SUNNY'S FRIED APPLE AND PEAR ICE CREAM

Sunny's Fried Apple and Pear Ice Cream image

Provided by Sunny Anderson

Categories dessert

Time 6h10m

Yield 8 to 10 balls

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 pears, peeled, cored and chopped
Kosher salt
2 cups flaked corn cereal, crushed
1 cup finely chopped pecans
6 eggs
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

Steps:

For the ice cream: In a large pan on medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, apples, pears and a tiny pinch of salt. Cook while stirring until the fruit is tender, but still has a bit of a bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate or bowl and place in the freezer or refrigerator until cold.
In a large bowl, add the softened ice cream and chilled fruit and stir until combined. Place in an airtight container and return to the freezer until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Place a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer to chill as well.
For the coating and frying: In a bowl, add the cereal, pecans and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. In another bowl, add the eggs and 2 tablespoons water and whisk. Refrigerate the egg wash until needed, returning it to the refrigerator when not in use.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Using an ice cream scoop, make 1 ball of ice cream (if you use your hands to make it perfect, do it fast!) and quickly roll it in the cereal coating. Place it on the baking sheet in the freezer and repeat for the remaining balls. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
Remove the egg wash from the fridge and, one by one, dunk and coat each ball in it. Then roll again in the cereal coating, returning each ball to the freezer immediately after rolling in the cereal coating. Freeze this time about 30 minutes.
Repeat the egg wash and cereal coating again, freezing the final time a full 2 hours or overnight. (Perfect to prep the day before!)
Fill a heavy pot or deep fryer about halfway with oil and bring to 375 degrees F. Drop a few ice cream balls in directly from the freezer and cook golden brown, about 1 minute. Timing depends on the batch and ball size, so watch the pot! Roll on a paper-towel-lined plate to quickly remove any excess oil. Serve immediately after frying.