Malted Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut Brittle & Milk Chocolate Chunks
The first day of spring has come and gone, which means that two of my favorite neighborhood soft serve stands have opened for the season. It may have only been 26 degrees when I went out yesterday morning, but that isn’t going to keep me from my ice cream. Once the local shops open, it’s fair game. I’ve had this particular ice cream on the brain since I first cracked open Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones last summer. The title pretty much says it all, right? This ice cream absolutely lives up to its amazing-sounding name and ranks up there as one of the best that have been churned in my kitchen.
So, what makes this ice cream so heavenly? A vanilla ice cream base is laced with a healthy amount of malted milk powder, giving the ice cream a distinct malt milkshake flavor. Throw in bits of homemade peanut brittle, which are softened ever so slightly by the ice cream and add a wonderful salty, chewy contrast to the malted vanilla. Finally, chop up your favorite milk chocolate (I used Ghiradelli) and throw that in for good measure, as well. The sweetness counters the salty peanut brittle perfectly, and the marriage of the three is a match made in ice cream heaven. I’ve cleared out a permanent space in my freezer for this one!
(… but I’m still going to the ice cream stand!)
Do you frequent neighborhood ice cream shops? What are some of your favorite local treats?
One year ago: Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake Roll
Two years ago: How I Spent My Spring Break Vacation
Three years ago: Italian Chicken Salad Sandwich
Malted Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut Brittle & Milk Chocolate Chunks
Ingredients
For the Ice Cream:
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup (62.5 g) malted milk powder
- 1¾ cup (416.5 ml) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (183 ml) 1% or 2% milk
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (73 g) chopped peanut brittle, recipe below
For the Peanut Brittle:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- ½ cup (170.5 ml) light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1½ cups (225 g) dry roasted peanuts
- â…› teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ tablespoon (0.5 tablespoon) unsalted butter
For the Chocolate Chunks:
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped or grated (or substitute â…“ cup milk chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Make the Ice Cream Custard: Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks briefly to break them up. Whisk in the malted milk powder (it will resemble a thick paste); set aside.
- In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, stir together the heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt. Place over medium-high heat and warm until the mixture just begins to reach a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Using a ladle, scoop out some of the cream mixture and whisk into the egg yolks. Repeat with another ladle-full of cream mixture, whisking constantly. Use a spatula to scrape the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and coats the back of the spatula, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. If you have an instant-read digital thermometer, the mixture should be between 170 and 175 degrees F.
- Pour the mixture through the fine-mesh sieve into the bowl. Place the bowl in an ice bath and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Make the Peanut Brittle: Line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt in a small, heavy saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 280 degrees F, which may take as long as 20 to 25 minutes.
- Once it reaches temperature, stir in the peanuts and stir frequently until the peanuts begin to smell toasted and the syrup is a mahogany color (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda (it will bubble up) until thoroughly mixed in, then stir in the butter.
- Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and, using a spatula, work quickly to spread the mixture into a thin, even layer. Allow the brittle to cool to room temperature (about 1 hour). Finely chop enough of it to measure ½ cup to use in the recipe; the remainder can be broken into large pieces and stored at room temperature in an airtight container for another use.
- Churn the Ice Cream Custard: Add the vanilla extract to the custard base and stir until it is thoroughly blended in.
- Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once the ice is done churning, fold in the ½ cup of chopped peanut brittle and the milk chocolate chunks with a rubber spatula. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hello, this looks so yummy. I plan to make it today. Do I buy unsalted peanuts for the brittle or salted ones? Thank you!
Hi Jessica, I prefer salted, but you can use either one!
I just want to make sure I’ve got my ingredients correct here…in this recipe you call for malted milk powder, but in the malted milk ice cream you call for malt powder…I believe these are two separate things, but the ingredients are correct as listed, yes?
Thanks for creating this treat of a recipe! I was looking for an ice cream recipe to use up some peanut brittle, and then finding this recippe with malted milk powder in it was a winner. I used two whole eggs and three yolks which worked fine. I’d probably lower the sugar content a little too.
