The Sugar Lump: Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream with chocolate peanut butter fudge sauce

Recipe from David Lebovitz

Salted butter Caramel Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart/ 1.14 litres

Ingredients:

For the caramel mix-in:

100g (½ cup) granulated sugar

¾ tsp salt

For the ice cream base:

500ml (2 cups) milk

300g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar

60g (4 tbsp) salted butter

240ml (1 cup) double cream

5 egg yolks

¾ tsp vanilla bean paste/extract

Method:

1. For the caramel, place the granulated sugar in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan and line a baking sheet greaseproof paper or brush it lightly with a little oil.

2. Cook the sugar over a medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Gently stir the melted sugar owards the centre until all the sugar has dissolved.

3. Once the sugar is a dark amber colour and smells like it is close to burning, sprinkle in the salt and immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Tilt the baking sheet to ensure the caramel is in an even layer. Set aside.

4. For the ice cream, add the sugar to a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and cook until caramelizes (as before). Remove from the heat once the sugar has caramelized, then add the butter and salt and stir until the butter has melted. Whisk in the cream.

5. If the caramel hardens, return it to the heat and stir over a low heat to re-melt the caramel. Mix in half of the milk.

6.Beat the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually pour the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking continually. Pour back into the saucepan and heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (160-170F/ 71-77C). Pour the custard into a large bowl and mix in the remaining milk and vanilla. Leave to cool and refrigerate.

5. Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream machine. While the ice cream is churning, break up the caramel into small pieces, about 1cm each. Once frozen, Mix the crushed caramel into the ice cream and transfer to a container, then freeze until firm.