Root Beer Float Ice Cream

Four 12-ounce bottles of root beer (48 ounces total; do not use diet root beer)

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

3 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Pour 36 ounces (3 bottles) of the root beer into a pan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium; cook gently until very thick and reduced to ½ cup; this can take up to 2 hours. Let cool.

Combine the milk, heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks in a large liquid measuring cup, then whisk in 1¼ cup of the hot milk mixture. Add the tempered egg yolks to the saucepan with the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture has thickened into a custard that can coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding any solids, then add the vanilla bean paste, the ½ cup of reduced root beer and the remaining 12 ounces of root beer, stirring to incorporate.

Set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir the custard well to promote quick cooling. Pour the custard into a container with a tightfitting lid; seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Once the custard is thoroughly chilled, process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container; seal and freeze for up to a month.

Makes 12 servings (1½ quarts)

Nutrition | Per serving: 220 calories, 2 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 19 g sugar