PEANUT BUTTER BRITTLE ICE CREAM

Peanut Butter Brittle Ice Cream image

Yield Makes about 1 quart

Number Of Ingredients 8

For peanut brittle:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts (about 1/2 pound)
2 1/3 cups whole milk
2 cups (18 ounces) smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Accompaniment: dark chocolate sauce

Steps:

Make peanut brittle:
Lightly oil a 12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. In a dry small heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until golden. Add peanuts and a pinch salt, stirring until mixture is combined well (caramel will not completely coat nuts). Immediately transfer mixture to foil and cool completely, about 20 minutes. Peel off foil and break brittle into pieces. In a food processor pulse brittle until coarsely ground. Brittle may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
In a deep heavy saucepan heat milk, peanut butter, and sugar over moderate heat, stirring constantly, just until smooth (do not let simmer), about 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and cool to room temperature (do not chill). Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker and transfer to an airtight container. Stir in 1 1/2 cups brittle and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.
Serve ice cream with dark chocolate sauce and sprinkle with remaining peanut brittle.