Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream

Tasty recipe using a mixture of smooth and crunchy peanut butter.   You could replace peanut butter with your favorite nut butter (almond, cashew,..)  Adding chops nuts and chocoloate provide a nice crunch. 

I like to makes sure any ingredient being added while processing the ice cream is cold so it won't slowdown the process. For example, if I'm adding chocolate chips I like to put them in freezer overnight.
Recipe based on one in Bruce Weinstein's The Ice Cream Book (William Morrow and Company, 1999).

1 cup milk
3⁄4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 smooth natural peanut butter
3/4 crunchy natural peanut butter
1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
1/2  cup salted, roasted, shelled peanuts (optional) - place in freezer to get cold befor processing ice cream
1/2 cup chunk chocolate or chocolate chips (optional) - place in freezer to get cold befor processing ice cream

1. Place milk in a small saucepan.

2. If you are using a vanilla bean, split the bean lengthwise.  Scrape the seeds from inside the bean.  Add the seeds and been halves to the milk.

3. Heat milk over medium heat until just hot, lightly steaming (~140F). Meanwhile, beat sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow.

4. When milk is hot, remove from heat, discard vanilla beans (if used one) and gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture in bowl, then pour milk–egg mixture into saucepan. Return saucepan to medium-low heat and cook custard, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1⁄2 cup of the smooth peanut butter. Strain custard into a large bowl, let cool briefly, stirring often.  Stir in the cream. If you did not use a vanilla bean, then add the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 6–8 hours.

6. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.  If you are using chopped nuts and/or chocolate add 1/2 of each 30 seconds before it has finished churning. Transfer to a bowl, quickly swirl in remaining 1⁄2 cup peanut butter, cover, and freeze until hard.

7. Serve ice cream sprinkled with cup nuts, chocolate chips/chunks and/or chocolate syrup

Makes ~1 QUART