Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　4 hr

　　This ice cream doesn't hit you over the head with the flavor of chestnuts. Mellow and creamy, it's great on its own — though when we're not having it with the Tarte Tatin, we like to serve it with a delicate butter cookie.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 quart

　　1/2 vanilla bean

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

　　3 tablespoons canned unsweetened chestnut purée (1 1/2 oz)

　　4 large egg yolks

　　

Special Equipment

an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker

　　

Step 1

Halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds using tip of a sharp knife into a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add pod, cream, sugar, and chestnut purée and bring to a simmer, whisking until chestnut purée is broken up and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cover pan. Let stand 15 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together yolks in a medium bowl, then add warm cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170°F on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl, discarding vanilla pod and forcing chestnut purée through sieve. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, 15 to 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Freeze custard in ice cream maker until soft-frozen, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, about 3 hours.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Ice cream can be made 3 days ahead.