Pinteractive: Nutella Ice Cream

This is my Pinteractive post for the week.  Click on the badge over there ------> to go to Nanette's blog and see all the Pinteractive posts!

So.
When I got married in 2007, I registered for one expensive, frivolous gift that I knew I probably wouldn't get but really, reeeeeally wanted.  That item was the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer.  I was right.  I didn't get it.  But I didn't forget about that attachment.  And 2 years later I finally got around to buying the attachment.  I have never regretted it.
J and I love ice cream, and I grew up in a house where there was dessert every night after dinner.  Most nights still, we have something: a cookie (or 3), a bowl of ice cream or the like.  What I like about the ice cream maker is that I can control what is going into what we eat.
Ice cream is often super rich, using egg yolks and heavy cream or half and half.  I've never experimented with using evaporated skim milk, but I probably should.  I usually use a mixture of 1% milk and half and half or heavy cream.  Results can be mixed.  Vanilla is not always the best.  Great ice cream is high in fat for a reason.  Fruit puree sorbets are divine, but J's not big on fruit.
After making the Nutella cake, I had a partial bottle of the spread in my cupboard.  When I went back through my pins on Pinterest, I discovered this little gem, once again from From Away.  They seem to be as crazed about chocolate heaven in bottle as I am.  I present to you now Far and Away's Nutella Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

2/3 c Nutella
2/3 c sugar
1 c heavy cream
2 c milk
1 Tbsp vodka

 Method:

1.  Combine all ingredients in large bowl, and beat with electric mixer until thoroughly combined.

2.  Process in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s instructions, and then freeze in freezer for four more hours before serving.

From From Away

Here are the makings of ice cream batter.  I didn't have any vodka (which is used to keep the ice cream "spoon ready", apparently), and I didn't think tequila was appropriate, so I used a little bourbon vanilla.  Frangelico would be perfect.  Not a tablespoon of vanilla, but some.  I then mixed until things looked pretty well combined.  Nutella doesn't combine smoothly.  Or maybe that's just me.  But it didn't really matter.

Here is the ice cream maker at work.  I find that it's pretty hypnotic to watch it work.  The ice cream took about 25 minutes to cool and freeze.  On the left is my Tupperware container that will house the deliciousness.  It's about 6 cups.  This is a small recipe.  A regular recipe will fill the container totally for transfer to the freezer and the ripening.

  Mmmmm....ripened ice cream.  I think one of the things about this ice cream that makes it great with 1% milk is the fat that is added from the spread.  It's still smooth and rich.

J loved it, and one scoop was enough.  Hooray for the return of summer and the return to ice cream once again!