Ingredients:
225g shelled walnuts
145ml water
320g sugar
145ml milk
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp dark rum
285ml double cream
Method:
Place the walnuts on a baking tray and cook in an oven pre-heated to 190°C until well browned (but be careful not to burn). Remove from the oven and tip into a bowl to cool.
Meanwhile, add the add the water and sugar to a saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until the sugar solution begins to caramelize and darken (this will take about 2 minutes). Continue cooking until the mixture is nicely coloured but not burnt. Immediately take off the heat and add the walnuts. Stir carefully (you don't want to burn yourself with the caramel) then spread the praline on a lightly-oiled tray and set aside to cool. Also set the pan aside, you will use it again later (there's no need to wash).
Once set break-up the praline and set in a bowl before grinding to a rough-cut powder that has some large chunks within it. Add the milk to the caramel pan and set over medium heat. Stirring frequently bring until almost at the boiling point then take off the heat.
Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy then add a third of the praline powder and beat until thick and tacky. Beating constantly, add the scalded milk in a steady stream then return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring all the while, until the mixture has thickened and no more bubbles appear on the surface.
Remove from the heat and immediately stir-in a further third of the praline mixture and continue stirring until cooled. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk at high speed until the mixture thickens. Now add the rum and the remaining praline (make certain the mixture is quite cold at this point).
Whip the cream until it just begins to hold its shape then fold into the praline custard then transfer the ice cream to a freezer-proof dish (or into several ramekins for individual portions) and freeze over night.
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