The Ultimate Horchata Ice Cream

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!

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The Ultimate Horchata Ice Cream

5 from 10 votes

This recipe for boozy horchata ice cream is rich and custardy.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword horchata ice cream

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 4 hours

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings 8 (approximately 1 quart)

Calories 225

Author Jennifer Farley

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 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

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 86mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Recipe Troubleshooting

For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)