Gingerbread Ale Ice Cream

Ingredients

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Directions

1. In a large saucepan, add heavy cream, whole milk, 1 1/3 cups dubbel (or other Belgian-style ale) and molasses, stirring to combine.
2. Add thinly sliced ginger, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg and black peppercorns.
3. Cook over a medium-low heat until just below a simmer, stirring frequently (you want to see steam rising from the surface, but minimal to no bubbles), about 15 minutes.
4. Whisk the egg yolks and brown sugar in a bowl until slightly thickened. Slowly, while whisking, add 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture to the yolks.
5. Take your time here so you don’t scramble the yolks. Repeat this process with another 1/2 cup of the hot cream, then return everything to the saucepan.
6. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Set a medium sized bowl in the ice bath and have a strainer ready.
7. Return the saucepan to a medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. You will know the custard is thick enough when you see steam rise from the surface and the custard coats the spoon.
8. Add the chocolate, lemon zest and the last 1/3 cup dubbel. Continue to cook for another minute or two until the proper thickness is achieved again.
9. Strain the custard into the medium sized bowl sitting in the ice bath. Stir in the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Stir occasionally until the mixture has cooled.
10. Refrigerate until cold (preferably overnight).
11. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is three quarters of the way done, add candied ginger and continue to freeze until frozen.
12. See Brandon's original post.