Caramel Ice Cream Recipes

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the sugar in a dry heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat the sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly, and continue cooking until it is a dark amber color.
• Carefully add the heavy cream (the mixture will splatter) and cook, stirring until all the caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and stir in the sea salt. Set the caramel mixture over a bowl filled with ice water and stir until chilled to room temperature. Combine the caramel mixture with the Ice Cream Base and add the vanilla.
• Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.
• Heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.
• Prepare an ice bath by setting a 2-quart bowl over a larger bowl partially filled with ice water.
• Set a strainer over the smaller bowl and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow in color and the sugar has dissolved. Gradually pour the warmed milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the same saucepan you used to warm the milk. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
• Strain the custard into the top bowl of the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Add the heavy cream and stir over the ice bath until cool. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Caramel: In a small, heavy saucepan combine the sugar and the water. Be sure all sugar granules are washed down from pot sides (you can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sides). Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until color is golden brown and the mixture smells like caramel. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. When it is a deep golden color, plunge the bottom of the pot into cold water to immediately stop the cooking (otherwise the heat of the caramel will keep it cooking long after you remove it from the heat, and it could burn). Immediately and with great care, pour the hot caramel onto a large sheet of greased parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Set aside until cool, then crack into 1/2inch pieces.
• Ice cream: Combine cream and half-and-half in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Pour in the boiling liquid and stir until combined. Stir in the vanilla. Strain into a large container and refrigerate until cold, or place in a bowl nested in a larger bowl of iced water and stir occasionally until cold. Stir in the Crema. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturers instructions. When ice cream is done, fold in the reserved caramel pieces. Store in freezer 1 to 2 days.
• In large bowl whisk together cream and buttermilk. Cover and set in a warm place (a gas oven with just the heat from the pilot light for example) for 8 hours. Place in refrigerator. Can be kept for up to a week.

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

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