Maple Bourbon Ice Cream
Raise a bowl of this Maple Bourbon Ice Cream and toast to warm summer evenings spent with friends. Cheers!
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I didn’t know much about scotch (or bourbon or whiskey either) until my wife and I took a trip to Scotland a few years back. It was an amazing trip, and we visited a different distillery every day. There’s literally dozens of distilleries all over the country, so it’s quite easy to stop by a bunch of different ones. But here’s the thing–we didn’t realize we actually liked scotch until our trip. I recognize that scotch is one of those liquors that people either love or hate. But several months before our trip, we decided that we should at least try to like scotch. We sipped on a little glass now and then, and wouldn’t you know it but we started acquiring a taste for it. Just in time for our vacation!
So what does all of this scotch talk have to do with a post on Maple Bourbon Ice Cream? Well, scotch and bourbon are cousins within the whiskey family. Both are liquors that are made from fermented grain mash. The difference between whiskeys is typically the type of grain used to create the mash. Scotch is largely distilled from barley while bourbon comes primarily from corn. Additional grains can be used in both, but barley vs corn is the main difference. Oh, and to qualify as scotch, it must be made in Scotland. Similarly, to qualify as bourbon, it must be made in America. Confused yet? Just to add another wrinkle in there, scotch is called whiskey in Scotland.
I’ve always wanted to get one of those big barrels that distilleries use to age their whiskeys. I have no idea what I would do with it. It just seems cool. Maybe I would put it in my basement and play checkers on the top of it. Maybe I would just put it in the corner and look at it. Surprisingly, my wife has not given in to this request yet. I can’t understand why she doesn’t want a massive used wooden barrel in our house.
I’ve mentioned before that we enjoy going to trivia at a local brewery around the corner from our house. So here’s a good trivia question for ya: what is the name of the facility that makes the wooden barrels used for aging whiskey?
Maple Bourbon Ice Cream
Maple Bourbon Ice CreamThe other day, I was pulling out a bottle of bourbon from the cupboard, and I had the most evil of ideas. What if I created a bourbon ice cream? I mean, I’ve used liquor in ice cream before, and it turned out quite well. (Ahem, I’m looking at you Eggnog Ice Cream.) I’ve also used beer in ice cream, and that turned out surprisingly well, too. (Ahem, Chocolate Stout Ice Cream.) I decided I needed to give bourbon ice cream a shot.
When I told my wife about my plans, she suggested adding some maple syrup to the recipe. And you know what? She was right. The maple flavor balanced out the bourbon, and together they made one tasty frozen dessert! (It should go without saying, but this Maple Bourbon Ice Cream does include liquor. Therefore, it’s not the best option for the kiddos or if you’re pregnant.)
And since ice cream always tastes better with a topping, I decided to garnish this ice cream with a couple pieces of Maple Candied Bacon. That’s right. Bacon on ice cream. It works, folks. Trust me on this one! So raise a bowl of this Maple Bourbon Ice Cream and toast the warm summer evenings spent with friends. Cheers!
P.S. The answer is cooperage.
Did you make this Maple Bourbon Ice Cream at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). Cheers!
Looking for more fun homemade ice cream ideas? Check out these other favorite ice cream recipes, too:
Malted Milk Ice Cream
2-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
Honey Ice Cream with Roasted Figs
Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Maple Bourbon Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Maple Bacon optional garnish
Instructions
- Place the milk in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low until it just begins to simmer.
- While the milk is heating, whisk together the salt, sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolks; whisking vigorously the entire time.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens noticeably and coats a wooden spoon. (~3-4 minutes) (Note: Do not let the mixture boil.)
- Remove mixture from heat and add the maple syrup, heavy cream, bourbon and vanilla extract; stir until well combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface of the mixture, and refrigerate overnight.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.
- (Optional) If you desire a firmer ice cream, transfer the finished ice cream into the freezer for a couple of hours. (Note: This ice cream will never get super firm due to the alcohol. Instead, it will stay the consistency of soft serve.)
I just had bourbon ice cream this weekend and it was glorious. I would be all over this, especially with maple! It’s hard to choose a favorite ice cream flavor but I’ll have to go with strawberry.
Yeah, strawberry is totally one of my favorite ‘normal’ flavors of ice cream, Bianca! But I gotta say that this maple bourbon version ranks pretty high on the list for ‘adult’ flavors! 🙂
H David! Ice cream season is certainly upon us here in TN! I have a Southern Living cookbook “Bourbon and Bacon” which the cover describes as “The ultimate guide to the South’s favorite food groups” – quite appropriate! My two favorites are lemon custard and strawberry, but I’ll certainly give this a try!
Haha…Bourbon and Bacon are most definitely the South’s favorite food groups. I can support that! And this ice cream includes both…plus a little Northeastern twist with the maple. 🙂 Lemon custard is totally awesome, too! And I bet a scoop of lemon custard + a scoop of strawberry would be perfect together!
Hi David! How about lemon custard ice cream topped with fresh strawberries WITH chocolate chip/bacon cookies? 🙂
Now I could definitely get behind that plan! Pass me a cone and some cookies, Dorothy! 🙂
I’ve never actually even tasted scotch, but bourbon I like (…well, at least in recipes), it has such a great flavor! This ice cream looks amazing, and my husband would absolutely love it! I’m a cookie dough girl, myself 🙂
I’m with ya on the bourbon, Sam! Bourbon has been a long favorite of mine, but scotch is climbing the ranks pretty quickly. It was something we totally had to “teach” ourselves to like. At first, I wasn’t a fan…but I keep trying it and over time I developed a taste for scotch. Now I love it! Oh, and don’t make me pick between cookie dough and this maple bourbon ice cream…I think I’d have to cheat and take a scoop of each! Haha!
