Rosh Hashsanah ice cream!

Well, it's that time of year again. New year, that is. Tonight I'm headed out to a dinner with some friends and family so I wanted to make something special. What, you ask? Apple cider ice cream. It is a modified recipe that I then continued to modify so I have no idea how close it is to the original. What I do know is that my version is heavy on the apple and spices so it's very heavy tasting. To keep with the apples and honey it will be served with honey as a topping... with apple pie. Hey, if you're going to have a holiday feature an awesome fruit then you should really take advantage of that.

The first version of this recipe is from A Is for Apple: More Than 200 Recipes for Eating, Munching and Cooking with America's Favorite Fruit.

The second version is from SeriousEats.com

Here's my version:

Apple Cider Ice Cream

-makes about 5 cups of ice cream-

Ingredients

2 cups apple cider
1 cup sugar
cinnamon to taste (I used 3-4 dashes)
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
6 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
quick pour of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of apple butter
honey

Procedure

1. Combine the cider, sugar, and cinnamon in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, mixing with slotted spoon. Boil until the cider is as thick as maple syrup and the sugar has caramelized, about 20 minutes. As the cider reduces in volume, it will bubble up to the top of the pan. When this happens, lift the pan off the heat and stir until the bubbles subside, and then continue cooking. Don't be afraid of the boiling as this is when it actualy loses water and becomes the reduction.

2. While the syrup is cooking, scald the cream and milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. (The mixture is ready when you see small bubbles around the edge of the pan and steam rising from the surface.) A wrinkled "skin" may also be present; just leave it alone. Keep hot over low heat.

3. As soon as the syrup is ready, pour it into the hot cream and milk while whisking vigorously. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the syrup is thoroughly incorporated into the cream mixture. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and salt just to combine. Whisk in the hot cider syrup mixture. Scrape the mixture into the saucepan and set the pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly but gently with a heatproof rubber spatula, going all around the sides and bottom of the pan, until the custard thickens enough to coat a metal spoon, about 10 minutes. Don't let it boil or it will curdle and ruin.

5. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and strain it into a bowl. Cool the custard, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it reaches room temperature. Add in the vanilla extract, then cover and refrigerate over night.

6. Freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions. When mixture is getting to a solid state, just past half way, add in 1.5 tablespoons of apple butter. After the consistency is a bit harder, add the other 1.5 tablespoons of apple butter. Opening the ice cream maker twice may add some additional time to the standard instructions.

7. When serving drizzle with thin lines of honey. This will quickly freeze and harden as a topping. Enjoy.