Caramel Ice Cream (With Variations)

The first time I attempted a caramel ice cream, I messed up and burned the caramel. It was my first time ever making dry caramel, and another attempt still tasted burned even though it looked like the right color. I soon found another recipe that works a lot better and tastes delicious.

Pour into a large pot and set aside:

3 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 c. whole milk

scant 1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. sugar

Over medium heat in a medium pot, melt and swirl frequently until you get a caramel color (medium amber). Swirling is better than stirring! Stirring leads to crystallization, which means big, ugly chunks and uneven caramelization.

1 1/8 c. sugar

4 1/2 T. water

Immediately pour the caramel into the large pot of dairy/sugar. This method stops the caramel from cooking any more and prevents burning. It will turn into a big lump, but that’s okay! Heat the mixture until the caramel dissolves completely.

Meanwhile, use a mixer to beat until creamy:

4 egg yolks

Temper the egg yolks by adding several ladles of the hot dairy mixture. Keep the mixer running slowly. Once you’ve added about 1/3 of the dairy, return the tempered egg mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.

Strain (optional) and chill the mixture for at least 4 hours, or until it’s completely cold. Churn and enjoy right away or freeze for several hours for a hard texture.

Optional but recommended: Sprinkle in 1/3 t. of flaky salt during the last 2 minutes of churning.

Twix Ice Cream

In the last 5 minutes of churning, add 8 oz. crushed shortbread cookies. Freeze for at least 2 hours so the cookies soften. Top with chocolate syrup. I don’t recommend drowning the caramel ice cream in fudge sauce because it mutes the caramel flavor too much.

Find more delicious ice cream recipes here.