Oatmeal-Raisin Ice Cream

I had some leftover whole milk and heavy cream from the Nanaimo bars, and I didn't want it to go to waste. Ice cream immediately came to my mind. I flipped through my book and found this recipe for the oatmeal-raisin ice cream. I had some oats in my pantry from the granola I made, so I had most of the ingredients on hand already. Perfect!
Man, was this a treat!!! It tastes just like the cookie. The oatmeal praline is really crunchy when cooked, but it softens up nicely when mixed in with the ice cream.

Ingredients:

Raisins
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2 teaspoons whiskey

Oatmeal Praline
3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of coarse salt

Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

Raisins
Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Add the raisins and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until all but about 2 Tablespoons of the syrup has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the whiskey. Cool.

Oatmeal Praline
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spread the oats evenly on the sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice while baking, until the oats are fragrant and nicely toasted. Remove from the oven.
Spread the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet and cook over medium heat, watching it carefully. When it begins to liquefy and darken at the edges, use a heatproof spatula to stir it very gently, encouraging the heat of the liquefied sugar around the edges to moisten and melt the sugar crystals in the center.
Tilt the pan and stir gently until all the sugar is melted and the caramel begins to smoke. Once the mixture is deep golden, remove it from the heat and immediately add the oats to the skillet (lift the foil to guide them in quickly). Return the foil to the baking sheet.
Stir the oats gently but quickly, coating them with the caramel. Scrape the oats onto the foil-lined baking sheet and spread them as well as possible. Sprinkle with the salt and let cool completely. Once firm, break the pralined oats into small pieces by pulsing them in a food processor or placing the pieces in a heavy-duty plastic bag and smacking them with a mallet or rolling pin. Set aside.

Ice Cream
Warm the milk, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon together into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the raisins and Oatmeal Praline.

Source: The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz