Lunch: A Night at the Movies Ice Cream

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
2 cups kettle-cooked popcorn (sweet and salty popcorn)
1/2 cup skim milk powder
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks

Instructions

Special equipment: an ice cream makerFor the popcorn ice cream: Prepare an ice bath in the sink or in a large bowl. In a large saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high heat until it starts to steam. Remove the pan from the heat, add the kettle corn and stir. Cover the pan and let the popcorn steep for 20 minutes. Pour the mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down on the popcorn to extract as much milk as possible. Don't worry if some of the popcorn "pulp" pushes through into the ice cream. That's totally okay. Return the kettle corn-infused milk to the saucepan. Add the skim milk powder and sugar. Stir with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth. Make sure the skim milk powder is wholly dissolved into the mixture and that no lumps remain (any remaining sugar granules will dissolve over the heat). Stir in the cream. Clip a candy thermometer to the saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking on the bottom of the pan and burning, until the mixture registers 110 degrees F on the thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking, slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Continue to whisk slowly until the mixture is an even color and consistency, then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat and continue cooking the mixture, stirring often, until it registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer the pan to the prepared ice bath and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the cooled base to a storage container and refrigerate until ready to use. For the peanut brittle: Meanwhile, butter a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, golden syrup, salt and 1/4 cup water. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the ingredients are combined and the sugar has dissolved, then continue to cook without stirring until the mixture registers 300 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 15 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanuts and baking soda. Whisk vigorously for a few moments to combine. Move quickly, as the brittle will begin to set as the temperature drops. Spread the brittle mix evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Let cool. Chop the brittle into bite-size pieces and store in the freezer until ready to use. Transfer the cooled ice cream base to an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it's nearly finished, open the lid and add the peanut brittle and the peanut butter candy pieces. Continue churning for a few minutes more. Transfer the ice cream to a storage container and eat immediately, or store in your freezer until hard enough to scoop.
NotesThis recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.