Rum Raisin Ice Cream

I can't remember if I've had Rum Raisin ice cream before. There are several ice cream brands that sell the flavor but since I have a great ice cream machine and the best ice cream cookbook, I'm not inclined to go out and buy a pint. I adapted David Lebovitz's recipe using my homemade almost 6 years old Kumquat and Star Anise Rum and all golden raisins (sultanas). I also omitted the orange peel in the recipe. The ice cream is rich, very creamy, delicious, and quite addicting.

Rum Raisin Ice Cream

adapted from Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

makes about 1 quart

2/3 cup golden raisins (or 1/3 cup each dark and golden)

½ cup dark rum 

1-inch strip of orange or lemon zest

¾ cup whole milk

½ to ¾ cup sugar (I used only 5 tablespoons as the rum is sweet already)

1½ cups heavy cream

pinch of sea salt

4 large egg yolks

• In a small pan, heat rum, raisins, and orange strip. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and leave for a few hours. This can be prepared a day ahead.
• Warm milk, sugar, ½ cup of heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the remaining heavy cream in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the yolks, whisking constantly, and scrape back the mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour through the strainer into the reserved cream. Stir well then chill in the refrigerator. (I put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes until completely chilled but not frozen, stirring every 5 minutes). 
• When ready to process, drain raisins over a bowl; reserve rum; discard zest. Measure the drained rum. Add more rum if necessary for a total of 3 tablespoons. Stir rum into the chilled custard. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. 

• Add the soaked raisins or sultanas the last few minutes of churning. Transfer into an ice cream container and freeze for 1 hour to 2 hours before serving.