Indulge in Creamy Sous Vide Peanut Butter Custard Popsicles with Irresistible Candied Peanut Clusters

Prepare to be amazed by these incredibly creamy peanut butter custard popsicles, generously filled with crunchy, sweet candied peanut clusters! This unique recipe leverages the precision of sous vide cooking to create a perfectly smooth custard texture and safely pasteurize the eggs, making these homemade treats a delight for everyone. This post is proudly sponsored by Cuisine Solutions.

This post is sponsored by Cuisine Solutions.

Today, we’re diving into a culinary adventure that combines a beloved classic flavor with an innovative cooking method: these supremely creamy peanut butter custard popsicles, crafted using **sous vide cooking**. While you might typically associate sous vide with savory dishes, its precision and gentle cooking properties make it an absolute game-changer for desserts, especially those featuring delicate custards.

My experience with sous vide cooking began in a professional restaurant kitchen, where it was an indispensable technique. We relied on sous vide to achieve consistently tender, perfectly cooked meats, infuse vibrant flavors into vegetables and fruits, and intensify the overall depth of various culinary creations. The results were always impeccable, offering a level of control that traditional methods simply couldn’t match.

For many years, this sophisticated cooking method was primarily the domain of high-end professional kitchens, largely due to the prohibitive cost and specialized nature of the equipment required. However, thanks to remarkable advancements in modern technology and a surging interest among home cooks, high-quality, user-friendly, and surprisingly affordable immersion circulators have become widely accessible. This shift has democratized sous vide, bringing restaurant-quality results into home kitchens around the world.

If you’re a passionate home cook looking to elevate your culinary skills and achieve consistent, perfect results with minimal effort, a sous vide machine (specifically an immersion circulator) is an invaluable tool to add to your arsenal. These compact devices are remarkably easy to store, incredibly versatile across a broad spectrum of recipes, and, most importantly, enable highly precise, hands-off cooking that frees you up to focus on other tasks or simply relax. The ability to set an exact temperature and let the machine maintain it means you can achieve ideal doneness and texture every single time, whether you’re poaching eggs, cooking a steak, or, as we’ll explore today, crafting the silkiest custard.

If you followed my favorite things gift guide last year, you’ll know that sous vide cooking has been a topic I’ve been eager to explore more deeply on this website ever since I acquired my own home sous vide machine. The sheer versatility and consistent results it delivers are truly inspiring for any home chef.

I am absolutely thrilled to collaborate with **Cuisine Solutions**, renowned as the leading authority in professional sous vide cooking, to bring you this fantastic recipe and delve deeper into the technique. My introduction to this esteemed company, which is conveniently based just outside my hometown of Washington, DC, occurred years ago during a molecular gastronomy course I attended in culinary school, taught by one of their very own expert chefs. Their commitment to culinary excellence and innovation has always impressed me.

The incredible recipe for these honey peanut butter popsicles originates from the latest issue of Cuisine Solutions’ exceptional biannual publication, ***Sous-Vide Magazine***. You can conveniently purchase a copy of this beautifully curated magazine here, or locate it at select specialty grocers. Each issue is a treasure trove of inspiration, packed with stunning imagery, a wealth of sous vide-centric recipes and insightful articles, and captivating interviews with professional chefs who champion this modern cooking method. It’s an invaluable resource for anyone looking to master sous vide at home.

What is Sous Vide Cooking?

Sous vide (pronounced *soo-veed*), a French term meaning “under vacuum,” describes a precise cooking method where ingredients are sealed in a plastic pouch and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath for a specific duration. This technique ensures incredibly even cooking and consistent results that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods.

Setting up a water bath for sous vide is straightforward. As long as the container is heat-safe, you can use various vessels, from a large cooking pot to a sturdy heat-proof plastic food container. The key is to have enough space for water circulation around your sealed food.

The heart of the sous vide system is the immersion circulator. This clever device controls the temperature of the water bath with remarkable accuracy, typically within a range of 125-195 degrees Fahrenheit (52-90 degrees Celsius). Once you’ve set your desired temperature and timer, the immersion circulator does all the work, maintaining that precise temperature throughout the cooking process. This means you can essentially “set it and forget it,” allowing you to attend to other tasks without worrying about overcooking or undercooking your ingredients.

