Jeni’s Buckeye Ice Cream

Hello 2014! Well….I know I shouldn’t be posting an ice cream recipe with all the New Year’s resolutions starting….but I had to test out my new cookbook, right!?!

This ice cream recipe is fantastic.

So – for those who don’t know – I used to live in Columbus, Ohio where Jeni’s originated. The ice cream is dense, has exotic flavors, and is just unbelievable. My favorite flavor is the lemon blueberry yogurt – so delicious. I wanted to try out a recipe from the book that looked easy – so this buckeye recipe won. Buckeye is a signature flavor from Ohio – chocolate and peanut butter. The best combination on the planet.

Seattle doesn’t have anything close to Jeni’s. People told me to try this place called Molly Moon or something close to that – not good. Like, we don’t like it so much that when we drive by we aren’t even tempted. It’s nothing like Jeni’s. Maybe we’re spoiled. Oh well.

Here’s what you need: whole milk, cornstarch, cream cheese, peanut butter, fine sea salt, heavy cream, sugar, light corn syrup, honey, and semi-sweet or dark chocolate.

Here’s what equipment you need: an ice cream maker, 1 large bowl, 1 medium bowl, 1 small bowl, a medium saucepan, whisk, heat-resistant rubber spatula, a large Ziploc bag, saran wrap, and Tupperware.

First – In a small bowl – whisk together 2 T. of the whole milk with 1 T. plus 1 t. corn starch. Set aside.

Second – In a medium bowl (larger than 1 quart) whisk together 3 ounces of cream cheese with 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Note: her recipe calls for all-natural peanut butter –  I didn’t have that so I used traditional peanut butter. I think it turned out amazing. So use what you want. Whisk – add in a pinch of sea salt – whisk and set-aside.

Third – In a medium saucepan over medium/high heat – combine the remaining 2 cups of whole milk, 1 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream, 2/3 cups sugar, 2 T. light corn syrup, and 2 T. honey.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil (I had my stove set to 1 notch below medium heat) – and allow to cook for 4 minutes – set your timer!

After 4 minutes, remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch/milk slurry that you made in step 1.

Place saucepan back onto medium/high heat and return to a rolling boil – continue to stir (with a heat-resistant spatula) for 1-2 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken. Note: this should not be incredibly thick – like a pudding. This should be thicker milk, enough to coat the spatula – but not super thick.

Mix the milk mixture with the peanut butter and cream cheese mixture. This is why you need a large enough bowl. Whisk until completely combined.

Fourth – pour the ice cream into a 1-gallon Ziploc baggie. This is a little messy. Place into a large mixing bowl that you’ve filled with water and ice (an ice bath). Place the sealed (important!) bag into the ice bath – and allow to cool down for 30 minutes. Replace the ice if it melts. Note: I replaced the ice and water once.

Fifth – remove the bag from the ice bath – and pour into the frozen canister from your ice cream machine. Begin to spin the ice cream.

Sixth – while the ice cream is spinning – melt the 4 ounces of chocolate. I used a mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips. Melt in the microwave or in a double boiler. When the ice cream is almost complete (about 20 minutes) slowly pour in the melted chocolate. This will begin to freeze on impact – making the chocolate into shard-like bits.

Continue to spin until reaches the desired consistency – then remove and place into a Tupperware – place a piece of parchment of saran wrap directly on top of the ice cream, and cover with a lid. Place into the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. Then eat. And fall in love. 

This is rich, creamy, sweet – all the things a great ice cream should be. I am in love with this recipe. It’s worth the work. Yum!!! 

Jeni’s Buckeye Ice Cream
From Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream at Home Cookbook
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours and 35 minutes
Makes about 1 quart
Click here for recipe print out 

Ingredients: 

2 cups whole milk
1 T. plus 1 t. cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
2 T. honey
4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a small bowl – whisk together 2 T. of the whole milk with 1 T. plus 1 t. corn starch. Set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl (larger than 1 quart) whisk together 3 ounces of cream cheese with 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Note: her recipe calls for all-natural peanut butter –  I didn’t have that so I used traditional peanut butter. I think it turned out amazing. So use what you want. Whisk – add in a pinch of sea salt – whisk and set-aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium/high heat – combine the remaining 2 cups of whole milk, 1 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream, 2/3 cups sugar, 2 T. light corn syrup, and 2 T. honey.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil (I had my stove set to 1 notch below medium heat) – and allow to cook for 4 minutes – set your timer!

After 4 minutes, remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch/milk slurry that you made in step 1.

Place saucepan back onto medium/high heat and return to a rolling boil – continue to stir (with a heat-resistant spatula) for 1-2 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken. Note: this should not be incredibly thick – like a pudding. This should be thicker milk, enough to coat the spatula – but not super thick.

Mix the milk mixture with the peanut butter and cream cheese mixture. This is why you need a large enough bowl. Whisk until completely combined.

4. Pour the ice cream into a 1-gallon Ziploc baggie. This is a little messy. Place into a large mixing bowl that you’ve filled with water and ice (an ice bath). Place the sealed (important!) bag into the ice bath – and allow to cool down for 30 minutes. Replace the ice if it melts. Note: I replaced the ice and water once.

5. Remove the bag from the ice bath – and pour into the frozen canister from your ice cream machine. Begin to spin the ice cream.

6. While the ice cream is spinning – melt the 4 ounces of chocolate. I used a mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips. Melt in the microwave or in a double boiler. When the ice cream is almost complete (about 20 minutes) slowly pour in the melted chocolate. This will begin to freeze on impact – making the chocolate into shard-like bits.

Continue to spin until reaches the desired consistency – then remove and place into a Tupperware – place a piece of parchment of saran wrap directly on top of the ice cream, and cover with a lid. Place into the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours.

Then eat. And fall in love.