Rum Raisin Pecan Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup dark raisins
• 1/3 cup light raisins
• 0.5 cups dark rum
• 1 strip of orange zest, 8 cm long.
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 4 large egg yolks
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, cooled and coarsely chopped

Preparation:

1. Place the dark and light raisins, rum, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, remove from heat, and cover.
2. Meanwhile, pour the cream, milk, vanilla, and 1/3 cup sugar into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place the egg yolks, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Lift the paddle – the mixture should flow down in a slow ribbon.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low and pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Stirring with a wooden spoon, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture thickens (180°F - 182°F on a candy thermometer). The mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (run your finger across the spoon and it will leave a mark).
4. Immediately strain the cream through a fine sieve, discarding the vanilla bean. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours until chilled.
   
   Meanwhile, toast the pecans on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
5. Before freezing, drain the rum from the raisins (do not discard it) and discard the orange zest. Stir 3 tablespoons of rum into the cream mixture (discard the rest). Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Finally, fold in the raisins and pecans, transfer to a quart-size container, and freeze.
   Exit: about 1 l.