I love to make ice cream, and more than that I love to eat ice cream, and this is my favorite ice cream that I have EVER TASTED. Truly. And it’s simple too. Sure, you have to a dry make caramel, but that’s it. The caramel is deep and dark in flavor, making the ice cream not too sweet, and the texture is silky and and almost gelato-like. Make the caramel (it’s not too scary!), make the ice cream, and visit heaven.

Caramel Notes:

What Kind of Carmel?
The caramel in this recipe is a dry caramel, meaning it is just melted/caramelized sugar with no water added. Wet caramels (with water added) are generally thought of as more cook-friendly because they are much harder to burn, but dry caramel comes together more quickly, doesn’t require a thermometer, and much more intense in flavor. The strong flavor translates really nicely to the ice cream!

Dry Caramel Tips:
Use a medium sized saucepan rather than a small one. You want the layer of sugar to be thin so that it caramelizes evenly and the caramelization can easily be seen along the edges. The saucepan should also be heavy bottomed for even heating and less of a chance of hot spots (which can become burn spots.)
Patience is a virtue: the sugar will take a while to begin to caramelize. Don’t turn up the heat, don’t leave the kitchen, and don’t stir it to ‘check.’ Stirring is necessary later in the cooking, but it’s best to leave it unstirred until the caramelization begins.

I Saw The Sign(s)
You will know when the caramel is done when it is clear. If it is foggy/opaque that is because not all of the sugar has melted/caramelized yet.
Cook to a deep amber brown. I like mine extra deep because I like that slight bitter flavor! Cook it to the color you like.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Recipe

Print Recipe

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Servings: 2 Pints

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk room temperature
2 cups heavy cream room temperature
1 tsp sea salt
6 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Pour the sugar into a medium heavy bottomed saucepan and gently shake to level. Set over medium-low to low heat on a small burner and do not stir. After 10-15 minutes the edges of the sugar will start to caramelize. When you can see a small bit of caramelization on the edges, use a non-stick heat-proof utensil to pull the edges to the center. As the caramel cooks, stir gently to moisten and dissolve the dry sugar. Cook to a very deep, clear amber, about 30 minutes total cooking time.
When the caramel is where you want it, pour the milk and cream into the caramel in a slow, narrow stream while whisking. If the mixture seizes, don’t worry, just keep it on the heat and it will turn liquid again! Whisk until the mixture is uniform and add the salt. Remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks for 1 minute until slightly lighter in color. Whisk 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then whisk the whole thing back into the saucepan.
Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, while stirring, to 170F. The mixture will be slightly thickened and will cling to the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Place a fine mesh sieve over a clean bowl and strain the mixture through. DIscard any solids and cover the bowl to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions, then pack into containers and freeze until firm. Enjoy!