Licorice Ice Cream: Smooth French Custard Recipe

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, caster sugar, salt, and licorice pieces. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the licorice pieces have completely softened and dissolved into the liquid. Do not boil.
2. Once the licorice has dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and allow the mixture to steep for 30 minutes to draw out maximum flavour.
3. If using licorice root or hard, non-dissolving pastilles, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and return the liquid to the clean saucepan.
4. Place the egg yolks and optional vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until pale and slightly thickened.
5. Return the cream mixture to low heat until warm. Slowly ladle about 1 cup (240ml) of the warm cream mixture into the bowl of egg yolks while continuously whisking the yolks to temper them.
6. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream base.
7. Cook the custard over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula (the nappe stage). The temperature should reach approximately 175°F (80°C). Do not let it boil, or it will curdle.
8. Immediately pour the finished custard base through the fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl set over an ice bath. Stir the base occasionally while cooling, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally overnight, until fully cold.
9. Following your ice cream maker's instructions, churn the cold base until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
10. Transfer the soft ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours until firm enough to scoop.