Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream With Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce Recipes

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prep the pan.
• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
• Boil the sugar.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
• Heat the cream.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Finish the caramel.
• When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
• Fill the pan.
• Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
• Cut the caramel.
• When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
• Roll it up.
• Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
• Cut into pieces.
• Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
• Wrap the candies.
• Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn, and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves--from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.)
• Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of Chocolate Sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn, and add a dollop of the Sweetened Whipped Cream in the middle. Serve immediately.
• Place the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and coffee in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
• Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks.

BUTTERED-POPCORN ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Steps:

• For caramel sauce:
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until dark amber in color, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat; immediately add butter and stir until melted. Slowly add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add vanilla and salt; whisk until smooth. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool completely. Cover sauce and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.
• For buttered-popcorn ice cream:
• Set a strainer over a large bowl; set aside. Place popcorn in another large bowl. Drizzle butter over and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Add milk and cream; cover and steep for 10 minutes. Stir in corn syrup and 1 tablespoon sugar. Working in batches, purée popcorn mixture in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Using an electric mixer, beat yolks, remaining 4 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until thick ribbons form. Gradually whisk hot popcorn mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is slightly thickened, your finger leaves a path when drawn across the back of a spoon, and an instant-read thermometer registers 175°F, 3-4 minutes. Pour through strainer. Cover and chill overnight.
• Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a container, cover, and freeze. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
• For peanut butter–chocolate halvah:
• Stir both chocolates in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Set aside. Place peanut brittle in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add peanut butter and melted chocolate. Pulse until combined. Spread out on a baking sheet. Chill for at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
• For assembly:
• Spoon some caramel sauce into tall, decorative glasses or serving bowls. Add 2 scoops buttered-popcorn ice cream. Drizzle more caramel sauce over. Sprinkle some halvah over. Top with a spoonful of whipped cream. Garnish sundae with peanuts and buttered popcorn.

POPCORN BLIZZARD POPCORN ICE CREAM WITH FLEUR DE SEL CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy cast iron pot, heat milk, cream, and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Cover top of cream mixture completely with prepared popcorn. When popcorn starts to melt into mixture, sprinkle some more popcorn on top. When the mixture starts to bubble, remove off of heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the popcorn infuses its flavor into the cream mixture.
• Strain popcorn mixture through cheesecloth or a mesh strainer and squeeze the mushy popcorn flavor back into the cream mixture.
• Whisk together the 1 cup sugar, vanilla bean, butter extract, and eggs in a bowl.
• Still whisking, pour the cream mixture into the egg mixture and pour this back into the cleaned-out pan. Cook until cream thickens on medium-low heat (You don't want to over cook the eggs because it will leave an egg flavor. Do not leave unattended.)
• With a silicone spatula, scrape vanilla beans off of the pot and keep stirring all the flavors together. If vanilla beans clump up just break apart on the interior of the pot. When mixture thickens, remove from heat.
• Put pot into a bowl of ice water. Let cool completely.
• Churn in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Take bucket and put into freezer for at least 5 hours.
• To prepare the Fleur De Sel Caramel sauce, mix butter, brown sugar, half-n-half, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while stirring or whisking gently for 10 minutes allowing for the brown sugar to dissolve and for the mixture to thicken. Add vanilla and cook until it thickens further. Turn off heat and pour sauce into whatever you plan to serve it in. Allow cooling until the sauce is just warm. Serve over ice cream.

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then brush the paper lightly with oil, allowing the paper to drape over 2 sides.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches diameter * 4 1/2 inches deep), stir together 1/4 cup water with the sugar, and corn syrup, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown color. Don't stir - just swirl the pan to mix. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly at the end!
• In the meantime, in a small pan, bring the cream, butter, and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat, and set aside.
• When the sugar mixture is a warm golden color, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful! It will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours until firm.
• When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the sheet in half. Starting with the long end, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8 inch log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with fleur de sel, trim the ends, and cut each log in 8 pieces. Cut glacene or parchment papers into squares and wrap each caramel in a paper, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

BUTTERED POPCORN ICE CREAM WITH FLEUR DE SEL CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare popcorn using oil, as directed in your popper, or place oil in a large pot with a lid. Add kernels and cover. Place over medium to medium-high heat. Shake occasionally to prevent burning. When popping slows to 3-5 seconds between pops, remove pot from burner. Allow to cool 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring cream and milk to a simmer. Add the popcorn and simmer 10 minutes. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois. Add sugar, salt and extract and stir to dissolve. Cover tightly and refrigerate 3-4 hours.
• Pour base into ice cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer instructions. Transfer to a container which has been chilled in the freezer. Place a layer of plastic wrap over the ice cream before covering tightly. Freeze until hard, 2-4 hours, before serving.
• For the sauce, place water and sugar in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved, turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer about 10 minutes, until it turns amber. Watch closely, as it can burn quickly. When sufficiently brown, turn heat down to medium-low and add cream; it will bubble up, so use a large enough pot to prevent spillovers. Off heat, stir in butter and salt. Serve over buttered popcorn ice cream.

LAVENDER-FLEUR DE SEL CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Bring to a boil, and cook, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, until medium amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add heavy cream. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, until combined. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, lavender, and fleur de sel. Let stand for 15 minutes. Strain.

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
• Bring cream, butter, and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
• Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
• Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces, then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting 2 ends to close.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and SaltWorks (800-353-7258).