Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1/4 cup dark-roast coffee beans (such as French roast; about 3/4 ounce), crushed with mallet in plastic bag
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups half and half
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup *optional*
Bring 1 cup cream and coffee beans to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let steep at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir 2/3
cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat
until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil,
brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Boil without stirring
until syrup is deep amber, swirling pan occasionally, about 11 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will
bubble up). Stir over low heat until caramel is smooth. Stir in half and
half. Strain coffee-infused cream into caramel cream; discard coffee
beans in strainer. Return cream to heat and bring to a near boil.
Beat yolks, salt, and
remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl until thick and pale. Gradually whisk in cream
mixture.
Cool in refrigerator, then process custard in an ice cream machine
according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to another container. Freeze for 1-3 days before eating. Top with sliced almonds.
*Optional: Create three evenly spaced trenches in the ice cream. Pour 1 tablespoon of maple syrup into each. Lightly fold and swirl
ice cream a couple times to work in maple syrup, while still leaving pockets of it throughout the ice cream. Syrup will mix with the flavors of the ice cream to create rich caramel flavored pockets.
