Here’s a delicious recipe for Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream. This creamy, sweet, and slightly salty treat is perfect for satisfying your dessert cravings!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
For the salted caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
Instructions:
1. Make the salted caramel:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar melts and turns into a golden-brown caramel. Be patient and avoid stirring too much to prevent crystallization.
- Once the sugar has melted, carefully add the butter. The mixture will bubble up, so be cautious. Stir until the butter is fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the heavy cream to the caramel mixture (it may bubble up again). Stir until smooth and the caramel has thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Let it cool completely.
2. Prepare the ice cream base:
- In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s warm but not boiling.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and thick.
- Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs (this prevents them from scrambling).
- Gradually pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (this should take about 5-7 minutes).
- Remove the custard from heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg bits.
3. Chill the custard:
- Let the custard cool to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Chilling ensures a smoother texture when churning the ice cream.
4. Churn the ice cream:
- Once the custard is chilled, pour it into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.
5. Add the caramel:
- When the ice cream is almost done churning and has reached a soft-serve consistency, slowly drizzle in the cooled salted caramel sauce while the machine is running. This will swirl the caramel through the ice cream.
- Churn for a few more minutes to fully incorporate the caramel.
6. Freeze the ice cream:
- Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
Tips:
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the custard in a container, stirring every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- For an extra touch, you can sprinkle a little more sea salt on top of the ice cream before serving to enhance the salted caramel flavor.
Enjoy your creamy, dreamy Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream!