Scooped
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[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

This ice cream uses a base of rum, orange, and spices as a canvas for alcohol-soaked dried fruit. You can change the fruit, and their proportions, to your taste.

About the author: Max Falkowitz is the editor of Serious Eats: New York. You can follow him on Twitter at @maxfalkowitz.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: makes 6 cups
Active time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 day
Special equipment: ice cream maker

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots, minced
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup candied ginger
  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons gold rum, divided (such as Appleton Estate)
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon clove
  • 2 cups cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest from 1 orange
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Procedures

  1. Combine cherries, apricots, raisins, and ginger in a bowl and add 3/4 cup rum. Stir to submerge fruit, cover with plastic wrap, and let soak at room temperature for 24 hours.

  2. In a heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, brown sugar, allspice, and clove until well combined. Slowly add in cream and milk, whisking constantly, and set saucepan on medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until a thick custard forms on the back of a spoon but a swiped finger leaves a clean line, 5 to 7 minutes.

  3. Pour through a strainer into an airtight container and stir in rum, orange zest, and salt incrementally to taste. Cover and chill overnight.

  4. The next day, toast pecans and almonds, then transfer to freezer. Strain dried fruit mixture, reserving remaining rum for another use (apple cider cocktails, to start). Chill fruit in freezer.

  5. Churn ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container capable of holding at least 7 cups, and very quickly stir in fruit and nuts until well combined. Chill in freezer for at least three hours before serving.