Bacon has found its way into everything from breakfast to dinner to dessert? Dessert? Sounds a little strange until you bite into a cupcake brimming with candied bacon. And it pairs so beautifully with maple … anything. So when I needed to put together an ice cream to impress, I turned to this flavor duo and added just a little crunch to the creaminess and this is what ended up in my bowl:
Those are beautifully crisp bits of bacon in there, my friends. Those are tasty morsels of toffee keeping them company. And they are both wrapped in a decadently creamy maple ice cream that will have you imagining your favorite breakfasts as you indulge. I think it boils down to all of the wonderful memories and feelings of comfort flavors like this can evoke. Why wouldn't you want to sit down with a bowl of that at the end of the day?
Part of what makes this an amazing recipe is that, apart from cooking the bacon (which can absolutely be done in advance), there's no cooking involved in this recipe. No carefully making an egg-laden base for the ice cream and holding your breath and saying a prayer in hopes that your custard doesn't become scrambled eggs. Also, this is a recipe that does not require you to have an ice cream machine. That said, it's just creamy and scoopable as your favorite high end ice creams, custards, and gellatos.
This particular flavor was part of a recent ice cream party held at my home, but it's also quite a memorable end to a fun summer meal. If it's a bit later, you could even pair a small bowl of this with your favorite bourbon and make it a dessert and nightcap in one. Who said there weren't perks to being an adult? It's toasty out and you can make your own ice cream if you want to … and this recipe is great at inspiring you to do just that. And, in honor of Labor Day, we'll be sharing some of our favorite ice cream recipes all week. And none of them require cooking with eggs or an ice cream maker. Happy Labor Day!
Maple-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
Cook the bacon until crisp but not burnt. Drain and cool on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
Place the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl. Add the maple extract and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk. Fold in the whipped topping, the crumbled bacon, and the toffee bits.
Transfer the mixture into a shallow, airtight plastic container. Seal the container and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours to allow the mixture to completely solidify. Store any leftovers in the freezer.
- Yields: 6 (1 cup) servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus several hours freezing time