Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

110 g	sugar
80 g	nonfat dry milk powder
0.8 g	kosher salt
325 g	plus 50 g whole milk, divided
355 g	heavy cream
85 g	corn syrup
80 g	chunky natural peanut butter
15 g	cornstarch
230 g	mini peanut butter cups, halved and frozen

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nonfat dry milk powder: Nonfat dry milk powder supplies protein and lactose without added water. The protein helps prevent large ice crystals by binding up water. Lactose is only about 20 percent as sweet as sucrose (granulated sugar), but it depresses the freezing point to the same degree. By using a substantial amount of nonfat dry milk powder, we can make a smooth, creamy, scoopable ice cream without making it too sweet.

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heavy cream: Cream is our primary source of fat. This is a 14 percent fat ice cream mix, one of the most popular formulations for premium commercial ice cream.

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corn syrup: Corn syrup is about 30 percent as sweet as granulated sugar. It contains fragments of starch chains that increase the viscosity of the mix and help prevent ice crystals from growing larger and coarser during hardening and storage.

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chunky natural peanut butter: Peanut butter’s high fat content increases the proportion of fat to water in this recipe. This ice cream not only tastes richer than our other recipes but also doesn’t feel as cold because it has proportionally less water and less ice.

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cornstarch: Cornstarch binds up water, effectively decreasing the amount of freezable water in the mix. It also acts as a stabilizer, helping to slow the rate of ice crystal growth during hardening and storage.

Fellow Penn State Ice Cream Short Course-alum Jeni Britton Bauer uses cornstarch (and cream cheese) to great effect in her ice cream base recipe in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream’s At Home (2011).

½ cup plus ⅓ cup nonfat dry milk powder

½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1¼ cups plus ¼ cup whole milk, divided

1½ cups heavy cream

¼ cup corn syrup

⅓ cup chunky natural peanut butter

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups mini peanut butter cups, halved and frozen

Hide Annotation

nonfat dry milk powder: Nonfat dry milk powder supplies protein and lactose without added water. The protein helps prevent large ice crystals by binding up water. Lactose is only about 20 percent as sweet as sucrose (granulated sugar), but it depresses the freezing point to the same degree. By using a substantial amount of nonfat dry milk powder, we can make a smooth, creamy, scoopable ice cream without making it too sweet.

Hide Annotation

heavy cream: Cream is our primary source of fat. This is a 14 percent fat ice cream mix, one of the most popular formulations for premium commercial ice cream.

Hide Annotation

corn syrup: Corn syrup is about 30 percent as sweet as granulated sugar. It contains fragments of starch chains that increase the viscosity of the mix and help prevent ice crystals from growing larger and coarser during hardening and storage.

Hide Annotation

chunky natural peanut butter: Peanut butter’s high fat content increases the proportion of fat to water in this recipe. This ice cream not only tastes richer than our other recipes but also doesn’t feel as cold because it has proportionally less water and less ice.

Hide Annotation

cornstarch: Cornstarch binds up water, effectively decreasing the amount of freezable water in the mix. It also acts as a stabilizer, helping to slow the rate of ice crystal growth during hardening and storage.

Fellow Penn State Ice Cream Short Course-alum Jeni Britton Bauer uses cornstarch (and cream cheese) to great effect in her ice cream base recipe in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream’s At Home (2011).

Essential Equipment

Instructions

Cook's Note: We prefer a natural chunky peanut butter that contains just peanuts and salt for this recipe. If using a canister-style ice cream maker, be sure to freeze the empty canister for at least 24 hours and preferably for 48 hours before churning. For self-refrigerating ice cream makers, prechill the canister by running the machine for 5 to 10 minutes before pouring in the custard. We prefer Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk for this recipe. Some ice cream base may stick to the bottom of the saucepan when pouring it into the bowl in step 3; simply scrape it into the bowl with the rest of the base and whisk until smooth. This ice cream can be stored for five days with little loss of quality. We’ve tested this recipe using both gram measurements and traditional U.S. volume and weight measurements so you get to pick the one that works best for you.

- 110 g sugar
- 80 g nonfat dry milk powder
- 0.8 g kosher salt
- 325 g whole milk
- 355 g heavy cream
- 85 g corn syrup
In small bowl, whisk together sugar, milk powder, and salt. Whisk sugar mixture, milk, cream, and corn syrup together in large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form around edge of saucepan and mixture registers 190 degrees F/87.8 degrees C, whisking frequently to dissolve sugar and break up any clumps, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- 80 g chunky natural peanut butter
- 50 g whole milk
- 15 g cornstarch
Meanwhile, place peanut butter in large bowl. Whisk remaining milk and cornstarch together in small bowl.
Reduce heat to medium. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine, then whisk into saucepan. Cook, constantly scraping bottom of saucepan with rubber spatula, until mixture thickens, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour ice cream base into large bowl with peanut butter and whisk to thoroughly combine. Let cool until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Cover bowl, transfer to refrigerator, and chill to 40 degrees F/ 4.4 degrees C, at least 6 hours or up to 8 hours. (Base can be chilled overnight. Alternatively, base can be chilled in about 90 minutes by placing it over ice bath of 750 grams ice, 113 grams water, and 42 grams salt.)
- 230 g mini peanut butter cups, halved and frozen
Churn base in ice cream maker until mixture resembles thick soft-serve ice cream and registers 21 degrees F/-6.1 degrees C. With machine running, add peanut butter cups and continue to churn until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to airtight container, cover, transfer to freezer, and freeze until hard, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Instructions

- ½ cup plus ⅓ cup nonfat dry milk powder
- ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup corn syrup
In small bowl, whisk together milk powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk sugar mixture, milk, cream, and corn syrup together in large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form around edge of saucepan and mixture registers 190 degrees F/87.8 degrees C, whisking frequently to dissolve sugar and break up any clumps, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- ⅓ cup chunky natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Meanwhile, place peanut butter in large bowl. Whisk remaining milk and cornstarch together in small bowl.
Reduce heat to medium. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine, then whisk into saucepan. Cook, constantly scraping bottom of saucepan with rubber spatula, until mixture thickens, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour ice cream base into large bowl with peanut butter and whisk to thoroughly combine. Let cool until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Cover bowl, transfer to refrigerator, and chill to 40 degrees F/ 4.4 degrees C, at least 6 hours or up to 8 hours. (Base can be chilled overnight. Alternatively, base can be chilled in about 90 minutes by placing it over ice bath of 6 cups ice, ½ cup water, and ⅓ cup salt.)
- 2 cups mini peanut butter cups, halved and frozen
Churn base in ice cream maker until mixture resembles thick soft-serve ice cream and registers 21 degrees F/-6.1 degrees C. With machine running, add peanut butter cups and continue to churn until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to airtight container, cover, transfer to freezer, and freeze until hard, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.