Butter Brickle Ice Cream with Homemade Toffee Recipe
This Butter Brickle Ice Cream is a luscious homemade treat featuring a creamy vanilla base mixed with crunchy homemade toffee bits. The ice cream base is carefully prepared with half and half, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla, chilled, then churned in an ice cream maker. The homemade toffee adds a buttery caramelized crunch, made by cooking brown sugar and butter to a perfect hard crack stage. A delightful dessert perfect for indulging in rich, buttery sweetness with a satisfying crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 2-4 hours chilling and freezing time)
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 16 ounces half and half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Homemade Toffee
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base: In a medium saucepan, combine half and half, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 2 to 4 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly before churning.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Once the ice cream base is fully chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn the mixture until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Make the Homemade Toffee: While the ice cream base chills, prepare the toffee by combining 1/3 cup light brown sugar and 5 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, whisking constantly for 8 to 10 minutes. Continue cooking until a candy thermometer reads 300°F (hard crack stage). Be vigilant to prevent burning by reducing the heat if it starts getting too brown.
- Set and Break the Toffee: Pour the cooked toffee mixture onto a silicone baking sheet or a piece of greased parchment paper. Allow it to cool completely until hardened. Once cooled, break the toffee into small pieces. For easier crumbling, place pieces into a ziplock bag and gently crush with a mallet or rolling pin.
- Combine Ice Cream and Toffee: After the ice cream has finished churning, quickly fold in the crumbled homemade toffee pieces to distribute them evenly. Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze for additional firming if desired before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the ice cream base before churning is crucial for a smoother, creamier texture.
- Keep a close eye on the toffee as it cooks to avoid burning; stirring constantly helps with even cooking.
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer, cook the toffee until it hardens when dripped into cold water.
- Store leftover ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer to maintain freshness.
- You can substitute light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor in both ice cream and toffee.
