Ingredients

  • 12 ounces plain seltzer
  • 1 recipe Real Vanilla Ice Cream, recipe follows
  • 1/4 cup cola syrup, recipe follows
  • 4 maraschino cherries
  • 4 cups half-and-half
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, cut and scraped
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 whole egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 10 whole black peppercorns, cracked
  • 1 lemon peeled (wide strips no pith), juiced and strained
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup crushed coffee beans
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Whole vanilla bean, split, scraped and bean

Method

  • Pour 2 ounces seltzer in each of 4 parfait glasses.
  • Add 2 scoops of ice cream.
  • Top with 2 tablespoons cola syrup, about 1 ounce more of the seltzer, and garnish with a cherry.
  • Combine the half-and-half, vanilla bean and seeds and salt, in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring the half-and-half to a boil to scald it, and remove the saucepan from the heat.
  • Beat the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl.
  • Add the half-and-half mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten eggs and sugar, whisking in between each addition, until all is used.
  • Pour the mixture back into the saucepan reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Remove from the heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.
  • Pour the filling into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning time.
  • Remove the ice cream from the machine and place in a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 8 hours.
  • Yield: about 6 cups
  • Simmer all ingredients for 10 minutes.
  • Cool to room temperature, cover, and steep refrigerated for several hours and up to overnight.
  • Strain through a fine sieve.
  • Yield: about 1 3/4 cups syrup