1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
5 egg yolks
1 ½ cups whole milk
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup (optional)
¾ cup maple syrup
1/8 tsp coarse salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
WET and STICKLY WALNUTS:
1 ½ cups walnut halves
½ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt
Pour cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the bowl. Whisk egg yolks together in a separate bowl. Heat milk, sugar and corn syrup together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until milk begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour about ½ cup heated milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with a heatproof spatula.
Cook and stir milk mixture constantly with the spatula, scraping the bottom of the saucepan often, until mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; pour mixture through the mesh strainer into the cream.
Stir ¾ cup maple syrup, coarse salt and vanilla into cream mixture, then place the bowl over a large bowl of ice water. Stir to cool to room temperature. Chill mixture in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Toast the walnuts until they become golden brown and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Chop coarsely.
Heat the ½ cup, plus the 1 tbsp maple syrup in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. Stir in walnuts and return to a boil. Stir nuts for 10 seconds and remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely. The nuts will be wet and sticky when cooled.
Remove cream mixture from the refrigerator, pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. During the last few minutes of churning, stir in the walnuts.
