Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Base:

1 cup whole milk
2 cups cream
1 cup half and half
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix in:

12 peanut butter cups, chopped into 1/2 inche pieces

Directions:

a.  If I am in a hurry, I whisk all of the ingredients together (except the mix-ins) and process it in an ice cream freezer.  I use two whole eggs in place of the egg yolks. Since the eggs are frozen you don't need to worry about salmonella.

b.  If I have time, I cook the ingredients and make a light custard, let it cool, and then process, which makes for a creamery texture.  If you want to try this method, here's how you make the custard:

In a medium bowl, add the eggs and sugar.
Whisk to combine.
Set aside.

Place the milk a heavy saucepan.  Place over medium heat, and  heat to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.

Slowly pour 1 cup of the hot milk mixture over the egg mixtures while whisking constantly.

While whisking, slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk.
Heat mixture very slowly to medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure eight pattern.

Cook gently over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the custard thickens to the consistency of a runny gravy.

Remove from heat.

Add cold cream to stop the cooking.
Add the vanilla.

Pour into a storage container and refrigerate until completely cold.

You will need to process this in two batches if you have a small ice cream freezer. Freeze in an ice cream maker, and stir in the peanut butter cups when the ice cream is semi-soft.

Makes a little over 2 quarts.