Featured Recipe

Butter-Infused Ice Cream

Name: Butter-Infused Ice Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup whole milk; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 5 large egg yolks; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened; ½ teaspoon pure butter extract (optional)

By Kate

Created on 22 January 2026

Churned cream with a velvety butter fold. Egg yolks tempered to avoid scramble risk. Sugar melts quietly into heat and salt enhances with quiet strength. Butter softened, clumpy but melding over time. No overcooked custard mishaps here. Low-grade butter spoils depth, butter extract fixes that punch. Ice cream sturdy enough to scoop; doneness seen more than timed. Freeze ahead for texture lock. Adjust cream genes by swapping half for half-n-half or Greek yogurt for tang. Cast off drudgery; chase tactile cues and rich aromas instead. Butter flavor upfront yet balanced, no oily residue, no icy shards. Proven in quarters, bright, indulgent silkenness.

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 35 min

Serves: 12 servings

dessert ice cream butter homemade American cuisine

Introduction

Cream heated low, sugar dissolving invisibly. The sharp tang of salt waking the mix under subtle steam. Egg yolks whipped pale, light, waiting. Timing’s a whisper—too hot and eggs stiffen; too cool and custard thins and flavor slips. The butter isn’t melted fully but half-hidden in clumps; a gamble worth taking. It melts gradually as churning stirs pockets smooth, butter’s richness gradually tames the cold bite, creamy thickening smothering icy shards. The secret’s in balance. Not syrupy or custardy overload, but almost velvet. You grip the wooden spoon, feel the custard coat cleanly as it thickens around 170 degrees. Not a rush. Churn till soft serve perfection, then let the cold lock it in place. The result? Silky ice cream with the lush warmth of butter folded into every bite. Not buttery in an oily way, but spun and rich, buttery flip on the ordinary. Substitutions easy, pitfalls fewer with the cues I give. No fuss. Just straight ice cream with an extra buttery kick.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

5 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

½ teaspoon pure butter extract (optional)

About the ingredients

Heavy cream anchors richness but milk balances body; swap half cream with half half-n-half or full milk for lighter results. Granulated sugar sweetens quietly; brown sugar changes flavor profile and color but adds depth. Salt isn’t optional; it amps creaminess and fills flavor gaps. Egg yolks build custard body; use fresh eggs for smooth texture and color. Butter must be softened, not melted; cold butter wrecks texture, too soft melts into gritty oily spots. Butter extract salvages bland butters or adds bold flavor punch without greasiness. Keep butter quality mid to high; really cheap butter kills the character. Need dairy-free? Coconut cream and refined coconut oil replace cream and butter easily.

Method

Prepare freezer; crank ice cream maker into the coldest nook possible up to a day before. Get it frozen solid; soft freeze breeds slush.

Heat mixture; combine cream milk sugar salt in saucepan on low heat. Stir and whisk quietly till sugar vanishes completely—no grain ghosts. Warm, not boiling. Watch for faint steam, tiny bubble specks at sides.

Whisk yolks; eggs pale, thickened, not frothy. Use steady strokes. This stage sets custard silk. Don't rush, or you'll miss the color shift.

Temper yolks; ladle warm cream milk blend into yolks slowly while whisking fast to keep yolks from scrambling. Then return all back to pan stirring constantly—custard thickens subtly, coat back of wooden spoon cleanly to mark consistency. Heat should just kiss 170°F. Overshoot and eggs curdle; undershoot and custard stays thin.

Butter fold; off heat, drop in softened butter chunks. They’ll stay clumpy—don’t sweat it. Stir firm but slow, butter melts into silky pockets over time. If you want bigger buttery hit, add butter extract here. Taste adjusting salt if needed.

Churn; pour warm custard into ice cream maker bowl, spin 25-35 minutes depending on motor strength till soft serve texture. Butter blends in more, creamy body builds. Don't prolong to icy over-churn. Texture is your guide.

Freeze harden; scoop into airtight container. Press plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze minimum 3 hours or until fully firm. Unmolding should show creamy firmness, no grit, slight sheen.

Serve notes; if over freezers runoff or ice texture forms, stir halfway freezing to break crystals. Butter presence lowers freezing point subtly preventing rock-hard stick. Store tightly, consume within 2 weeks for peak freshness.

Troubleshoot; burnt sugar? Wrecks custard tone. Use low heat and constant whisk. Scrambled eggs? Too hot tempering or too fast adding cream. Butter lumps? Patience, clumps vanish with churning and time. Substitute half cream with half yogurt for tang or coconut cream in dairy-free adaptation with coconut oil replacing butter.

Technique Tips

Ice cream maker must be frozen solid in advance; soft freeze causes watery slush. Heat cream and milk on low until sugar disappears—no boiling, bubbles only as fine steam signals safe temp. Whisk yolks until pale and creamy to build custard base but avoid foam. Tempering is key: slowly bring yolks up to warmth with some liquid before adding the whole batch ensures no scrambled yolks surprise. Custard thickness exactly when coating spoon fully and you see a clean line made by a finger scraping the spoon indicates readiness. Adding butter chilled but soft causes lumps—don’t stress. They blend in through churn time, imparting deep fat richness. Churn until mixture has thickened, but stop before icy crystals form. Spoon into container, press cling wrap on surface before freezing to minimize ice crystals. Experienced pros watch texture over time instead of strict minutes; chill remains consistent, adjust accordingly. If gritty ice forms, stir every hour to break crystals. Butter keeps ice cream softer in freezer, adjust salt to balance flavor and prevent blandness.

Chef's Notes

💡 Churn ice cream only until soft. Over-churn causes icy texture. Texture matters more than time. Judge by feel, creamy lure, not minutes.
💡 Use quality butter. Low-grade butter ruins depth. Smooth texture harder to achieve with cheap options. Butter extract can help elevate flavor.
💡 If custard’s too thin? Heat a bit longer but gently. Just kiss 170 degrees F. Scrambled eggs mean too hot, too fast. Adjust accordingly.
💡 Churning long enough? Until thick and soft serve-like. Don't rush. If you've got lumps, no panic. They’ll smooth out as you churn.
💡 Cold ice cream? Stir halfway through freezing to break ice crystals. Butter content lowers freezing point, easier to scoop if done right.