This meticulous method allows you to infuse flavors deeply and cook ingredients to an exact core temperature or desired doneness. Imagine a steak cooked to a perfect medium-rare from edge to edge, requiring only a quick sear at the end for a beautiful crust and rich color. It’s culinary perfection made easy. The consistent temperature ensures every part of the food is cooked identically, eliminating the common problem of uneven cooking.

Another significant advantage is that the sous vide method virtually eliminates the risk of overcooking or overheating. This means you can keep your ingredients in the temperature-controlled water bath until you are ready to serve, offering incredible flexibility. Can you envision how convenient this tool would be for hosting dinner parties, preparing elaborate holiday meals, or simply managing busy weeknight dinners? It takes the stress out of timing and serving multiple dishes simultaneously.

While sous vide cooking is often associated with proteins, particularly meat and seafood, its applications extend far beyond. It can be used for everything from perfectly poaching eggs and cooking vegetables to making infused oils and, as we’re demonstrating today, creating exquisite desserts. Despite its sophisticated reputation, sous vide is not nearly as complicated or “science-y” as you might initially assume. With the right equipment and a little practice, it’s an accessible and rewarding technique for any home cook.

Honey Peanut Butter Popsicles from Sous-Vide Magazine Recipe

Sous Vide Popsicles: Why Bother?

While I’m no stranger to crafting homemade popsicles (you might recall these delightful mango lassi popsicles!), this marks my exciting first foray into making sous vide custard. And let me tell you, the results are nothing short of spectacular.

This peanut butter popsicle recipe is built upon a luxurious peanut butter custard base, a rich blend of heavy cream, granulated sugar, and whole eggs. It’s beautifully infused with the subtle sweetness of honey and the aromatic depth of vanilla bean paste, while natural creamy peanut butter delivers that irresistible, comforting flavor we all love. The use of whole eggs in the custard base is crucial, as it provides these popsicles with their characteristic velvety, creamy texture and a wonderfully rich, indulgent flavor, much like a premium egg-based ice cream.

Traditionally, preparing egg-based custards for ice cream or other frozen desserts can be a rather demanding task. It typically requires constant vigilance over the stove, stirring the mixture continuously over low heat to prevent the eggs from scrambling or curdling. This process can be quite tedious and time-consuming, especially during the warm summer months when the last thing you want is to be tethered to a hot stovetop. The risk of ruining the custard is always present, making it a technique many home cooks approach with trepidation.

How to Make Sous Vide Custard:

To circumvent the challenges of traditional custard making, we turn to the unparalleled precision of the immersion circulator to cook our custard base. **The sous vide method offers several compelling advantages for custard:**

**Effortless, Hands-Off Cooking:** One of the biggest fears when making custard on the stovetop is the risk of curdling or scrambling the eggs – a frustration I’ve personally experienced many times! The immersion circulator completely eliminates this concern. By setting it to a precise temperature, the machine maintains a perfectly stable environment, allowing you to simply set a timer and walk away, confident that your custard will cook flawlessly without constant stirring or monitoring. This level of control is simply unmatched by conventional stovetop methods.
**Safe and Pasteurized Eggs:** Cooking the custard for one hour at 181 degrees Fahrenheit (82.7°C) gently and effectively pasteurizes the egg yolks within the custard mixture. This crucial step makes these delicious popsicles perfectly safe to enjoy by everyone throughout the entire summer season, removing any worries about raw eggs in your frozen treats. It’s a significant health and safety benefit that sous vide effortlessly provides.
**Exceptionally Silky, Creamy Texture:** The slow, even heat distribution provided by the water bath cooking process is ideal for custards. This gentle, consistent cooking prevents localized overheating that can cause a grainy texture and instead produces an unbelievably silky, smooth, and luxurious custard that forms the perfect base for our popsicles. The texture is consistently superior to what can often be achieved through stovetop methods.
**Remarkably Easy and Fun:** Beyond all the technical benefits, making sous vide custard is genuinely a very, *very* easy and enjoyable process. It takes the guesswork and stress out of a traditionally finicky recipe, allowing you to confidently create a gourmet dessert with minimal fuss and maximum satisfaction.