Nothing sounds better right now, LOVE this!
Thanks so much, Matt! Cheers, bud! 🙂
I think liquor added to ice cream is really one of the best ideas ever- that, or even chocolate (.e.g run and raisin!).
I never thought I liked either until on a flight they said everyone got free drinks (woo) and I got a bourbon and coke and scotch and coke. Both pretty epic- Like this ice cream!
Scotch and coke, eh? Now that sounds like an interesting combination! But yes, liquor in ice cream totally works! You can’t go overboard or the ice cream wouldn’t freeze properly, though. Either way, this is one heck of an epic way to end a summer day! Cheers, mate!
I’ve been wanting one of those whiskey barrels too! I want to age my Vanilla Been Bourbon Oak Porter in there. Right now I soak a couple of vanilla beans in bourbon and smoked oak chips then strain the bourbon and add it when I keg it. It works great, but how groovy would it be to do it in a bourbon barrel?!?! This maple bourbon ice cream is friggin genius! I love that you added bacon. Because why wouldn’t you? Although my fave is peanut butter, I think bourbon ice cream could be a strong contender!
Now you’re talking, Rachelle! Well, to be honest, I’m not sure how much I like beers aged in liquor barrels. I’ve tried several over the years, and I am continually disappointed in them. The most recent was an IPA aged in a tequila barrel. I honestly could barely drink it. But I would totally give your version a shot! I’m mega impressed with your beer-making abilities. Perhaps we can trade ice cream for beer? Deal?
Deal! And IPA aged in a tequila barrel sounds hideous! 🙂 But bourbon makes everything better!
Well, who wouldn’t love having a few large barrels in the basement, right? I would love to! Your wife was absolutely right about adding the maple syrup. I’m not any familiar either with Bourbon or Scotch, but I’ve made pancakes served with a whiskey, maple syrup, and butter sauce, and they’re just amazing (well the pancakes were quite mediocre, but the sause was fabulous ha-ha). I don’t know how but these ingredients work perfectly together. As for the ice cream, I’m happy you chose for this lovely flavor. But I won’t be adding 1/3 cup of alcohol – it’s the way too dangerous for me 🙂 Such a pity you cannot send me a box of this ice cream – it will melt away before even your notorious mail lady check it out:))
So this ice cream sounds like it’s not too far off from that pancake sauce you made. It does seem strange that maple, bourbon and bacon would combine together…but they totally do! You could totally cut back the alcohol, but honestly I think it’s a good balance. No one said you need to eat the entire batch of ice cream in one sitting!!
the ice cream sounds amazing David! Love the addition of maple, full marks to your wife for that! 🙂
Yeah, I have give credit where credit is due…and Laura totally suggested the maple! I was just going to go with a bourbon ice cream, but she suggested replacing some of the sugar with maple syrup. She was totally right with that call! 🙂
Love this ice cream – the flavour from the maple and bourbon sounds so good!
It is one heck of an awesome combination of flavors, Jess. Dare I say it, but this maple-bourbon combo might be right up there near the top of the list of my favorite ice cream flavors now! 🙂
So, I am not a big drinker, but I do love hearing ALL the stories involving drinks – up until today, I had no idea what the difference was between bourbon and scotch or what those wooden barrels were called – though, I find it so incredibly amusing that “scotch is called whiskey in Scotland”! Ha! And good call by Mrs – maple + bourbon sounds like a GREAT balance! Rounded off with that maple candied bacon makes this one heck of a cone! Have you tried chocolate coated bacon? I had Moose tracks topped with some of that and wowzers!
Yeah, don’t even try to understand scotch in Scotland. It’s whisky. But then there’s bourbon here in America. And bourbon can only be bourbon if it’s made in the States. Man, you’ll get yourself all tangled up there! Haha! Wow, chocolate coated bacon. I think I need to head to the kitchen right this very instant and start playing around with recipes. Love the idea…it’s kinda like chocolate coated potato chips. (Which are also incredibly awesome!)
Now, I’ve gotta get my hands on some chocolate covered potato chips – dessert and snacking all in one! 🙂
Scotland sounds amazing!!! I’ve always wanted to visit!!! Bourbon in ice cream!!! I’ve got to do this, David!!!
Scotland is absolutely amazing, Alice! You have to put it on your bucket list for sure. We totally want to go back because we had so much fun. 🙂
Well I know nothing about Scotch of Bourbon or Whisky either. Your trip sounds amazing.
Almost as amazing as this ice cream!! Sounds so yummy!
Yeah, we learned a lot on that trip for sure, Cathleen! But now it’s time to sit back and enjoy an ice cream cone with good friends! 🙂
When went to Nashville a couple years ago we toured the Jack Daniels plant nearby. What a cool experience and funny thing happened. Dave’s brother lost a bet to another exec at LP and had to one, shave his mustache, and two, buy the winner a barrel of Jack Daniels. Crazy bet and soon thereafter he got his own barrel. I would love one, but since I don’t drink I’d still take an empty one. Wouldn’t it be cool? The maple addition is a great idea, so props to Mrs. Spiced. This looks great, especially with the maple bacon on top! 😉
I was thinking about visiting Jack Daniels when we go down to visit my sister next time. Wait, shave his stache AND buy a barrel of Jack? Wow, that’s a serious bet. But pretty cool that he ended up with his own barrel. Maybe he can play checkers on it in the basement. Haha! 🙂
This sounds delicious! I really love the bacon on top too! I haven’t made ice cream in sooo long. Since Labor Day, I think. This post is giving me some major motivation, thank you!!
Thank you so much, Melissa! I wasn’t sure what would happen with the bourbon in the ice cream, but it still froze up nicely. A little softer than most ice creams, but it totally holds its shape still. And it’s perfect for warm summer nights. Pull that ice cream maker out!! 🙂