Caramel Ice Cream

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 quart (4 cups / 960 ml) heavy cream
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
• 1 ¼ tablespoons (18 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1. Measure out the sugar: set aside ¾ cup (150 g) for the custard base and ¾ cup (150 g) for caramelizing. This is the division the recipe calls 'one-half sugar in custard; remaining half caramelize.'
2. 2. Prepare a custard base (scalding and tempering): In a heavy 2-quart (1.9 L) saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, the reserved ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, the flour, and the salt. Scald the milk mixture — heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan and steam rises, approximately 180°F (82°C); do not boil. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg. Temper the egg by slowly ladling about ½ cup (120 ml) of the hot milk mixture into the beaten egg while whisking constantly, then pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 6–10 minutes, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 170–175°F (77–80°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat. (Scalding: heating milk to just below boiling to denature proteins and improve custard texture. Tempering: gradually raising the temperature of the egg with hot liquid to prevent curdling.)
3. 3. Caramelize the remaining sugar: Place the reserved ¾ cup (150 g) sugar in a small, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook without stirring until the edges begin to melt, then stir gently until all the sugar has melted and turned a deep amber color, 8–12 minutes. The caramel is ready when it is uniformly amber-brown, smells nutty rather than burnt, and reads approximately 340–350°F (170–177°C) on a candy thermometer. (Caramelization: the browning of sugar by dry heat, per Farmer's cross-reference to page 505.)
4. 4. Add the caramel to the custard: With the hot custard still over low heat (or returned briefly to low heat), pour the hot caramel in a slow, steady stream into the custard, stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble vigorously; continue stirring until fully combined and smooth, 2–3 minutes.
5. 5. Add the cream and vanilla: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the 1 quart (960 ml) cream and the 1¼ tablespoons (18 ml) vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
6. 6. Chill: Transfer the mixture to a bowl set over an ice bath or refrigerate, covered, until thoroughly cold — at least 4 hours and preferably overnight. The base should register below 40°F (4°C) before churning.
7. 7. Churn: Freeze the chilled custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20–30 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a soft-serve consistency and the paddle leaves clear furrows that hold their shape.
8. 8. Harden: Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap directly against the surface, and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm enough to scoop.