Black Strap Rum Raisin Ice Cream with shortcakes

Ice Cream

• 1 cup Raisins ( I use jumbo organic ones that are practically the size of small animals, they were nice and gooey after soaking)
• 3/4 cups sugar, plus one tablespoon
• 1/2 cup Black Strap Rum ( sounds like something Captain Jack Sparrow would drink)
• 3 egg yolks
• pinches salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2.5 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 scraped vanilla bean

1. In a small saucepan add raisins to 1/4 c. rum with a tablespoon of sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, remove and let sit at room temperature.
2. Make a custard by bringing milk, cream, vanilla seeds + pod, and half the sugar to a simmer.
3. Whisk yolks and remaining sugar till pale.
4. Pour 1/3 of the hot milk/cream over the yolks, whisking the whole time. Pour this into the remaining milk and continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
5. After the eggy smell is gone and the custard coats the back of a spoon, strain the mixture into a bowl over an ice bath. Cool the custard to room temperature, add remaining 1/4 cup rum and refrigerate overnight.
6. Mix according to your machine’s instructions, and when it resembles a thick milkshake add your rum soaked raisins. Dump your ice cream in a container to freeze, laying a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the ice cream before putting on the lid. Freeze at least 2 hours.
7. While you’re freezing the ice cream make the shortcakes.

Shortcakes

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter cut in small cubes
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
• 1 handful sugar to sprinkle over

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, measure the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt and mix to evenly combine.
2. Take your butter out of the fridge at the last minute, plop in the cold cubes, and mix until the butter cubes resemble peas.
3. At that point add eggs beaten with the cream and stop the mixer right when the dough becomes a cohesive mass- its ok if there’s a little flour at the bottom.
4. Dump the bowl over, spilling the contents into a lightly floured work surface. Press out the dough into a shaggy pile about ½ inch tall and cut out shortcakes with either a glass or biscuit cutter.
5. Lay the shortcakes on parchment lined baking sheets, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 19 minutes.
6. Cool and cut a small hole in the middle with a mellon baller or tiny biscuit cutter and place a scoop of ice cream in there. Or you can split the shortcakes in half and make an ice cream sandwich.