Wow!!! What more can I say…wow! This was the most amazing ice cream I have made in my new ice cream maker. I have never had “malt” anything that I am aware of, but I am definitely a fan. Way better than the basic vanilla I made that just tasted like frozen whipped cream. Super easy to make and it turned out great. You are now my Ice Cream God :) Thanks so much for so many wonderful recipes. I’m going to try the Smores ice cream tomorrow. Can’t wait.
Hmmmmm …. Only made a pint. After mixing everything it was much thicker than any other custard based ice creams I have made. (My ice cream bible is The Perfect Scoop.)
I love the idea of malted milk in the recipe. Anything with peanut brittle and chocolate has got to be good!!!
Was looking for comments on how it turned out. Seems most postes are “Looks good” – “Gotta try this”. Not helpful.
This is making me hungry for summer already! Malted milk powder is such a great idea for this.
WOW! Love these flavors. I was telling my husband a few weeks ago that its been a while since I made ice cream and I should make some this summer. I’m definitely making this one. AWESOME!
This ice cream looks delicious. I’m ready to start churning my own again, bring on summer! We have a favorite hometown ice cream shop, but it stays open year round. In Buffalo, you just gave to decide when spring starts, since it doesn’t warm up for months!
Some of our ice cream shops opened in February and a couple stay open year round! Crazy! I would eat this ice cream year round. Love that it tastes like a malt and the addition of brittle.
Love it! :)
This looks simply amazing! Thank you soooo much as always, I LOVE your blog!!!
I’m sure that the malted milk power makes all the difference in the flavor of the ice cream. ;-) It sounds delicious. Ice cream is one of my favorite desserts anytime of the year.
Now I really want some ice cream…haha!
To make this recipe less complicated, you could buy peanut brittle. Walgreens has inexpensive brittle year-round. I want to try this soon. The canister is in the freezer calling “use me”.
For Michelle #29 – I’ve seen gelatin & vodka used to change the texture of homemade ice cream, but I haven’t tried them. David Lebovitz is the ice cream expert IMHO.
This looks fantastic!! I will definitely have to give this a try. One question though that perhaps you (or someone else?) could help me out on: How do you get your homemade ice cream creamy? Mine always seems to be “grainy”. It never turns out smooth and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Does anyone have any helpful ideas on this?
Hi Michelle, It would be hard to say without knowing what type of recipes you’re using. Are you using custard-based recipes? If so, I can’t see how they would be grainy.
I love going to Sarris…I mainly go for the chocolate but always stay for ice cream! The hard cap is amazing! Also unrelated to uce cream I made your Giant Eagle thumbprint cookies andvthey were amazing! I could have eaten them all by myself…the icing was the best chocolate icing I have ever had. I am not allowed to make them unless people are coming over otherwise I will gain 50 pounds!
Ice cream is my all time favourite thing about summer, without a shadow of doubt! It makes up for being sweaty, uncomfortable, and unable to eat bowls of hot apple pie infront of the stove! :(
I go to university in Oxford (UK) and there is a famous ice cream parlor there called George and Danvers (G&D’s). They do LOADS of different flavours, but my favourite is to have a scoop of toffee, and a scoop of salted caramel, swimming hot fudge sauce. Mmmmmm!!!
They also do something called a “cookie monster” which is three scoops of chocolate ice cream sandwiched between cookies – YUM!
xx
Oooo, these are loaded with deliciousness! Pinning!
We do have a favorite neighborhood ice cream spot, but it’ll probably be a few more weeks before it gets warm enough for me to want to go. During the winter I like to eat my ice cream huddled under a blanket inside :) Anyway, I absolutely love this flavor combo and cannot wait to try it – soon!
