Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My luscious Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways is going to blow your mind! This deliciously decadent, delightfully different frozen treat will be your new favorite flavor.

• Traditional Irish treat: This unique recipe might be new to you, but it’s beloved in Ireland.
• Creamy and crunchy: You’ll adore the toasty, sweetened brown bread crumbles.
• No machine necessary: Just use my No-Machine Ice Cream Base if you don’t have an ice cream maker!
• Surprise ingredient: Incredibly smooth O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey adds lovely boozy notes.
• Enjoy for weeks! You’ll be tempted to eat it in one go, but it keeps in the freezer for a month and a half.

I’m thrilled to have a family connection to the renowned O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey used in this ice cream recipe. It’s made by Stafford Bonded, and my cousin, Michael J. Stafford, is the managing director. O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey is a blend of golden grain and malted barley, triple-distilled and aged in bourbon casks for a minimum of three years to create its signature smoothness. You’ll love our other O’Driscolls recipes, including Irresistible Whiskey Butterscotch Pie, O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Chocolate Mousse, and O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Crème Brûlée.

I remember my mum making brown bread ice cream when I was growing up, but I had no idea how incredible it was! As a kid, the words “brown bread” didn’t exactly scream dessert, so I never gave it a chance. Now, I’m making up for lost time!

When developing this recipe, I wanted every spoonful to be outstanding. After testing different approaches, I landed on the perfect combination—food writer David Lebovitz’s technique for the brown bread crumble and a rich, traditional custard base from The New York Times.

For the best flavor, I highly recommend making my Mum’s Irish Brown Soda Bread and using the leftovers for this sensational treat. Top it off with a drizzle of my Irish Whiskey Caramel Sauce, and as they say in Ireland, “You wouldn’t call the queen your aunt!”

Table of Contents

• What is Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Frozen Dessert Recipes

What is Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways?

• Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways is a rich custard-based ice cream punched up with just the right amount of excellent Irish whiskey.
  • This is a traditional Irish recipe, and don’t worry—though you might think “savory” when you hear brown bread, this is sweet ice cream.
  • Toasted bits of sweetened crumbled brown bread are reminiscent of caramel nuggets: they’re crisp, crunchy, and spiced, with brown sugar vibes.
  • You won’t believe the incredible flavor and irresistible texture you get from whipping up your own frozen treats. And with my easy techniques, an ice cream maker is optional!
• Brown Bread Ice Cream is a traditional treat in Ireland (for the best brown bread ice cream Dublin is the place to go), and like many great recipes, it came from necessity—the recipe was developed to use up leftover bread! In the late 1800s, the genius pairing of Irish dairy cream and leftover sweetened, toasted brown soda bread first appeared, and it remains a popular, nostalgic favorite!

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Ice cream maker (optional)
• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Sieve
• Small baking sheet
• Silicone spatula

Key Ingredients and Why

Heavy cream

• Use heavy cream (cream from cows) with a fat content of at least 36%.
  • Heavy cream gives this brown bread ice cream richness and creaminess due to its high-fat content.
  • Heavy cream is crucial to create the custard base’s velvety texture.
  • Importantly, heavy cream contributes to the structure of the ice cream and keeps it smooth.

Whole milk

• Whole milk has a fat content of around 3.5%, which contributes to the lush texture.
• Whole milk used with the heavy cream keeps the ice cream from being overly dense.
• Substitutions: Instead of whole milk, you can also use:
  • Half-and-half
  • Plant-based milk such as oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk.

Salt

• In the ice cream base: 
  • Salt accentuates the flavors in the ice cream.
  • Salt also lowers the ice cream’s freezing point, preventing crystals, so it’s creamy, not icy.
• In the brown bread crumbles: 
  • The small bit of salt is essential to give the crumbs that incredible “swalty” (sweet and salty!) flavor.

Egg yolks

• Egg yolks thicken the ice cream custard base.
• The yolks give the ice cream rich flavor and a silky mouthfeel.
• Importantly, eggs are an emulsifier that unites the ingredients into a cohesive mixture.

Granulated sugar

• In the ice cream base: 
  • Sugar sweetens the ice cream.
  • Sugar also contributes to the smooth texture, lowering the freezing point and preventing large ice crystals from forming.
  • Substitutions:
    • You can use honey instead of granulated sugar in the ice cream base.
      • Use 1/2 cup (6 oz/170 g) of honey in place of the 2/3 cup (5 oz/142 g) of granulated sugar (less is used because honey is sweeter)
      • Because honey is a liquid, reduce the heavy cream and milk amounts by 1 tablespoon each.
• In the brown bread crumbles:
  • Sugar caramelizes on the bread crumbs as they toast, and forms a delicately crisp, toffee-like coating

O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey

• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey balances out the sweetness and adds a lovely smokey note to the ice cream.
• Irish whiskey is famous for having a smoother flavor than bourbon or Scotch whisky.
• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey’s unparalleled flavor elevates these other dessert recipes: O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Cake Recipe, Homemade Irish Cream with O’Driscoll’s Whiskey, Whiskey Chocolate Mousse, Sweet and Boozy Peach Whiskey Jam Recipe, Whiskey Apple Crisp. Baked Custard with Roasted Rhubarb and Whiskey, and Irish Whiskey Fudge.

