Description
This homemade salted caramel ice cream recipe combines a rich, buttery caramel sauce with a creamy, smooth ice cream base, delivering a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Made from scratch with simple ingredients and churned to soft-serve perfection before freezing, this dessert is ideal for satisfying your sweet tooth with a gourmet touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Make the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, bring it to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes, allowing the caramel to thicken slightly.
- Add Heavy Cream and Salt: Slowly add the heavy cream to the saucepan (it may bubble up) and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base: In a separate saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warmed but not boiling.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually add a small amount of the warm cream mixture to the yolks to temper them. Slowly whisk the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan with the rest of the warm cream mixture.
- Cook the Custard: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to let it boil.
- Strain and Cool: Remove the ice cream base from heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
- Combine Caramel and Base: Stir in the cooled caramel sauce and vanilla extract into the ice cream base until fully combined.
- Chill the Mixture: Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until very cold.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 20-25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container, smooth the top, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Serve: Scoop the homemade salted caramel ice cream into bowls or cones and enjoy the creamy, salted caramel goodness!
Notes
- Be careful not to boil the custard mixture to prevent curdling.
- Tempering the eggs properly is crucial for a smooth texture.
- Use a reliable ice cream maker for best results.
- For softer ice cream, consume shortly after churning without extended freezing.
- You can adjust salt quantity according to your taste preference.
