Cinnamon Ice Cream (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

I never realized until this morning how difficult it is to take pictures of ice cream in the summer. Seriously, it is nearly impossible. The picture above is the best picture I took, out of like fifty pictures. The ice cream was melting at a rapid pace and the glass cup I scooped it into was fogging up. It was a race against the green house effect taking place in my sun room. I should probably choose a different place to shoot, but the lighting there is so great.

Anyway! I received an ice cream maker for my birthday a few weeks ago, and last night I finally got a chance to use it. I spent a great deal of time mulling over what sort of ice cream I could make that was low-carb and not just vanilla or chocolate flavored. I also didn't want to add anything that would bump up the carb count too high. So, enter cinnamon; it's got only .5 grams of carbs per teaspoon, but it's so often associated with sweets that it pretty much acts as not only a flavoring, but also a sweetener for desserts. I love cinnamon's role in this recipe. The slight warmth it provides is a welcome contrast to the chilly sweetness of the base.

One serving of this recipe comes out to around 5 grams of carbs.


Ingredients (serves 4 to 5)

• 2 c heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 7 tsp sweetener
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Add heavy cream and sweetener to a pan and heat on medium low until it comes to a slight simmer. While the cream is heating, add the egg yolks to a large bowl and whisk until scrambled. 
2. When the heavy cream starts to simmer, take the pan off the heat and whisk about half of the hot cream into the egg yolk. Pour the egg yolk-cream mixture back into the pan and back onto the heat. 
3. Continue to heat the cream for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Careful not to let the mixture boil. 
4. Transfer the cream to a container. Stir in the cinnamon and the vanilla extract. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes before placing it in the fridge for about 3 hours or until the mixture cools completely. For best results, let it stay in the fridge overnight
5. Turn the ice cream maker on so that the blades are rotating. Pour the cooled ice cream batter into the ice cream maker and let the mixer go for about 25 minutes, or until the ice cream reaches the desired consistency. 
6. Pour the ice cream into a container and let it firm up in the freezer for about thirty minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info (for the entire recipe)

Calories: 1332 calories

Total fat: 129 grams

Total carbs: 25 grams

Dietary fiber: 2 grams

Net carbs (entire recipe): 23 grams 

Protein: 6 grams