Salted Caramel Ice Cream

We've been living on the sea coast for more than 12 years but have never gone to the beach during daytime. Burning sun, crowds of tourists making fuss, sweat and sand sticking on your body – it's just not for us. The comfort of the kitchen, the hot oven, simmering sauce pans, the sweet odour of vanilla filling out the whole apartment – this is our world and we love it!

No, you can't find us on the beach during the day, but when the night falls the beach is our place. Lying on my pareo and watching the stars carries us away from the day fuss, makes us dream and relax under the sound of the breaking waves. The breeze is cool and refreshing and often I even fall asleep huddled up in Ivan's arms. Oh, those beach nights are really gonna miss me :(

Salted caramel ice cream is my way to say “Goodbye” to the summer. I'm not much of a summer person. I hate the heat, the burning sun, the sweltering days and the stifling nights. But I love it as a season of all those berries and stone fruits, ice cream and frozen threats, and of course the breezy nights on the beach, drinking mojito at dusk, looking for falling stars...

Oh... Bye bye summer! Welcome salted caramel ice cream!

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Recipe:

• 300 gr sugar;
• 10 gr mild sea salt;
• 500 ml whole milk;
• 400 ml heavy cream (divided 150 + 250 ml);
• 5 egg yolks.

Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize it over moderate heat. When brown and smelling yummy add the sea salt and stir. Bring the 150ml of cream to a simmer and pour it over the caramel. Take the needed precautions as it's very very hot and when pouring the cream the caramel starts to bubble. Usually I do this on the counter out of the heat since I said the sugar is very hot and the hot-plate is ceramic and if caramel falls on it while it's turned on, it will get ugly.

In another sauce pan bring the milk to a simmer.

In a large bowl beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Pour a small part of the hot milk over the yolks to temper, then pour over the rest of the milk. Whisk well.

Pour the yolks-milk mixture over the caramel mixture. Cook over medium-low heat till the mixture reaches 85º C. (If making without a thermometer – the mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and the foamy layer on top should disappear). Remove from the heat and let cool.

Whip the remaining 250 ml of the cream and add to the cooled caramel mixture. Mix well with a spoon. Place in the freezer to set.

Notes:
We are making the ice cream without an ice cream machine, so adding whipped cream at the end makes it more airy and fluffier. If you are using an ice cream maker you can add all the cream to the caramel at the beginning.

This ice cream doesn't freeze so hard and actually is quite soft, because of the added salt and caramel, so it could be easily made without machine.