Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
Heat the half and half and vanilla until it just begins to simmer. Boil the sugar and water in another pan until golden amber, then slowly pour in the warm half and half. Whisk the egg yolks, whisk in about ½ cup of the caramel, pour it back into the pan, and stir until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Chill for at least 4 hours, process in an ice cream machine, and stir in the salt and chopped chocolate during the last two minutes.
Salted caramel and chocolate is one of those combinations that simply cannot miss, and in ice cream form it reaches its full glory. This creamy salted caramel base, shot through with chunks of chocolate, plays sweet against salty and smooth against crunchy in every spoonful. It is a rich, grown-up sort of frozen treat, the kind that vanishes fast on a warm evening and has everyone angling for just one more scoop from the container.
The Salted Caramel Base
Cook the caramel to a golden amber, then build it into a creamy custard base balanced with a good pinch of salt. That salt is what makes the caramel sing, cutting the sweetness and deepening the flavor — cook the caramel to a proper amber for the richest, most complex base.
Churning with Chocolate Chunks
Churn the base until creamy, folding in the chocolate chunks near the end so they stay distinct. The chunks add a satisfying crunch and rich chocolate against the smooth salted caramel — freeze until firm, and you have a treat with the perfect play of textures and flavors in every bite.
Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the half and half and vanilla in a sauce pan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
- Remove from the heat.
- To make the caramel, heat the sugar and ¼ cup water in another pan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat and bring the sugar to a boil until it turns a golden amber color, about 8 minutes.
- Swirl the pan to insure even coloring.
- Slowly pour the warm half and half into the caramel.
- Be careful, it will bubble vigorously and expand up the sides of the pan.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl.
- Pour about ½ cup of the caramel into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
- Immediately pour back into the pan.
- This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
- Stir over medium heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Pour into a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- Pour the custard into the bowl of your ice cream machine and process according to directions.
- Stir in the salt and chopped chocolate during the last two minutes of ice cream machine’s cycle. Serve immediately, or transfer to a container and freeze for up to 3 days. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
The Heart of the Table
A container of homemade ice cream is generous, joyful hospitality — it turns a warm evening into a small, happy occasion. There is a warm, easy pleasure in churning your own and scooping it out for people, the kind of indulgent treat that makes a gathering feel abundant and sends everyone back for seconds.
The Art of the Host
Cook the caramel to a golden amber and balance it with salt, then fold the chocolate chunks in near the end of churning. Freeze until firm, and let it soften a few minutes before scooping for the perfect creamy, chunk-studded spoonful.
Neighborly Grace
- The Preparation: This ice cream keeps for up to 3 days in the freezer, making it an easy make-ahead. Churn and freeze it in advance, and you will have a crowd-pleasing frozen treat ready whenever the occasion — or the weather — calls for it.
- The Pour: A shot of espresso alongside makes an affogato-style treat for the grown-ups; for a non-alcoholic pairing, a cold brew coffee or a glass of milk suits the caramel and chocolate beautifully.
- The Vibe: Scoop it into bowls or cones for a warm evening, a party, or a backyard gathering. This is rich, crowd-pleasing indulgence — salty-sweet and chocolate-studded, made to disappear fast and keep everyone coming back for more.