CONCORD GRAPE SWIRL ICE CREAM

Concord Grape Swirl Ice Cream image

Homemade ice cream bursts with the sweet-tart flavor of concord grapes in this recipe from acclaimed pastry chef Karen DeMasco. Serve with Brown-Butter Cake with Concord Grapes.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

15 ounces Concord grapes (about 3 small bunches or 2 1/2 cups stemmed grapes), stemmed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vitamin C powder (optional, to brighten color)
9 large egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
12 tablespoons sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped, bean and seeds reserved
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Steps:

Make the Jam and Syrup: Mash grapes with sugar and vitamin C powder, if using. Cover bowl and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerated overnight.
Transfer grape mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened and grapes burst, 5 to 10 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set sieve over another bowl and, using a plastic bowl scraper, press the grapes through the sieve to remove seeds and skin and create a jam. You should have about 1/2 cup liquid syrup and 3/4 cup grape jam. Cover and transfer both bowls to refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar until pale yellow; set aside.
In a large saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, vanilla bean, and seeds. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as mixture begins to rise up the sides of the pan, remove from heat.
Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk mixture slowly into the reserved egg yolk mixture; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk egg mixture into saucepan with remaining hot milk mixture; whisk in salt. Transfer custard mixture to a large bowl; cover and chill until very cold, at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
Add grape syrup to chilled custard and whisk to combine; strain through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids.
Transfer grape jam to a large metal bowl and transfer to freezer; freeze until firm but not solid.
Transfer custard to an ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to bowl with semifrozen jam and fold with a rubber spatula to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and keep frozen until ready to serve, up to 5 days.