S’mores Ice Cream

During a particular pregnancy craving, Ben and Jerry’s S’mores Ice Cream managed to make it home from the grocery store. It was ok, but the chocolate base was just too much chocolate for me. I found this recipe for S’mores Ice Cream from Brown Eyed Baker and thought it would be more fitted to my taste. The base is a toasted marshmallow ice cream instead of chocolate. Chopped graham crackers are folded in and the ice cream is layered with a fudge swirl.

Keep a close eye on the marshmallows when they are under the broiler. They go from white to deeply toasted quickly.

Allow time for the ice cream base to refrigerate overnight and the fudge swirl for at least 2 hours. I prepared both the night before so everything was ready to assemble in the morning.

Do not mix the ice cream and fudge swirl together. They are layered in the freezer-safe container. I especially liked that layering allow for more control of how the ice cream was arranged. I ended up with about 1/3 of the fudge swirl leftover. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and makes a great ice cream topping.

I haven’t tried it yet, but Brown Eyed Baker also has a recipe for homemade graham crackers.

S’mores Ice Cream
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures and The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments
~1 1/2 quarts

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream:
10 ounces large marshmallows
2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fudge Swirl:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-In:
1 1/2 cup roughly chopped graham crackers

Place oven rack in top third of oven. Line baking sheet with parchment and arrange marshmallows in single layer. Turn the broiler on low and place baking sheet on top rack. Broil until toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip each marshmallow to the other side and broil again until toasted, another 30 seconds. Allow to cool slightly.

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and the scraped out beans over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Remove scraped out bean.

In a medium bowl, beat together egg yolks, sugar, and salt. While continuously whisking the eggs, slowly pour in about 1/4 cup of the heated milk. Once incorporated, slowly pour in another cup. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to transfer back to saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and able to coat the back of the spoon. If any egg pieces curdled, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the toasted marshmallows to a large blender. Pour in the cooled custard. Blend until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla extract. Blend an additional 5-10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

To make the fudge swirl: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and cocoa powder over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble. Cook for an additional minute, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks.

When ready to churn, whisk chilled toasted marshmallow custard until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once thickened and done churning, gently fold in chopped graham crackers.

In a large, freezer safe container, coat the bottom with a small layer of the chilled fudge swirl. Add a layer of churned ice cream, more fudge sauce, and continue layering as desired, ending with a top layer of ice cream. Do not stir or mix. Cover at refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.