Horchata ice cream is rich and custardy. If you love homemade horchata (or horchata in general!), this is the perfect dessert! I’ve made many homemade ice cream recipes over the years, and this horchata ice cream recipe is one of my all time favorites.
There are a few negatives to being self-employed that never previously occurred to me before embarking on this new venture. I’m kind of an all or nothing person. And now that I’ve thrown myself into the wild world of freelance work, I can’t seem to stop.
I’ve never had the attention span to work for more than a few hours at a time so I find myself working in the evenings and on and off during the weekend. I don’t really mind. It’s a pace that seems to work for me.
However, there’s one part of the equation that is very strange. I’ve been calling it “think dreaming.”
I’ve always been a vivid dreamer and I’m endlessly entertained by the nonsensical stories my brain creates. Recently, though, it seems as though half of my dreams don’t involve the usual zombie adventures or random scenarios.
Instead, I think all night about various elements of work. But I’m not awake or aware that I’m doing it. I’ve suffered from insomnia for years now and nothing irritates me more than lying in bed with my thoughts zooming around when all I want to do is sleep.
I get out of bed when that happens. With think dreaming, I’ll wake up at around 2 or 3 in the morning and realize I’ve been thinking about work for hours. And then I get irritated. A few weeks ago I actually got up for the day at 3:30am because I couldn’t take it anymore.
Is there anyone reading this who’d be willing to chime in and tell me I’m not crazy because they know what I’m talking about? I can’t possibly be alone here.
Now for the horchata ice cream. I feel as though summer will be gone in the blink of an eye which means I’m running out of both sunlight (booo) and chances to make ice cream.
This won’t be the last ice cream recipe you see crammed in over the next couple of weeks. But this might be the best. It’s my new favorite ice cream (and that’s saying a lot). I use a good amount of Rumchata to add booze and complementary flavors.
The Rumchata also lowers the freezing point just enough so that this ice cream is soft and custard-like straight out of the freezer. Do take note, though- it melts faster than my other recipes.
What Is Half-And-Half?
This recipe calls for half-and-half. What is half-and-half, and how do you make it if you already have cream and milk in the fridge? Read my tutorial on how to make half-and-half so you can save time and money!
Looking for more ice cream recipes?
Be sure to check out my Baileys Ice Cream, Strawberry Ice Cream, and Vanilla Milk Gelato!
The Ultimate Horchata Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or 50% whole milk + 50% heavy cream)
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup Rumchata liqueur
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, warm up the half-and-half over medium heat, stirring, until it's warm but not hot. Pour it into a blender with the white rice and briefly blend the mixture on high speed to break up some of the grains and release their flavor. Allow the mixture to steep for at least one hour.
- Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and discard the rice. Stir in the Rumchata and return to the saucepan on medium heat. Add the vanilla extract.
- Vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. When the half-and-half just reaches a simmer, slowly pour it into the egg yolks while whisking. Then return the entire mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to low. Add the cinnamon sticks.
- Stir constantly for several minutes until it begins to thicken. When it coats the back of a spoon or spatula so that you can draw a line with your finger, remove from the heat.
- Allow the base to cool slightly then pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic directly against liquid to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, until very cold. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.
- Prepare in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer instructions. Before serving, top with fresh grated cinnamon.
Video
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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I read a really interesting book that discussed this late night waking fairly recently. While I rarely have trouble with sleep, I routinely wake up around 3:30 for a while and then go back to sleep. Might want to look at this book (at least I think it’s this one). It may give you a different way to perceive that late night time.
IncognitoThe Secret Lives of Brains By Eagleman, David (Book – 2011)
Good luck & sweet dreams!
Thank you, I really appreciate the suggestion! I will definitely take a look at this book for insight.
a lot of my freelancer friends tell me the same thing. However, i have no problem falling asleep immediately once I m in my bed. On a different note, this icecream is a perfect way to bid goodbye to summer.
I am jealous! I used to be such a heavy sleeper in college. Those were the days.
When my spouse is deployed it screws up my sleep schedule terribly. You’d think I’d be used to it, but that would be wrong. It would be one thing if I were *productive* between 2 and 5 am, but usually I am not. I’m just awake. I’ve done the ‘get up for the day at 3:30’ thing, though, it works great until about 5 pm for me, then I’m toast.
My friend once told me that in Olden Days (no idea specifically when, but pre-Industrial Revolution) folks would go to bed soon after sundown and have First Sleep, then get up in the middle of the night (tend the fire, etc) and then go back to bed for Second Sleep.
I could do that–I find myself sleeping really well between 5:30 and 7 am. Sadly, the alarm goes off at 5:40. ;)
The ice cream–looks divine, and well worth dreaming about for me. I just dream about kohlrabi and eggplant, and I’d rather have horchata dreams.
I wonder if that first sleep/second sleep would work better for me. Hrm….
What a beautiful photo of a scoop of ice cream against the dark background!
Goodness, such great advice from all of these comments! I have issues sleeping too and I think it must be a curse for creative kinda people. Who knows? Alls I know is that I want some of that horchata ice cream. Genius girl! Love it!
I would totally buy the creative theory. Our brains just work in mysterious ways.
I definitely have insomniac nights as well so you are NOT crazy! It’s so hard to turn the brain off sometimes.
Anything sweet and cinnamony and ice cream-y sounds good to me! And I kind of love the texture of this! Custard-like definitely sounds like a good thing!
I have yet to try Rumchata…but ice cream sounds like a great place to start!! Also love your pictures, what a neat plate!
I’m the same way, I’ve never been a good sleeper. My brain just won’t shut off.
And I love horchata, this ice cream looks so fabulous, beautiful job.
My dreams are fairly vivid too, but mostly about exploring and traveling–stuff I don’t get to do in real life but should.
Perhaps my body/brain is telling me something?
Yessss
Oddly, I rarely remember my actual dreams, but I do exactly this thinking dream thing. I’ve always struggled with sleep as well, often feeling like I’ve spent the night trudging across the tundra, instead of snoozing peacefully. Though my husband says my snoring tells him I actually was asleep, I feel like I’ve been thinking all night. It was about plating last night. Ugh.
Oh I’ve started my day at 3am before. Totally sucks. Usually I wake remembering something I totally forgot to do, work, family or otherwise! Meds help me break the habit, then I sleep better with no help and then a few weeks later I’m up at 3am again. You sound like you are one busy lady!
Your photos are perfection :) I am loving this ice cream recipe, it looks wonderful!
I love horchata and this sounds AMAZING! As a fellow insomniac, I totally get where you are coming from.
This turned out fabulous! One of our new favorites.
That is sheer perfection