Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream Recipe
This Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream recipe combines rich, buttery caramel with a creamy ice cream base for a deliciously indulgent treat. The perfect balance of sweet and salty, this dessert is made from scratch using simple ingredients and churned to creamy perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Make the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, bring it to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes, allowing the caramel to thicken slightly.
- Add Heavy Cream and Salt: Slowly add the heavy cream to the saucepan (it may bubble up) and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base: In a separate saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warmed but not boiling.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually add a small amount of the warm cream mixture to the yolks to temper them. Slowly whisk the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan with the rest of the warm cream mixture.
- Cook the Custard: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes). Avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
- Combine and Cool: Remove the custard from heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg bits. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Mix Caramel and Base: Stir the cooled caramel sauce and vanilla extract into the ice cream base until fully combined.
- Chill the Mixture: Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until very cold.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 20-25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container, smooth the top, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Serve: Scoop the homemade salted caramel ice cream into bowls or cones and enjoy the creamy, salted caramel goodness!
Notes
Be sure to slowly temper the egg yolks to avoid curdling.
Make sure the caramel sauce has cooled before mixing with the ice cream base to prevent melting.
Use high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture and stir every 30 minutes for 2-3 hours to mimic churning.
The salted caramel can be adjusted by adding more or less sea salt to taste.