Buttermilk Ice Cream with Habanero Cashew Brittle

Directions

1. Add cream, sugar, vanilla bean and salt to a medium saucepan on medium heat.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture has simmered for 2 mintues.  In the meantime whisk egg yolks.
2. Remove vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and use the tip of a paring knife to scrape out some of the nearly microscopic seeds.  Add a pinch of the seeds to the cream mixture.
3. Whisk cream mixture into egg yolks in a slow stream.  You don't want the hot liquid to curdle the egg yolks so add slowly and whisk!  Pour the combined cream and egg mixture back into the saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
4. Add the chilled buttermilk to a chilled bowl.  Pour the custard through a strainer into the buttermilk and stir thoroughly.  Refrigerate until cold then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.  Freeze overnight.
5. Serve with Habanero Cashew Brittle and Fresh Raspberry Sauce (recipes links to the right).