I love infusing ice creams. It's an easy way to inject a homemade ice cream base full of nostalgic flavor. And what could be more nostalgic than the Oreo? This recipe was first inspired by Caffe Panna in New York City, a parlor that uses brand-name Oreos to create a signature oreo brittle and full-fledged Oreo ice cream. However, since this is homemade I wanted to inject a *bit* more Oreo flavor into my ice cream, and let me just say, it's delicious.
Place your KitchenAid Ice Cream Churner attachment in the back of the freezer to chill for 14-16 hours. (See Note**)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar (55 grams) until the egg yolks are lightened to a pale yellow color and doubled in size.
In a medium sauce pot, add the whole milk, heavy cream, and remaining 1/4 cup (55 grams) of sugar. Stir to combine and place over medium heat. Stirring often, let this heat up until foamy or until it reads 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.
Reduce the heat to low and scoop a spoonful (about 1/4 cup) of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk it into the yolks to temper them. Do this three more times to heat up the yolks. Then pour the egg yolk mixture directly into the pot.
Stirring constantly, increase the heat to medium-low and mix the custard until it can coat the back of a spoon and reads between 165-170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove the mixture from the heat and strain it through a mesh sieve into a bowl.
Roughly chop up 5 Oreos. Stir these into the mixture.
To prevent a film from forming, directly place cling wrap on the surface of the mixture to seal it. Cover the bowl and store in the fridge for 1-3 days to infuse. If you want to let this rest for a longer period of time, let the mixture infuse for 1 day, then transfer to the freezer for up to two weeks. When you are ready to use it, transfer it to the fridge to thaw for 24 hours. Then it will be ready for use.
When you are ready to churn the ice cream:
When you are ready to churn, take the custard base out of the fridge. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve into the churner. Use a spoon or spatula to gently press the mixture out of the sieve. It will capture most of the Oreo icing filling.
Churn for 20-30 minutes or until the ice cream is thick and has the texture of a stiffer soft serve.
Chop up the remaining 6 Oreos and gently fold them into the churned ice cream.
Transfer the ice cream from the churner to your preferred container. I love plastic deli quart containers for this. Cover and freeze another 2-3 hours, then it is ready to scoop and serve.
Notes
Note*: In my recipe video I also infuse banana flavor into my Oreo ice cream. To do this, add one very ripened banana in during the infusing process. Note**: This recipe can also be done with a traditional ice cream churner. See your churner's instructions for proper preparation.