Devils on Horseback Ice Cream

By MooK

Ingredients

• 4 strips of smoked bacon, finely sliced
• 14 ~16 medium-sized (85 grams) pitted dates, finely minced
• 2 tbsp of brandy
• 1/3 cup (100 grams) of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 ~ 1/2 cup (104 ~ 150 grams) of maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 cups (415 grams) of whole milk or half-half, or heavy cream (all cold)
• 2 tbsp of reserved bacon fat

Preparation

Step 1

2 tbsp of reserved bacon fat
To make this without ice cream-maker: Cook the sliced bacons in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the bacons are browned and crispy with all the fat rendered out, drain through a sieve and reserve both the bacon bits and the bacon fat. Chill the bacon fat inside the fridge until cooled, but still soft and pliable, approx 20~30 min. Meanwhile, microwave minced dates and brandy together on high for 30 ~ 40 seconds, and let soak for 10 min. Mix the bacon bits, brandy-dates, sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup of maple syrup and grated nutmeg in a bowl. Break up the minced dates and make sure there are no large lumps. Set aside.

In a food-processor (I initially tried stand-mixer, but later found that food-processor is much easier), combine cold heavy cream and 2 tbsp of chilled bacon fat. Run the processor for 1 min or so, until the heavy cream is whipped and holds its shape (you’d rather under-whip it then over-whip it). Add the bacon/dates/sweetened condensed milk/maple syrup mixture, and pulse until evenly combined. Taste the mixture and add more maple syrup to adjust the sweetness if needed.

Transfer the mixture into a large ice cream-container. Freeze until hard, at least 6 hours to overnight.

To make this with ice cream-maker: Cook the sliced bacons in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the bacons are browned and crispy with all the fat rendered out, drain through a sieve and reserve both the bacon bits and the bacon fat. Chill the bacon fat inside the fridge until cooled, but still in liquid-form, approx 10 min. Meanwhile, microwave minced dates and brandy together on high for 30 ~ 40 seconds, and let soak for 10 min. Mix the bacon bits, brandy-dates, sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup of maple syrup and grated nutmeg in a bowl. Break up the minced dates and make sure there are no large lumps.

Add the cold whole milk, or half and half, or heavy cream (based on your preference for richness), and mix evenly. Taste the mixture and add more maple syrup to adjust the sweetness if needed. Churn the mixture in an ice cream-maker according to the manufacture’s instruction, then right at the beginning, slowly pour 2 tbsp of cooled bacon fat (but still in liquid-form) into the mixture through the feed-opening (if your ice cream-maker doesn’t have an opening for feeding, you can add the fat in 3 additions while churning). Once churned, freeze the ice cream until hardened, at least 6 hours.