No-Churn Irish Coffee & Pecan Ice Cream
As someone who moved from Ireland to the UK 12 years ago, I still get disproportionately excited about all things Irish. And what could be more Irish than St. Patrick’s Day celebrated every year on the 17th of March in honour of the country’s patron saint? This year, things have been different, of course – the absence of parades & parties has leached all the joy out of the celebrations – but that didn’t stop me from marking the day in my own small way. If the year of the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to enjoy the here and now and to find joy in the little things.
And since ice cream is a synonym for joy, at least in Suman’s English Dictionary, it’s what I made for St. Patrick’s Day. (I also made a fruit salad in the colours of the country’s flag (kiwi, apple, oranges) but pffft…. that’s too ‘clean eating & booze-free’ to count as an Irish celebration). The sharp-eyed amongst you will notice that despite the term ‘Irish Coffee’* in the title, I’ve actually replaced the whiskey with Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur, which I feel, works better.
* a cocktail made with coffee, Irish whiskey, cream and sugar
Considering that I just put this together on the spur of the moment, playing with ingredients until the flavour combinations in my head translated to the recipe you see before you, I am very happy with the results. But don’t take my word for it – make it and find out for yourself. The right amount of alcohol ensures that the ice cream stays soft-scoop even without the need for churning.
Notes:
1) This ice cream is easy to make & comes together very quickly. You could whip the cream by hand with a whisk if you so wish but be warned that it will take considerable time.
2) The pecans (or use almonds) must be toasted for maximum flavour & crunch. You could leave the nuts out altogether if that’s what you prefer but they provide a wonderful crunch to the ice cream.
3) This recipe makes a lot of ice cream but that’s really not a problem as demand for this will be high and you can keep the supply in the freezer. However, you could easily halve the recipe if you so prefer.
4) Caramel condensed milk makes a great substitute for the plain condensed milk and lends a wonderful flavour to the ice cream.
5) Do not be tempted to add any more liqueur – any more alcohol & the ice cream won’t freeze.
No-Churn Irish Coffee & Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans or use almonds
- 2 tbsp instant coffee
- 600 ml double cream (or 2 x Elmlea double cream pots)
- 1 tin (397g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or essence
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ¾ cup Irish cream liqueur I used Bailey's
Instructions
- First roast the pecans or almonds. Preheat oven to 175° C and place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes stirring the nuts once or twice during the baking. Pay attention as nuts get burnt very quickly. You can also do this in a cast iron pan over stove top keeping the heat low and stirring frequently. Cool and chop the nuts coarsely.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in two tbsp hot water or milk & set aside to cool. You probably won't use all of it.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the double cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the condensed milk, vanilla, salt, the liqueur & most of the nuts, saving 3-4 tbsp for garnish.
- Add the coffee a teaspoon at a time, tasting until the mixture is to your taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a freezer-proof container, sprinkle the remainder of pecan nuts on top & freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.