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Iced Coffee Cream Custard

(Café Liègeois Onctueux)

Liège is a province of Belgium; café liègeois is usually coffee ice cream with whipped cream, but it can also be iced coffee with whipped cream. This thick drink—served elegantly in wineglasses—combines the two styles into one delicious dessert.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups chilled whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup coarsely ground espresso beans
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup good-quality coffee ice cream, slightly softened

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine 1 cup whipping cream, milk, and espresso mixture in heavy large saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture; add bean. Bring mixture to boil. Using tongs, remove bean; discard. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in large bowl until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Gradually pour hot cream mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and simmer over low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat spoon, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Whisk in espresso beans and cinnamon. Cover and chill 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

    Step 2

    Beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream in medium bowl to soft peaks. Strain custard through fine sieve into another medium bowl. Place coffee ice cream in large bowl. Fold in 1/3 of custard to soften ice cream. Fold in 1/3 of whipped cream. Fold in remaining custard and whipped cream in 2 more additions each (do not overmix). Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Transfer to freezer; freeze mixture until very cold and thick, about 15 minutes. Transfer to pitcher and pour into chilled wineglasses at table.

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