I think the true find during our trip to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia a few weeks ago was proof that butter brickle ice cream existed. For the longest time when Paul would wax poetic about that flavor, I would ask if he somehow mistakened the ice cream for say, butter pecan? He would assure me that butter brickle did exist. It wasn’t until I saw it with my own eyes did I believe him.
Unfortunately the ice cream stand was closed, so when we returned home, I did some research on the elusive flavor.
According to Wikipedia, the flavor was created in Nebraska in the 1920s and a toffee ice cream flavoring. Further internet research also shows that the difference between butter brickle ice cream compared to butter pecan ice cream is the addition of one little thing. While both recipes include up to two tablespoons of actual butter incorporated into the recipe, butter brickle ice cream also includes some butter-flavoring. The end result is an ice cream that is both sweet and salty — the sweetness coming from the brown sugar and crunchy toffee bits and the salt from the addition of butter. It is addictive. No wonder there are so many message boards that inquire where butter brickle ice cream can be found.
Paul admits this version of butter brickle ice cream is as close as he remembers it. Now only if I added more yellow food coloring…
Butter Brickle Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, salted
2 teaspoons of butter-flavor extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 drops yellow food coloring, optional
1/2 cup toffee bits
Combined cream, milk, brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Add butter. When mixture starts to boil, remove from heat. Add butter, butter, vanilla extract and food coloring and place into refrigerator until cold.
When mixture has chilled, place into ice cream machine. Fold in toffee bits after ice cream is done.