You had me at “malted vanilla” and it just got better from there! :) I just happened to order the cookbook from Bi-Rite Creamery and I’m not-so-patiently waiting for it to arrive tomorrow so I can play with my new ice cream maker! I can’t *wait* to try this recipe. There are so many awesome artisan scoop shops in the San Francisco Bay Area: Bi-Rite (of course), Humphry Slocombe (another great book), Ici, Smitten Ice Cream, and a brand-new one called Lottie’s Creamery. So much yummy ice cream to be had this summer!! :)
I’m actually a sucker for menchies frozen yogurt. I love all the toppings you can add, as well as all the different flavors.
Oh my goodness. This sounds divine!
I’ve never made ice cream before. That first picture is seriously amazing!
OHMYGOD. THIS LOOKS SO RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.
Bah!! This looks amazing!!
After moving to Utah my husband and I discovered Hawaiian Ice – basically crushed ice with flavoring on top. When our favorite stand opens every year (Memorial Day weekend for us; our favorite stand shaves the ice instead of crushing it so it is fluffy as a cloud) we know that Summer is here. I love seasonal indicators like this, especially when they are food related. :)
I LOVE malt, and with the peanut brittle and milk chocolate, even better! I’ve been thinking I need to start making my own ice cream. I love ice cream, but I rarely eat whole milk ice cream because it’s just too rich for me. That’s probably why I tend to go to frozen yogurt shops. There’s one in Berkeley, CA by College Avenue where I get Bananas Foster mixed with Tahitian Vanilla and I put Nilla wafers and bananas in it. So good!
This looks delicious! So perfect for Summer – I’ll definitely be making some as the weather warms up!
You said it – this looks HEAVENLY! I could take that peanut brittle on its own, but the ice cream really sends it over the top!
This ice cream looks fabulous! You have just convinced me to finally purchase the book!
I just ate breakfast, but looking at these photos and reading your description of the ice cream, I can have this *right now*! I can’t think of a better combination of flavors and textures for an ice cream. Wow!
I have never made ice cream… but I will make this one!!
This looks fantastic! But where can I find malted milk powder? Is it the same thing as malt powder?
Hi Sarah, I buy mine from King Arthur Flour: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/malted-milk-powder-16-oz#1021#
I LOVE putting peanut brittle on vanilla ice cream! Thanks for making and sharing this! I have a weakness for Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream. It’s a family owned and operated dairy in Ontario, some local shops carry it as well (one very close to me, thankfully!), and they have the most amazing flavours. My favourite is called Moose Tracks: vanilla ice cream with chocolate peanut butter cups swirled with fudge. It’s amazing!
I fear the only appropriate response to this post is…. Ruh-Roh!
These pictures are to die for! Want ice cream for breakfast now :)
Locally we have a bakery/deli called Taits – opened in 1906 and they make fresh bread and pastries everyday. It’s well known and never disappoints.
Oh man! This sounds so good, looks so darn amazing! I getting my ice creamer maker out! This sounds like the perfect weekend treat!!
This looks so yummy, I’d love a scoop right now. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up a bit here as I want to make some home made ice cream.
Hi, i fell in love with this post and soon as i saw malt and peanut brittle i know i wanted to try this. I have not made many ice creams. I dont own a ice cream machine.. so is it possible to make this without an ice cream machine?
if so what should i do? please help.
Hi Shafriza, I actually did a post quite a few years ago about how to make homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/06/21/how-to-make-homemade-ice-cream-without-an-ice-cream-maker/. Good luck!
Absolutely love these flavors together, ice cream perfection!
LOVE!!! I love, love, love this!! Looks so gosh darn good!
So much goodness in one post! The peanut brittle itself..yum! And then the ice cream. With malt powder. Adds such a great layer of flavor and I bet this ice cream is creamy, sweet, perfect!
I know Brusters is a chain, but I just love their New York Cheesecake ice cream. Cheesecake flavored ice cream with HUGE bits of crunchy, crumbly crust oh my! I also love cake batter ice cream, and Menchies has Dole Whip (just like Disney!)I that I am dying to get!