Rich, creamy, sweet, salty and decadent. This Salted Caramel Ice Cream is homemade at it’s best.
I like to give myself some challenges in the kitchen. Making this Salted Caramel Ice Cream was me laying down the ultimate gauntlet to my family.
Back in the summer of 2013 we holidayed in the South of France and found, on our very own campsite, a steady supply of Salted Caramel Ice Cream that each and every one of us agreed was the best ice cream we had ever tasted. We went back to the same place 2 years later. (I’m 99% certain that Chris’ only motive for returning was the hope of more ice cream). A few things had changed over these 2 years – the resort had expanded, a naturist beach had bizarrely sprung up next to our stretch of family friendly sand & sea but the ice cream, oh the ice cream… It remained as we remembered; silky, creamy, sweet and salty. Intoxicating frozen joy savoured by all of us, as often as possible, for the duration of the holiday.
Confession: for a long time I decided that I would never ever attempt to make my own Salted Caramel Ice Cream because I wasn’t sure I could face the disappointment of being told, 3 times over, that the stuff in France was much better.
However, the years keep on rolling by, we have a long list of holidays to fit in before the kids leave home and a return to the same campsite, just for the sake of the ice cream, seems just a bit too far-fetched. So I committed to making my own, doing the best job I could and living with the cruel remarks that would, inevitably, flow.
And here it is.
In the space of 2 weeks I’ve made this ice cream 3 times. My first attempt was much darker in colour than the one photographed today. And it had a slight burnt note to the caramel. Trust me, this was not a bad thing. The sweet caramel, slightly bitter, burnt undertones and salty kick blended extremely well with the creaminess of the ice cream. It was a wonderful first batch – I was proud of it.
However, because I’m always seeking family approval absolute perfection I made the same recipe again, but cooked the caramel a little less. This time it was mid-amber in colour rather than dark amber. The difference this made to the colour of the final ice cream is phenomenal. I do wish I’d taken a photograph of the first batch to show you the transformation it made. But the proof is in the tasting…. once the family got wind of what I’d made, the ice cream didn’t last long enough for photographs.
Though I was slightly disappointed when I noticed the difference in colour second time around, I couldn’t argue that the salted caramel taste was spot on. Pure, deeply addictive, salty caramel all wrapped up in smooth, creamy ice cream.
What I like best about Salted Caramel in general is how the saltiness tones down the overtly sweet nature of caramel, bringing a slightly savoury edge to the mix. And just like the intensity of the caramel, the saltiness is something that can be adjusted to suit your own palate. The recipe I’ve listed below gives my ideal blend, but feel free to play around.
And the ultimate test: the family verdict…. a surprisingly good match to the stuff of dreams in France. Remarkably close. A very close second. Oh blimey.
- 150 g/ 3/4 cup Caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 300 ml/ 1 1/4 cups Double (heavy) cream
- 300 ml/ 1 1/4 cups Whole milk
- 6 Egg yolks
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp Caster sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp Sea salt crystals
- Put the water into a heavy based saucepan. Spread the sugar on top in an even layer
- Set the pan over a medium heat and allow the sugar to gradually melt. As it melts you can gently swirl the pan a couple of times to ensure the caramel cooks evenly, but do not stir it
- Meanwhile put the sea salt into a pestle & mortar & crush lightly
- Once the sugar has melted, the caramel will begin to darken. Continue to let it cook until it reaches a lovely mid amber colour - but keep a close eye on the caramel as it can burn easily. Let it go darker for a more intense, almost burnt flavour
- Add 1/4 of the cream and the salt, taking care as it can bubble up and is extremely hot. Mix with a small handheld whisk until fully incorporated. Add another 1/4 cream, stir well then add the remaining cream, whisking until thoroughly blended
- Remove from the heat
- Put the milk into a medium saucepan and heat to just below boiling
- Meanwhile beat the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks with an electric beater until pale and thick (about 3 minutes)
- Gradually pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, beating constantly
- Pour the custard into the saucepan, along with the caramel and stir well. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. It is vital to heat slowly and stir constantly to avoid the custard splitting
- Once the mixture coats the back of a spoon, take off the heat, cover with a layer of clingfilm (to stop a skin forming), let cool, then chill for 4 hours (or overnight)
- Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions
- Serve immediately or transfer the ice cream into a freezer-proof container, cover the surface directly with greaseproof paper or foil and store in the freezer. (Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving).
