My favorite store-bought ice cream has always been Chubby Hubby by Ben & Jerry’s which is the inspiration behind this ice cream. It’s a vanilla base with fudge and those delicious peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets. Oh yes, it’s packed full of awesomeness.

I’ve always wondered how home ice cream makers could make a fudge swirl and it looks like I’ll continue my search because almost as soon as my (very chilled) fudge met my (frozen) ice cream, they started to run together. It was strange. It still tastes delicious though, just like vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce on top.

The pretzel nuggets can be purchased in just about any grocery store. If you can’t find them, you could use this method for peanut butter patties and throw in some chopped pretzels.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Fudge and Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

2 cups half-and-half
½ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets, chopped coarsely

To make fudge, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges. Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using.

To make ice cream, whisk together the half-and-half, granulated sugar, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Fold in the chopped pretzel nuggets when it has finished churning. Just before you remove the ice cream from the machine, spoon some of the fudge onto the bottom of the storage container. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, layer generous spoonfuls of the sauce between layers of ice cream. Avoid stirring the fudge, as it will make the ice cream muddy.

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