Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream

This recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz, author of 'The Perfect Scoop.' Although it is a bit more complicated than some of my other ice cream cream recipes, it's well worth the effort. A single scoop of this rich, caramel ice cream will satisfy you for the evening.

Desserts

Prep: 45 min
Chill: 12+ hours
Total: 1 day
Yields generous 1 quart

Salted Caramel Praline
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat.
½ cup sugar
Spread sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty sauce pan. Heat sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Gently stir the sugar from the bottom and edges into the center of the pan until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until caramel starts to smoke and begins to smell as if it's about to burn, about 3 to 5 minutes.
¾ teaspoon high-quality sea salt
The moment that the caramel starts to smoke add the sea salt immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Tilt the baking sheet to encourage the caramel to form a thin, even layer. Set aside to cool and harden.
Setup Ice Bath
dozen ice cubes
cold water
Fill a large bowl about ⅓ of the way with cold water and add ice cubes. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts in size) over the water bath. You need to use a metal bowl rather than glass or ceramic as metal is an excellent conductor and will transfer the cold into the bowl quickly when you want to cool down the custard.
1 cup whole milk
Pour milk into nested metal bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer over the nested bowl with milk. Set aside.
Custard
1 ½ cups sugar
As done in the previous step, spread sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty sauce pan. Heat sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Gently stir the sugar from the bottom and edges into the center of the pan until all of the sugar is dissolved.
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
Once caramelized, remove from heat and add butter and salt. Stir until butter is melted.
1 cup heavy cream
Gradual whisk heavy cream in a slow, steady stream to butter-caramel mixture. Stir until combined.
If caramel hardens or seizes, then return pan to stove on low heat and stir until caramel has melted.
1 cup whole milk
Stir milk into caramel mixture. Set aside briefly.
5 large egg yolks
¼ cup reserved caramel mixture
Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually add ¼ cup of the warm caramel mixture, stirring constantly to prevent eggs from cooking. Once incorporated, pour eggs into the saucepan and cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. The mixture should be between 160°F to 170°F.
reserved milk and water bath
Pour mixture through the fine-mesh strainer into the nest bowl with the reserved milk.
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Add vanilla and stir until mixture has cooled down, about 3 minutes.
Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Ice Cream
Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
reserved salted caramel praline
While ice cream is churning, break apart the now hardened salted caramel praline into large chunks and place in a plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or other blunt object, smash caramel praline into into very small pieces about the size of confetti.
When ice cream is just about done, add caramel praline pieces and stir to combine.
Transfer to a large container and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on surface of ice cream to prevent ice crystal from forming. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

From MakeBetterFood.com. Sep 3, 2012. (makebetterfood.com/recipes/sea-salt-caramel-ice-cream/). Adapted from David Lebovitz.

MakeBetterFood.com

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat.
Spread sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty sauce pan. Heat sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Gently stir the sugar from the bottom and edges into the center of the pan until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until caramel starts to smoke and begins to smell as if it's about to burn, about 3 to 5 minutes.
The moment that the caramel starts to smoke add the sea salt immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Tilt the baking sheet to encourage the caramel to form a thin, even layer. Set aside to cool and harden.
Fill a large bowl about ⅓ of the way with cold water and add ice cubes. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts in size) over the water bath. You need to use a metal bowl rather than glass or ceramic as metal is an excellent conductor and will transfer the cold into the bowl quickly when you want to cool down the custard.
Pour milk into nested metal bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer over the nested bowl with milk. Set aside.
As done in the previous step, spread sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty sauce pan. Heat sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Gently stir the sugar from the bottom and edges into the center of the pan until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Once caramelized, remove from heat and add butter and salt. Stir until butter is melted.
Gradual whisk heavy cream in a slow, steady stream to butter-caramel mixture. Stir until combined.
If caramel hardens or seizes, then return pan to stove on low heat and stir until caramel has melted.
Stir milk into caramel mixture. Set aside briefly.
Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually add ¼ cup of the warm caramel mixture, stirring constantly to prevent eggs from cooking. Once incorporated, pour eggs into the saucepan and cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. The mixture should be between 160°F to 170°F.
Pour mixture through the fine-mesh strainer into the nest bowl with the reserved milk.
Add vanilla and stir until mixture has cooled down, about 3 minutes.
Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
While ice cream is churning, break apart the now hardened salted caramel praline into large chunks and place in a plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or other blunt object, smash caramel praline into into very small pieces about the size of confetti.
When ice cream is just about done, add caramel praline pieces and stir to combine.
Transfer to a large container and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on surface of ice cream to prevent ice crystal from forming. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.