- Pour the ice cream into a suitable freezer-proof bowl, cover and put it in the freezer for 1-1 1/2 hours. The sides should be beginning to freeze, but the centre will be soft and slushy
- Remove from the freezer and, working quickly, use electric beaters to beat the ice cream until the ice crystals are uniform. Cover and place back in the freezer
- Repeat this process 4-8 more times at 1 hour intervals - the better the texture will be the more the process is repeated
- Cover the ice cream with greaseproof paper or foil and freeze for a further 3 hours or overnight
- Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving
Vary the level of salt according to taste. Play about with the intensity of the caramel - for a slightly burnt edge to your ice cream cook the caramel to a dark amber, but take care NOT to properly burn the caramel as you cook it.
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Sarah says
Ahhh! Last night I kept going back and forth as to whether or not I should buy an ice cream maker…and I decided that I shouldn’t…until I saw this recipe. Oh my word! Ordering tonight, making as soon as it comes in!
Jane Saunders says
Definitely do get on and order yourself one! I was making some ice cream during December and I thought my machine had broken so I ended up making it by hand – whisking every hour or so. Although the result was fine, it was much more of a time commitment… and I’m not great at remembering to do things every hour 🙂 Oh, and of course my machine wasn’t really broken, it was just teasing me.
Deanna says
I cant wait to get my ice cream maker out!! This looks so yummy!!!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Deanna
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Wow this ice cream sounds delicious! So perfect for summer!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Liz
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I love getting inspiration from things we love while traveling. So glad you went for it and decided to tackle it! This looks incredible!
Jane Saunders says
Thankyou Katie – I’m glad I tackled it too.
Shashi at Savory Spin says
This looks wonderful – and am willing to bet that first one with slightly burnt undertones would have been just as scrumptious too!
Jane Saunders says
Oh it was. In fact, I had a slight preference for it. Thanks for stopping by Shashi.
Kirsty says
I’ve just been thinking that I need to get making ice cream again soon so this is perfect timing. Looks delicious and it sounds like you managed to please a tough crowd!
Jane Saunders says
Glad I’ve given you the ice cream nudge you needed 🙂
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl) says
I love salted caramel! This looks absolutely amazing, I have to try this recipe.
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Pamela – enjoy it soon.
Tracy says
Ahhhh this is my FAVORITE ice cream flavor! I’m not a huge fan of ice cream, but I cannot resist a great salted caramel ice cream! I can’t wait to make this!
Jane Saunders says
Well, it seems this will be perfect for you. I’m very fussy with my ice cream – I like it firm and packed full of flavour – soft scoop leaves me cold (no pun intended)
Melissa @ Insider The Kitchen says
This looks freaking amazing Jane. I’m so glad I’m not the only person who stands over my creations and eats them with a spoon without even sitting down.
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Melissa – isn’t it one of the perks of the job?
Julie says
I love salted caramel anything and this ice cream has me drooling!
Jane Saunders says
We’ve scoffed the lot now 🙂 and I’m looking forward to making some more very soon.
Tamara says
Salty and sweet desserts are my favorite, and your salted caramel ice cream is calling my name in torturous ways! I’m so trying to watch my sweets and alcohol, and it’s a losing battle!
Michelle - Giraffes Can Bake says
Oh man, this looks sooooo good! I love salted caramel and I love homemade ice cream.
I love that you gave instructions to make in a machine and by hand. I do have an ice cream maker in theory, but it was an attachment for my long dead stand mixer!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Michelle – I have a magi-mix ice cream machine which gives wonderful results. Having successfully made ice cream by hand when I thought my machine had broken last year I can recommend putting an ice cream maker on you next excuse for a gift list 😉
Tania says
So nice to see an ice cream made from creme anglaise instead of condensed milk 🙂 and such gorgeous photographs!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Tania. I have to be honest, I’m a purist when it comes to ice cream – I’m not really into the no-churn ones that so often go hand in hand with condensed milk. You’re in for a treat today though as I’ve just posted another custard based ice cream: Salted Honey – my new favourite.