Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream with Candied Walnuts

Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream is another favorite recipe from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer.

The flavor from the Gorgonzola is pretty mild and pairs really well with the candied walnuts since it has a bit of a nutty quality of it’s own. I've made this recipe twice, once with the nuts in and once without. They were both a hit! The candied walnut version was paired with an apple and pear tarte tatin, the sans walnut version was paired with a peach, pistachio and herb tarte as a dessert collaboration with my friend Laura at Say-When.com. Give it a try and tell me how you like it!

So definitely make the candied walnuts first since they have to cool completely before you layer them into the ice cream.

Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream with Candied Walnuts

Walnuts tossed with light brown sugar, honey, butter and sea salt getting ready for the oven.

Candied Walnuts cooling on the countertop.

Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream with Candied Walnuts just out of the freezer.

Digging into the Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream with Candied Walnuts

Gorgonzola Dolce Ice Cream with Laura's Peach, Pistachio and Herb Tarte

Candied Walnuts with Honey

1 cup walnuts

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Ice Cream Base

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or tapioca starch)

2 ounces Gorgonzola dolce, softened

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

For the Candied Walnuts:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine walnuts and all remaining ingredients in medium bowl; toss to coat. Spread nut mixture on baking sheet so they don’t clump together. Bake until nuts are deep golden and sugar mixture is bubbling. Stir halfway through to make sure the nuts are coated, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Cool completely on baking sheet.

For the Ice Cream Base:

1. Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.

2. Cream the gorgonzola with a rubber spatula in a medium bowl until smooth.

3. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.

4. Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, while stirring, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

5. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the Gorgonzola until smooth.

6. Place the bowl with the mixture into the ice bath bowl and stir a bit to help it cool. You just need to make sure that the ice bath bowl isn’t too full because you don’t want water in the mix.

7. Grab a clean bowl and strain the cool ice cream base into it.

8. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy. Or just follow the instructions from your ice cream maker. I use the ice cream the 2 Quart Ice Cream Maker Stand Mixer Attachment for my kitchenaid.

9. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, folding in the candied walnuts as you go. Press a sheet of parchment paper directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.