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.