Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream

I like to give myself some challenges in the kitchen. This recipe for homemade salted caramel ice cream was me throwing down the ultimate gauntlet to my family.

Back in the summer of 2013 we holidayed in the South of France and found, on our 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. Silky, creamy, sweet and salty. It was intoxicating frozen joy savoured by all of us, as often as possible, for the duration of the holiday.

For a long time, I vowed that I would never 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 so much better than my paltry effort.

However, 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 a frozen treat, 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: homemade salted caramel ice cream.

How to make salted caramel ice cream

My recipe for salted caramel ice cream relies on two components:

• homemade salted caramel sauce
• a classic custard-style base comprised of sugar, egg yolk, vanilla milk and cream

Once both components have been made, they are blended together and cooled before being churned into ice cream.

Make the caramel

Made from only 4 simple ingredients this homemade caramel is particularly easy. It doesn’t even need a sugar thermometer:

1. Put the water into a heavy-based saucepan. Spread the sugar on top in an even layer
2. Set the pan over a medium heat and allow the sugar to gradually melt
3. Meanwhile put the sea salt into a pestle & mortar & crush lightly
4. Once the sugar has melted, the caramel will begin to darken. Continue to let it cook until it reaches a lovely mid amber colour – keep a close eye on the caramel as it cooks since it can burn easily
5. Add ¼ of the cream and the salt, taking care as it can bubble up and it is extremely hot. Mix with a small handheld whisk until fully incorporated. Add another ¼ cream, stir well then add the remaining cream, whisking until thoroughly blended
6. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool

Quite how far you want to develop those caramel flavours in step 4 is up to you:

• When cooked to mid amber, the result will be a pure, deeply addictive, salty caramel all wrapped up in smooth, creamy ice cream.
• For sweet caramel with slightly bitter, toasty undertones cook the caramel a little longer until a dark amber colour is achieved. These qualities, and the salty kick, blend extremely well with the creaminess of the ice cream. Do take care not to overdo the cooking and wind up with burnt caramel though. That will not make pleasant 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 for salted caramel ice cream that I’m presenting gives my ideal level of saltiness. But feel free to play around by adding less or more to suit your own tastes. That’s the beauty of homemade – you get the final say.google maps driving directions

Make the custard base

Again, making the custard base for this ice cream is straightforward but it does also require your full attention. It is imperative that the ingredients are stirred constantly in step 4 to ensure a lump-free custard is achieved:

1. Put the milk into a medium saucepan and heat to just below boiling
2. Meanwhile beat the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks with an electric beater until pale and thick
3. Gradually pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, beating constantly
4. Pour the custard into the saucepan, along with the caramel and stir well. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly until thickened
5. 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)

How to churn ice cream

There are 2 ways to churn homemade ice cream:

• manually (by hand)
• using a purpose-made machine

I’ve tried both techniques and can tell you that great results can be achieved with either. Of course, the former is more time consuming, but if you are tight on space or budget for kitchen gadgets, then just follow my guide and you’ll be well on your way to dreamy, creamy homemade salted caramel ice cream.

Churning ice cream by hand

Churning by hand, (aka still freezing) is achievable provided you have a freezer compartment at home and can dedicate regular time to it:

• Ensure your freezer temperature is set to -18C (0F)
• When the ice cream batter is ready, transfer it to a suitable freezer container, cover and put it in the coldest part of your freezer for 90 minutes
• 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

It is essential to keep beating the ice cream regularly. Simply placing the batter in the freezer and forgetting about it will result in a hard and icy block that is impossible to scoop and not too pleasant to eat.

Churning ice cream by machine

This is a far less time-consuming way of making ice cream. All ice cream makers will differ, so do refer to the instructions on your specific machine.

I have an inexpensive MagiMix that I’ve come to love in recent years. I simple pre-freeze the churning bowl then I pour my prepared batter in and let the machine churn away for 20-30 minutes.

If I were to ever replace my current machine, I’d be tempted by this Cuisinart model that does not require the bowl to be pre-frozen before use.

And the ultimate test: the family verdict…. this recipe for homemade salted caramel ice cream creates a surprisingly good match to the stuff of dreams in France. Remarkably close. A very close second. Oh blimey.

Keep feeding your ice cream addiction

Have you made this recipe for salted caramel ice cream. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know by leaving a review.