As if the rich, smooth peanut butter custard wasn’t enticing enough, we’re taking these popsicles to another level of deliciousness by incorporating delectable candied peanut clusters right into them! These little bursts of flavor and texture are truly a game-changer.

How to Make Candied Peanuts:

Candied peanuts are surprisingly simple to prepare, and they contribute a fantastic salty-sweet crunch and a delightful chewiness that perfectly complements the creamy peanut butter popsicles. To ensure a seamless process, you’ll want to prepare these candied peanuts *before* you even begin assembling your custard. This way, they’ll be cooled and ready to go when you need them.

To create these irresistible candied peanuts, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients: raw peanuts (either salted or unsalted, depending on your preference), golden honey, rich melted butter, and a touch of salt to enhance all the flavors. These ingredients are combined in a mixing bowl until the peanuts are thoroughly coated. The mixture is then spread evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked until it reaches a beautiful caramelized, golden-brown hue. The baking process transforms the simple ingredients into crunchy, sweet, and slightly salty clusters that are utterly addictive.

Once baked, it’s crucial to allow the candied peanut mixture to cool completely to room temperature. As it cools, it will firm up and become wonderfully brittle. After cooling, simply chop the peanuts roughly into bite-sized pieces. These flavorful clusters will then be mixed into the custard base and added directly into the popsicle molds before they are sent to the freezer, ensuring every bite of your popsicle contains a delightful surprise.

The original recipe from Sous-Vide Magazine suggests an intriguing addition: finely chopped *kaffir lime leaves* to the peanut mixture. This particular flavor element truly captivated me in the finished popsicles. It imparts a subtle yet uniquely bright and aromatic note – a hint of citrus and floral undertones that elevates the entire profile of the dessert. However, I understand that kaffir lime leaves can be a somewhat elusive ingredient to find in regular grocery stores (your best bet is often an Asian supermarket or specialty grocer). Therefore, please feel entirely free to omit them if they are not readily available to you. The good news is, these peanut butter popsicles are absolutely fantastic and undeniably delicious either way, so don’t let the optional ingredient deter you from trying this recipe!

For the absolute best results and a perfectly firm, easy-to-unmold popsicle, it is highly recommended to allow these delicious treats to freeze overnight. While they might be tempting after just a few hours, the extended freezing time ensures they reach their optimal consistency and are a pleasure to eat.

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Popsicle Recipe:

This delightful recipe is designed to yield approximately 8 (4-ounce) popsicles, providing plenty to share or savor on your own. When it comes to popsicle molds, for custard-based frozen treats, I wholeheartedly recommend investing in Silikomart silicone molds. Their flexible design makes un-molding these delicate, creamy popsicles incredibly easy and fuss-free, preventing any breakage or sticking.

Each bite of these peanut butter popsicles is a symphony of flavors and textures: they are wonderfully creamy, perfectly sweet, incredibly rich, and bursting with an authentic, satisfying peanut butter flavor. The homemade candied peanut clusters embedded within provide delightful bursts of toasted, caramelized sweetness and a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the smooth custard. And if you choose to include the optional kaffir lime leaves, they introduce a distinct, subtle citrusy and aromatic element, adding a layer of complexity that is truly unique and keeps you reaching for “just one more.”

Thanks to their higher fat content from the cream and natural sweetness, these custard-based popsicles have a distinct advantage over many fruit-based counterparts: they don’t freeze rock-hard. Instead, they maintain a wonderfully smooth, slightly soft, and ‘bite-worthy’ texture straight from the freezer. In other words, these aren’t your average icy pops; they are luxurious, creamy frozen dessert sticks that offer a delightful mouthfeel from the very first bite to the last. They are the perfect indulgence for a warm day or anytime you crave a sweet, satisfying treat!

