Cooking Challenge – Caramel Ice Cream

By / Food / March 30th, 2011 / 2

The Tidings Cooking Challenge is an opportunity for food lovers to try their hand at creating something together. Not all in the same kitchen, of course. Rather, try the recipe in your own time and then come back and tell us what you thought of it. You can add your comments directly underneath the post, or send a photo of your creation to [email protected]. Check out what others have done at QuenchbyTidings.

 

Yes, I’ve left this month’s cooking challenge to the end. But, all sweet things are worth waiting for, right? Just in time for spring, this Caramel Ice Cream recipe will keep you feeling cool. The sunny gold colour and intense caramel flavour that are hallmarks of this ice cream are thanks to homemade caramel that, once hard and cool to the touch, is crushed to a fine powder. Once you’ve mastered making caramel at home (which is super easy to do), you’ll find yourself adding it to practically anything — cakes, mousse, cookies, maybe even something savoury, like pan-fried pork belly.

This recipe does contain a fair bit of sugar. But, don’t worry about that; it is ice cream, after all. The sugar, however, does give the ice cream a silky texture that doesn’t turn grainy in the freezer. It also helps it to stay soft, like gelato.

Caramel Ice Cream
Makes about 1 litre

1-1/2 cups 35% cream
1-1/2 cups milk
1 batch caramel powder (recipe follows)
4 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla

1. In a pot, combine cream, milk and caramel powder; stir often over medium heat until caramel melts. It will harden first; so, stick with it. In a small bowl, whisk a little of the hot liquid with the yolks, then stir the whole back into the pot. Reduce heat to low; stir until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, about 8 minutes. Immediately set the pot in a bowl of ice water. Add vanilla; stir until the mixture is lukewarm to cold, then remove from water. Cover and chill until cold.

2. Pour mixture into the container of an ice cream maker. Process until ice cream begins to harden. Transfer to the freezer. Or, if you don’t own an ice cream maker, pour the cold mixture into a pan and place in the freezer. Stir it every 15 to 30 minutes until hard.

Caramel Powder
Makes about 1 cup

2 cups sugar

1. Line a large baking sheet with a single sheet of foil, fold up at the edges.

2. Pour sugar into a large nonstick frying pan; place over medium heat. Shake pan often until most of the sugar has liquified, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; tilt pan to mix hot caramel with sugar until all is melted and the colour is deep amber, about 3 minutes.

3. Immediately pour hot caramel into foil-lined sheet. Tilt the hit to spread caramel in a thin, even layer. Be careful; caramel is very hot! Set aside until hard and completely cool, about 30 minutes.

4. Lift off the sheet, and peel the foil away. Break the caramel into pieces. Place pieces in a food processor and pulverize.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary Mantini has always loved words. When she isn't working as the Associate Editor at Tidings Magazine, she's helping others achieve their writing dreams, and sometimes she even relaxes with a good book and a glass of wine.

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