers here are hot enough to cook an egg. So we like to pass the time by sitting on the porch enjoying a frozen treat. The Mister and I have only recently expanded beyond out typical homemade vanilla ice cream so this Butter-Pecan Ice Cream was quite a treat. Pecans are getting ready to harvest in our area. We have a front row view and watch the squirrels play in the pecan tree from our dining room window. Too bad, they don't understand the pure enjoyment of mixing butter, pecans, and ice cream.

Butter-Pecan Ice Cream  (With Eggs Removed)

adapted from Southern Living 1996 Annual Recipes, Page 134

The Mister does not like to have raw egg in his ice cream so I changed the recipe a little to accommodate. Also, I had to halve the recipe in order for it to fit in my ice cream maker.

• 1/8 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup half and half (The recipe does not call for half and half, you can substitute it with milk.)
• 2.5 cups milk
• 1 -14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 -5.1 ounce package vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

In a skillet, melt butter, then add pecans, stir continuously on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, put half and half, milk, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir. (I like to use a bowl with a pour spout and put this mixture in the freezer for a few minutes to get it really cold before putting it in the ice cream maker. Follow the instructions on your machine.) Before putting the milks into the ice cream maker, stir in the vanilla pudding and vanilla. I turn the ice cream maker on and then pour this mix into the machine. Then I wait until the mix resembles soft serve ice cream (this time varies depending on outside temperature, but it is usually between 15 and 20 minutes) before adding the pecans to the mix for a few minutes. (The instructions say to add the pecans to the milk, but I was concerned the pecans would settle at the bottom.) After the ice cream is mixed, I transfer it to a freezer safe bowl and let it stand in the freezer for at least an hour, but usually overnight.