Root Beer Float Ice Cream

My middle sons birthday was last week. We had a Taekwon Do tournament to go to so we decided to save his cake for his sleepover night.

He asked for Root Beer Cake and Ice Cream so this is what we came up with! Some process time involved but WELL worth the wait!!

Sorry I dont have any "finished" pics, I was running late on my cake making so I only froze it to soft serve stage.




Root Beer Ice Cream:
6-12 oz bottles/cans root beer*
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 sugar(add sugar per your taste, the RB concentrate is pretty sweet on its own!)
2 egg yolks


I used Hansen's Creamy Root Beer because its made with real sugar not high fructose corn syrup

* the ice cream only needs part of this, the rest will be for the cake, if you only want to do ice cream, simmer 3 bottles down to 3/4 cup with 1 vanilla bean(no bean? add 1-2 tsp quality vanilla extract to the recipe)


In a sauce pan over medium low heat simmer 5 of the bottles/cans of root beer and the vanilla bean until it reduces to just over 1 1/2 cups of liquid(We need about 1 TB extra for the frosting), this is a rather long process(took around 2 hours for me), have it at a gentle boil at the most . (Easiest way to do this if your pan is not marked is pre-measure 1 1/2 cups liquid pour it in and make a small mark with a permanent marker, this way you can visibly see when it reaches the mark)


Remove from heat and set aside. (you can allow the vanilla bean to remain in the liquid if you like and discard it after you use it all, or remove it and discard now)














In the sauce pan heat heavy cream, milk and sugar to a simmer then remove from heat.











In a bowl whisk egg yolks lightly.





Pour about 1/2 cup hot cream mix into the egg yolks, whisking well as you do.

Pour the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Simmer over medium heat stirring constantly until slightly thickened(coats a spoon thick)


Stir in 3/4 cup of the root beer concentrate

Strain through a mesh sieve to get out any chunks and mix in remaining can/bottle of root beer

Chill well(at least 4 hours, overnight is best)

Process your ice cream according to your manufacturers instructions.