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5 from 4 votes

Buttermilk Honey Ice Cream

A smooth and tangy frozen treat with notes of lemon and honey
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Chilling and Freezing1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour
Course: Dessert, Frozen dessert, Ice Cream
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buttermilk, honey, ice cream
Servings: 1 1/2 quarts
Calories: 2522kcal
Author: Tricia

Equipment

  • Ice cream maker

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk (12oz)
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • ¾ cups granulated sugar, divided (170g)
  • ¼ cup honey (2oz or 85g)
  • pinch of flakey sea salt
  • 1 lemon, zested with a vegetable peeler into strips (no white pith!)
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature and cut into small pieces
  • 1 ½ cups Buttermilk, well shaken
  • Honeycomb candy (optional)

Instructions

  • Pour the whole milk into a heavy bottom, medium saucepan. Add ½ cup sugar, salt, vanilla bean and seeds, honey and lemon peels to the milk. Warm over medium heat until the mixture almost comes to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Steep for 30 minutes.
  • While the lemon, vanilla bean and milk are steeping, whisk the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar with the 4 egg yolks until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened. Set aside.
  • Place a large glass or metal pan inside another larger bowl filled with ice. Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl set in the ice bath. Set aside.
  • After the milk mixture has steeped for 30 minutes, remove the vanilla bean and lemon peels. Warm the milk mixture over medium heat and cook until it starts to boil. Remove from the heat.
  • Temper the eggs by slowly drizzling a little hot milk into the eggs while whisking. By slowly increasing the temperature of the eggs you can prevent them from scrambling while cooking the mixture to a safe temperature.
  • After more than half the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of the wooden spoon.
  • Remove from the heat and add the cream cheese. Emulsify with an immersion / stick blender until smooth. Pour the base mixture into the bowl with the cream set over the ice bath. Stir occasionally while cooling, about 30 minutes. Once cooled, add the buttermilk and stir until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • Process according to the manufacturers directions for your ice cream maker. Freeze the finished ice cream for several hours or overnight before serving.
  • Drizzle with additional honey if desired, or sprinkle with honeycomb candy pieces.

Notes

  • Buttermilk Honey Ice Cream is incredible served with baked peaches or any stone fruit available.
  • Honeycomb Candy is a great topping for added crunch.
  • Omit the buttermilk, if desired. Increase the whole milk to 2 cups and the heavy cream to 2 cups, also.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 2522kcal | Carbohydrates: 267g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 149g | Saturated Fat: 87g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 1187mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 1472mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 264g | Vitamin A: 6488IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 1184mg | Iron: 3mg