If you’re eager to explore more innovative sous vide cooking recipes, including an entire section dedicated to creative summer popsicles and other inspiring culinary ideas, be sure to get your hands on a copy of the fantastic Sous-Vide Magazine. It’s a resource that will undoubtedly expand your cooking horizons!

Honey Peanut Butter Custard Popsicles

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Yield: 8 (4 ounce) Popsicles

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour

Freezing Time: 12 hours

Total: 13 hours 20 minutes

Experience the ultimate summer treat with these creamy peanut butter popsicles, brimming with crunchy candied peanut clusters. Enhanced with honey and optionally infused with aromatic kaffir lime leaves, the rich peanut butter custard achieves its unparalleled silky texture through temperature-controlled sous vide cooking. This innovative method not only ensures a perfectly smooth dessert but also safely pasteurizes the egg mixture, making these homemade popsicles a delightful and worry-free indulgence for all ages throughout the season. Perfect for peanut butter lovers seeking a gourmet frozen dessert!

Equipment

Joule Sous-Vide Machine
Silikomart Silicone Popsicle Mold
1/2 Gallon Silicone Reusable Food Bag

Ingredients

Candied Peanuts:

1 cup salted or unsalted raw peanuts
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves finely chopped (optional)*

Peanut Butter Custard:

4 cups (32 ounces) heavy cream
8 whole eggs
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
½ cup honey
6 tablespoons unsweetened natural peanut butter

Instructions

For the Candied Peanuts: Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and position a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly coat it with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the raw peanuts, honey, melted butter, and salt, tossing until the peanuts are thoroughly coated. Spread this mixture in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes (or longer, if needed), until the peanuts are beautifully browned and caramelized. While the peanuts are baking, if you are using kaffir lime leaves, finely chop them with a sharp knife. Immediately after removing the peanuts from the oven, fold the chopped kaffir lime leaves into the warm mixture. Gently flatten the peanuts out on the tray again to cool. Allow them to cool completely to room temperature, which will take about 30 minutes, until they are crisp.
Once fully cooled and firm, use a knife to roughly chop the candied peanuts. Be careful not to over-chop them; you want distinct clusters for texture.
For the Custard: Set your sous vide machine (immersion circulator) to 181°F (82.7°C). While the water bath is heating to the target temperature, combine all the peanut butter custard ingredients in a blender. Blend thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth and well-combined, being careful not to incorporate too much air, which can affect texture. Pour the blended custard mixture into a sous vide-safe pouch or a large, high-quality reusable silicone food bag, then add 2 tablespoons of your freshly made candied peanuts directly into the bag. Seal the pouch, removing as much air as possible (using the water displacement method if not vacuum sealing). Cook the sealed custard mixture in the preheated water bath for exactly one hour. After cooking, transfer the warm custard mixture. (*If necessary, give the mixture a quick whisk to ensure it is completely smooth before filling the molds.) Carefully pour the custard into your ice pop molds. Add additional candied peanuts to each mold, to taste, ensuring an even distribution. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for a minimum of four hours, or preferably overnight for the best texture and firmness.

Tips for Success:

If fresh kaffir lime leaves are challenging to find, but you still desire a citrusy aroma, you can substitute them by adding the zest of one fresh lime to the peanut mixture. This will provide a bright, fragrant alternative.
This recipe is formulated to yield approximately eight (4-ounce) popsicles. Please note that the exact number of popsicles you obtain may vary slightly depending on the specific capacity and design of the popsicle molds you are using.
The recipe produces a generous quantity of custard, which is great for batch cooking. However, if you prefer a smaller yield, feel free to halve all the ingredient quantities. When cooking custard sous vide, especially larger batches, it’s beneficial to use larger volume sous-vide cooking pouches or high-quality reusable silicone bags to ensure proper heat circulation and cooking.

This delightful recipe has been thoughtfully reprinted with permission (with a few minor editorial adjustments for clarity and flow) from the esteemed Sous-Vide Magazine Issue 6.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 198mg, Sodium: 458mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 29g

Author: Laura // A Beautiful Plate

Course: Ice creams and Frozen Desserts

Cuisine: American

This post is sponsored by Cuisine Solutions. Thank you for supporting brands that inspire me in the kitchen!