Crumbled brown bread

• Crumbled brown bread, coated in melted butter and a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and toasted, makes flavorful crunchy bits that provide a delightful contract to the smooth ice cream.
• For the best flavor, make your own brown bread.
• Substitution: Brown soda bread is the best bread to use here, but you can substitute an equal amount of whole grain bread to make the crumbles.

Butter

• Melted butter coats the crumbled brown bread enhances the flavor and crunch.
• If you’d like to make your own butter, I’ve got you covered.

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon adds warm, slightly spicy flavor to the crunchy bits of brown bread, and enhances the overall flavor of the ice cream.

How to Make Brown Bread Ice Cream Recipe 2 Ways

Prepare to make the ice cream

1. Freeze the drum of your ice cream maker (if using) for a minimum of 24 hours.

Make the ice cream custard base

2. Start the custard: In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about five minutes. Remove pot from heat.
3. Whisk yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until combined, about 20 seconds.
4. Cook the custard: Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Add whiskey: Remove from the heat and add the whiskey.
6. Strain and chill: Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill for a minimum of four hours, preferably overnight, for better flavor.

Make the brown bread crumbs

7. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and set aside a small baking sheet.
8. Crumble bread: In a small bowl, crumble the brown bread into small, bite-sized bits. The largest should be no bigger than a kernel of corn.
9. Flavor crumbs: To the bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

10. Bake: Spread the bread bits on the baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times during baking, until they are well-toasted and a deep, dark brown.
11. Finish crumbs: Cool completely, then store in an air-tight container until ready to use. (They can be made three days in advance and stored at room temperature.)

Churn the ice cream

12. Make ice cream: Churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the consistency of soft serve ice-cream, quickly fold in the brown bread crumbs reserving 2 tablespoons to scatter over the top of the ice cream.
13. Finish ice cream: Scoop into a freezer-safe container, scatter over remaining crumbles and store in the freezer for at least four hours before serving. Keep the ice cream in the freezer for up to six weeks. Serve with Whiskey Caramel Sauce if desired.

FULL WRITTEN (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• For crumbles and sauce: Use my Mum’s Brown Bread recipe to make the crumbles and serve the ice cream with my Irish Whiskey Caramel Sauce.
• Do it ahead: Make the custard up to two days in advance—the flavor gets better as it sits. In a restaurant I worked in they aged ice cream bases, just like you can do with bread and cookie dough. The liquid evaporates as it sits, and that intensifies the flavor.
• Get the most flavor: Use full-fat milk and cream for more flavor in your custard.
• Whiskey tips: Don’t be shy with the salt and whiskey. If you want to make this without whiskey, add a splash of vanilla extract instead.
• Imporant freeezing note: Whiskey (or vanilla), is not just for flavor. It also lowers the freezing point, making the ice cream scoopable.
• Make it smooth: Strain the custard mixture for the silkiest results.
• Split fix: If your custard splits use a liquidizer (blender or immersion blender) to easily bring it back together.
• Cold is key: Cold bases freezers faster. Make sure the drum is frozen for at least 24 hours. The more time the better.
• Don’t over-churn: Spin until you have a soft-serve consistency. If you churn too long, the ice cream freezed harder.
• Timing tip: I like to churn the ice cream, and then give it about four to five hours before eating.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead tips:
  • You can make the custard up to two days in advance.
  • Additionally, after it’s made, you can store it in an airtight container in the freezer for at least four hours before serving.
• How to store leftovers: Put leftover ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six weeks.

FAQs

• Can I make Brown Bread Ice Cream without an ice cream machine?

  • Yes, you can make this Brown Bread Ice Cream without an ice cream machine.
  • Use my Vanilla No-Machine Ice Cream Base.
  • Omit the vanilla bean, and replace the vanilla extract with a tablesoon of O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey.
  • Make the brown bread crumble from my Irish Brown Soda Bread recipe.

• Can I make this ice cream vegan?

  • I don’t recommend it, as this custard-based ice cream was developed using heavy cream, milk, eggs, and substituions for those ingredients would not work well here.
  • If you’re looking for a vegan ice cream, you’ll love my  Strawberry and Mint Dairy-Free Ice Cream, Nutella Swirl Non-Dairy Ice Cream, and Coffee Coconut Ice Cream!

More Frozen Dessert Recipes

• Frozen Sherry Berry Trifle
• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe
• Frozen Lemon and Lime Soufflé Recipe
• Espresso Parfait with Chocolate Carmel Sauce
• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

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