Ingredients

• 2  slices wood-smoked bacon
• 1  cup whole milk
• 1/3  cup sugar
• 3  egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1  cup whipping cream
• 1/2  tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. In a skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove bacon from skillet; drain well on paper towels. Separate meat of bacon from fat; finely chop meat. Discard fat.

2. For custard, in a 2-quart saucepan combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, and chopped bacon. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats the back of a clean metal spoon. To cool, place custard in a large bowl of ice water for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Pour custard in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Strain out bacon; discard. Stir whipping cream and vanilla into chilled custard.

4. Freeze cream mixture in 1-1/2- to 2-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to freezer container; seal and freeze 4 hours. Makes about 2-1/2 cups; 10 (1/4-cup) servings.

Test Kitchen Tip: Coating on the spoon should be fairly thick. Drawing a finger through the coating, the edges along the path should hold their shape.