Peanut Butter Brittle Ice Cream With Dark Chocolate Sauce

For peanut brittle:
3/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. roasted unsalted peanuts (about 1/2 pound)

For Ice Cream:
2 1/3 C. whole milk
2 C. smooth peanut butter (not natural style)
2/3 C. sugar
1 T. vanilla

Accompaniment:
Dark chocolate sauce (recipe follows)

Make peanut brittle:
Lightly oil a 12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. In a small, dry, heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan until golden. Add peanuts and a pinch salt, stirring until mixture is combined well (caramel will not completely coat nuts). Immediately transfer mixture to foil and cool completely about 20 minutes. Peel off foil, and break brittle into pieces. In a food processor, pulse brittle until coarsely ground. Brittle may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

In a deep, heavy saucepan, heat milk, peanut butter and sugar over moderate heat, stirring constantly, just until smooth (do not let simmer) about 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and cool to room temperature (do not chill). Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker and transfer to an airtight container. Stir in 1 1/2 cups brittle (use extra for sprinkling on chocolate topping) and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.
Makes about 1 quart.

Dark Chocolate Sauce Recipe

2 T. unsalted butter
1/3 C. water or brewed coffee
1/2 C. dark brown sugar
1/2 C. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla

Cut butter into pieces. In a heavy saucepan, heat water or coffee with brown sugar over moderate heat, whisking, until sugar is dissolved. Add cocoa powder and salt, whisking until smooth. Add butter and vanilla, whisking until butter is melted.

Sauce keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week. Serve sauce warm.

Makes about 1 cup.