FINALIST, Submitted by Brooke Bond // Louisville
“This recipe came about when I tried baking chocolate chip cookies for my family and friends at Christmas. I burned them all. Every. One. That year, my mom had given me an ice cream churn, and I decided to experiment. It took some tweaking with the bourbon, but once I came up with this recipe, I decided to share. It seemed kind of nutty delivering ice cream at Christmastime, but it was well-received [and not duplicated]. It is my go-to dessert celebration recipe.”
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 ounces Maker’s Mark bourbon
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Using an electric mixer, combine the milk and sugar in a bowl. Mix for about 2 minutes or until the sugar is well blended. Add the heavy whipping cream and mix for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and bourbon. Mix until well combined. Chill mixture in freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from freezer and pour into an ice cream freezer bowl (I use an electric ice cream maker). Churn for 20 minutes.
3. Slowly add the pecans and mini chocolate chips. Churn for 5 more minutes. The consistency will be slightly softer than soft-serve ice cream.
4. Pour/scoop remaining ice cream into a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer. It will get harder as it freezes. Makes about 2 quarts.