Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　5 hr

　　Though this ice cream was delicious made with regular butter and table salt, it was even better with European-style butter (like Plugrá) and fleur de sel.

　　Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 5 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 quart

　　2 cups pecans (1/2 lb), finely chopped

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

　　2 teaspoons cornstarch

　　4 large eggs

　　2 cups whole milk

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　3/4 teaspoon vanilla

　　

Special Equipment

an ice cream maker

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 7 to 8 minutes. Add butter and salt to hot pecans and toss until butter is melted, then cool pecans completely (they will absorb butter).

　　

Step 3

Whisk together brown sugar and cornstarch, then add eggs, whisking until combined. Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then add to egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly, and transfer custard to saucepan.

　　

Step 4

Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let boil).

　　

Step 5

Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla, then cool, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours.

　　

Step 6

Freeze custard in ice cream maker until almost firm. Stir together ice cream and pecans in a bowl, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.