Salted Caramel Ice Cream

I wish I could claim this recipe was quick and easy. But unless you’re a professional candy-maker (not me), it’s a bit tricky. First, you have to make the caramel. I’m not talking about melting little candy squares- I mean the old-fashioned way with sugar and cream and heat. This part was the most stressful for me. Then you have to make the custard, which requires tempering (not scrambling) the eggs and thickening the mixture without boiling it. This I had done before, but it makes me nervous every time. Several times during the process I thought for sure my caramel was ruined (is it supposed to clump and harden like that?!). But I kept going, with the faint hope that I wasn’t going to have to pour such precious ingredients down the drain.

And then worst of all, you have to wait. After all of this work, you can’t enjoy the results of your effort until the next day. The custard must chill overnight (or the better part of a day) before churning. But you know what? Despite a few glitches, it somehow worked. And it was worth all the trouble and the patience. I ended up with intensely rich, smooth, creamy caramel ice cream. With a touch of salt to offset the sweet. This is the type of recipe that makes you truly proud (and relieved) when you’re done. My own frozen masterpiece.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
1/2 tsp. flaky sea salt such as Maldon (I used kosher salt)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 cup sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.

2. Add 1 1/4 cups cream (mixture will spatter) and cook, stirring, until all of caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sea salt and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, bring milk, remaining cup cream, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally.

4. Lightly whisk eggs in a medium bowl, then add half of hot milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard coats back of spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil). Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, then stir in cooled caramel.

5. Chill custard, stirring occasionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker (it will still be quite soft), then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.

Makes about 1 quart.

(Recipe from Gourmet)

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3 thoughts on “Salted Caramel Ice Cream”

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Lisa February 14, 2011 at 4:48 am

Oh yum, I definitely want some of that. Why must it be in the computer screen and not in my freezer? I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog until tomorrow evening and I’d like to invite you to stop by and link your ice cream up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweets-for-saturday-4.html

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Sarah February 12, 2011 at 6:38 pm

Yum. This looks amazing. It reminds me of a recipe I tried once in bon appetite. It was a salted dulce de leche cheesecake type thing. I love the salty with the sweet.

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