Butter Pecan Ice Cream - pecans

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add butter and salt to hot pecans and toss until butter is melted, then cool pecans completely (they will absorb butter).
• Whisk together brown sugar and cornstarch, then add eggs, whisking until combined.
• Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then add to egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly, and transfer custard to saucepan.
• Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let boil).
• Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla, then cool, stirring occasionally.
• Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker until almost firm.
• Stir together ice cream and pecans in a bowl, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.