I don’t remember what prompted me to create this recipe. Probably inspired by ice cream out and about. This is a little different though as it has bits of salted caramel brickle in it. This creates great texture with those little bits giving you a nice bite. Enjoy.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Brickle:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Ice Cream:

• 2 1/3 cups whole milk
• 2 1/3 cups heavy cream, divided 1 1/2 & 2/3
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar, divided 1 1/2 & 1/2
• 7 eggs, 3 whole & 4 yolks

Directions:

For the brickle, in a heavy sauce pan (I use my Dutch oven) spread the sugar in an even layer. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat or brush sparingly with unflavored oil. I recommend the silicone baking mat as it’s so much easier to break the brickle.

Heat the sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center. Stir gently until the sugar is completely dissolved and a golden brown. Be careful as it can burn easily. Don’t be afraid to turn down the heat. Once it’s completely melted pull it off the heat and dump in the sea salt. Pour carefully (it’s molten hot!) onto your cookie sheet. Allow to completely cool and then break it into little bits, about 1/4″ or smaller.

For the ice cream, in a heavy sauce pan (I use my Dutch oven) spread 1/2 up of sugar in an even layer. Heat the same as the brickle above. Once it’s completely melted, whisk in the butter 1 tbsp. at a time. Once the butter is completely melted whisk in the sea salt. Remove from the heat and whisk in 2/3 cup of heavy cream. Be careful here as it will steam up and bubble fiercely. Once it has subsided put it back on the heat and whisk in the remaining cream and the milk. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs, yolks,  remaining sugar, and vanilla until thick and smooth. It will be pale yellow in color and similar to mayonnaise.

Slowly whisk in some of the hot milk mixture, a ladle full at a time. You want to slowly bring the eggs up to temperature without cooking them, otherwise you’ll get scrambled eggs. Once you’ve incorporated about 1 1/2 cups of the hot liquid add the egg mixture into the milk mixture and bring up to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. You’ll know when it’s done when you can dip a spoon in, run your finger down the back, turn it sideways, and it doesn’t run back down the spoon erasing your swipe.

Pour it into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that the wrap is on the surface of your mixture. This will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.

Take you chilled mixture and put it into your ice cream maker. Once it’s pretty thick add in your brickle bits, do this just before you’re going to put your ice cream into your containers.