BUTTER PECAN: cook pecans over medium-heat with butter for 5-7 min until light brown and fragrant. Set aside.
COCONUT: In medium saucepan toast shredded coconut until deeply golden brown - about 5 minutes. (careful - keep stirring, they burn easily). Transfer C to plate and reserve. Proceed with base recipe in same saucepan. Let custard steep for 1 hour before straining (press down hard on solids). Add reserved coconut to base during last 2 minutes of churning.
Separate the egg yolks and whites. We won't be needing the whites - so store for them for a later baking project.
Stir the heavy cream and sugar over medium heat until the temperature of mixture becomes almost scalding.
Vanilla Bean: At this point you can add vanilla or a vanilla bean if you're planning on concocting a vanilla flavour ice-cream. Let the bean simmer for a few minutes - or once you can tell that the bean has been sufficiently infused.
When the cream is just about scalding\reached it's boiling point, move it off the heat, measure out a cup or two of the hot cream and SLOWLY pour, while whisking the yolks vigorously and consistently, into the yolk mixture. The yolks need to be introduced to heat before they are incorporated into the saucepan of cream so that they don't cook, and curdle.
Next, turn up the heat, pour the yolk+cream into the saucepan, this time STIRRING with a wooden spatula or spoon (not whisking) until the mixture starts thickening. If the remaining cream is very hot this may take as little as 1-2 minutes; be careful and keep a bowl with strainer nearby so that you can immediately strain if it gets too thick.
I would suggest a cautionary approach, and put the flame on very low to mitigate any chances of the custard curdling. This would take 10 minutes or more, depending on how low the flame is. Patience is key.
When you feel that it is thick enough, IMMEDIATELY strain the custard, into a storage container, or bowl. The custard continues to cook even with the flame off, so there is still a chance that it could thicken and curdle.
Continuously stir until, when you run your finger through the coating on the back of the spoon, there is a clear line - that doesn't run. (Tip: better to take it off the flame sooner than risk having it curdled! If it does, the custard will be piece-y and the texture of the ice-cream will be off.)
Place the container into the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. I store it in a bowl and cover it with Saran wrap so it doesn't develop a film on top.
Butter Pecan: add the pecans after straining and then place in fridge to cool.
The custard is now ready to be made into delicious ice-cream! Follow your ice cream maker's directions at this point.
