Oreo Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 ounces plain or Toasted Sugar
• 4 ounces egg yolk, from about 8 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
• 6 3/4 ounces Oreo wafer crumbs, from store-bought or homemade cookies
• 11 ounces whole milk
• 9 ounces heavy cream
• 1/4 ounce vanilla extract
• 3 ounces roughly chopped Oreo sandwich cookies, from store-bought or homemade cookies, optional

Directions

1. In a stainless steel saucier that holds 3 quarts, whisk the sugar, egg yolks, and salt together. Whisk in the cookie crumbs, milk, and cream, then set the pan over medium-low heat for a few minutes, just until the mixture feels warm. Raise the heat to medium and keep cooking, stirring and scraping constantly with a flexible spatula, until steam begins to lift from the custard and an instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees F (68 degrees C), about 8 minutes.
2. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large stainless steel bowl and pour the custard through it. Use the flexible spatula to press the crumbs gently, coaxing out the liquid they have trapped, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Add a few inches of ice water to a sink compartment or extra-large bowl. Set the bowl of custard inside and stir occasionally until cool, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until the base is 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) or cooler, about 4 hours. The ice cream base can stay refrigerated for up to 1 week.
4. Churn the base in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer's directions. While it churns, put a 1-quart container and a flexible spatula in the freezer.
5. When the ice cream looks thick and light, turn off the machine. If you want the crushed cookies, fold them in with the chilled spatula, then scrape the ice cream into the cold container. Eat it as soft-serve, or press plastic directly onto the surface, add the lid, and freeze until hard, about 4 hours.