As we ease into the most wonderful of the four seasons in Louisville – autumn – our taste buds cry out for fall’s comfort foods, even if the outside temperatures still feel like summer. When I asked about autumn recipes, the creative mind of Comfy Cow owner Tim Koons-McGee went to a perfect solution: Bourbon Ball Ice Cream.
“It is hard not to think of Kentucky without thinking of Bourbon. The Bourbon Ball candy is an old Kentucky tradition dating back to 1939. During the state capitol’s sesquicentennial in 1939, a well-known dignitary stated that the two best tastes in all the world were chocolate and fine Kentucky Bourbon. Mrs. Ruth Boone reportedly heard this and spent the next two years perfecting a chocolate and Bourbon candy. The owners of Comfy Cow feel like this flavor is a tasty representation of Kentucky and its traditions.”
So, here you get two in one: the recipe for Comfy Cow’s Bourbon Ball Ice Cream, and the recipe for the Bourbon Ball Candy. Enjoy!
Comfy Cow’s Bourbon Ball Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart
1 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
2 ¼ cup heavy cream, divided
2 pinches of salt
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces) Bourbon
1 cup chopped Bourbon Ball Candies (recipe below)
Pour ½ milk and 1 cup cream in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Combine remaining ¾ cup milk and 1 ¼ cup heavy cream with the egg yolk in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk the granulated sugar and salt into the mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spoon (about 170 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit). Pour the custard through a mesh strainer into the bowl with the remaining cream and milk. Stir in the vanilla, honey and Bourbon.
Chill over an ice bath, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once churned, transfer to a freezer safe container and fold in the chopped Bourbon Ball Candies.
Bourbon Ball Candies
Makes approximately 28 balls
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 ounces Bourbon
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Cream butter until completely smooth and no lumps are present. Gradually add 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, allowing sugar to fully incorporate into the butter before each new addition. Stream in the Bourbon and beat well. Transfer to an airtight container and chill for at least one hour.
One chilled, scoop out 1 tablespoon portions of the Bourbon Ball mixture (one at a time) and drop into reserved powdered sugar. Cover portion with a light coating of powdered sugar then roll into a ball and place on a parchment lined pan. Continue until all balls are formed. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
Check the Comfy Cow’s website for all location addresses and become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Photo: Courtesy The Comfy Cow Ice Cream
