Salted Caramel Ice Cream

My daughter and I planned to make caramel cookies and cream ice cream after enjoying the flavor at Storm Bros. Ice Cream Factory in Annapolis, Maryland this spring.

I started (and finished!) my caramel ice cream recipe search with Jeni Britton. One of my favorite homemade ice creams is Jeni Britton’s Vanilla Bean– I make it at least once a summer. President Biden is also big fan of her ice cream. She has a new flavor, White House Chocolate Chip, inspired by his favorite order. 🙂

The secret to her fabulously creamy ice cream is the inclusion of corn starch and cream cheese in the base. “Salty Caramel” is one of the most popular flavors in their stores. The caramel is made using a dry-burn technique. The resulting caramel flavor is rich and sophisticated.

This recipe was adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer, via BonAppetit.com, contributed by Julia Bainbridge. I modified the technique. We first used the ice cream as filling in snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches. Yum! The leftover ice cream was served with crushed Oreos as a topping instead of being mixed in. Perfect- beyond creamy too.

Yield: about 1 quart

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.
2. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. (I used a stainless steel bowl.)
3. Mix the cream with the corn syrup in a measuring cup with a spout.
4. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. (I used a giant glass bowl. It is important that the bowl with the cream cheese can easily fit into the bowl of ice water.)
5. Heat the sugar in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until it is melted and golden amber in color. **Note: This is a dry-burn technique- be cautious. Caramelizing the sugar this way is faster but you have to watch it very closely and be ready to incorporate the cream.** See below.
   • The Dry-Burn Caramelization Technique:
   • Stand over the pan of sugar with a heatproof spatula ready. Do not touch the sugar until there is a full layer of melted and browning liquid sugar on the bottom of the pan with a smaller layer of unmelted white sugar on the top.
   • When the edges of the melted sugar begin to darken, use the spatula to bring it into the center to help melt the unmelted sugar.
   • Continue stirring and pushing the sugar around until it is all melted and evenly amber in color- like an old penny.
   • When little bubbles begin to explode with dark smoke, give the sugar another moment and then remove from the heat.
6. Immediately after removing from the heat, and, stirring constantly, slowly add a bit (about 1/4 cup) of the cream and corn syrup mixture to the caramel: It will fizzle, pop, and spurt. Stir until well combined, then add a little more and stir. Keep adding the cream a little at a time until all of it is incorporated.
7. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the milk. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
8. Gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
9. Bring back to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
10. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. (I used a hand-held mixer.)
11. Add the vanilla and whisk.
12. Place the bowl in the ice bath, making sure that the ice water doesn’t come in contact with the ice cream base.
13. Let stand, stirring occasionally and adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
14. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain mixture into a frozen ice cream machine canister. Churn until thick and creamy. (I churned mine for 25 minutes.)
15. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. (I used a glass loaf pan.)
16. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours. (I froze the ice cream a day in advance.)

Magdalenas

I wanted to make these as soon as I read Linda’s post about this Spanish version of French Madeleines on La Petite Paniere. I also had to post them as soon as I made them! I loved her description-  they seemed like a dessert but are eaten as a special bakery breakfast in Algeria. They are very light, only slightly sweet, and were absolutely delicious with raspberry jam.

I substituted some potato starch for the corn starch (I didn’t have enough…). I also substituted large for medium eggs, canola oil for safflower oil, and vanilla extract for the vanilla sugar in the original recipe. I also reduced the baking time for a convection oven. Tasty and pretty! 🙂

Yield: 12 Magdalenas (I only made 11!)

• 125 g all-purpose flour
• 125 g corn starch (I substituted some potato starch as well)
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 100 ml sunflower oil or canola oil
• 200 g granulated or caster sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C  or 350 F degrees on convection.
2. Using cooking oil spray, grease small individuals mini magdalenas mold or muffins tray. (I used standard-size brioche tins.)
3. In a bowl, combine the flour, the corn starch and the baking powder with a whisk.
4. Separate egg yolks from whites (in two different large bowls).
5. In the bowl with the 5 egg yolks, add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the lemon zest. Whisk together all the ingredients until they become creamy.
6. Add the oil and continue to mix.
7. Add the flour, the corn (or potato!) starch and the baking powder mixture. Mix all of the ingredients together. (The batter is quite thick.)
8. In the second bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks begin forming. (I used a hand mixer.)
9. Incorporate the whisked egg whites to the egg yolk-flour mixture and fold in until combined.
10. Spoon into molds and sprinkle with a little of turbinado sugar over the top. (I used a large ice cream scoop.)
11. Bake for 17 or 18 minutes on convection (more or less depending the oven) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
12. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes. Transfer into a serving plate or basket. Serve with jam or orange marmalade on the side.

One Year Ago:

• Morning Glory Muffins
• Whole Wheat & Oat Zucchini Bread

Two Years Ago:

• Bubby’s Corn Muffins
• 100% Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins

Three Years Ago:

• Zucchini, Banana, & Flaxseed Muffins