Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

If you're thinking about putting away your ice cream maker because summer is over - don't do it! Burnt Sugar Ice Cream is the perfect way to transition your ice cream maker into fall. I made this for my friends Adam and Becky, as a post-birthday celebration for Becky and a pre-wedding celebration for both of them. It was really inspired by Adam, however, because I remembered him mentioning (more than once) that a burnt caramel cake made by his grandmother was one of his all-time favorite treats.

This ice cream is wonderful - rich and creamy, perfectly sweet, and surprisingly complex, given the simple ingredients.Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. water
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
optional: 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. Stir together sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and boil, without stirring, until the syrup turns a deep amber color. From time to time, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirl the pan (but do not stir!). Depending on your saucepan, this should take about 8 minutes.
2. Lower heat and carefully add cream and milk. Don't be concerned when everything bubbles and seethes and the caramel hardens - it will calm down and smooth out as you heat and stir. Continue to heat and stir until mixture is smooth; remove from heat.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks and salt until blended and slightly thickened. Still whisking, slowly drizzle in 1/3 of the hot liquid (this will temper, or warm, the yolks - it is important to do this slowly so you don't cook the eggs). Continue to whisk and gradually add the remaining liquid. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium (medium-low) heat until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately remove the pan from heat and pour into a clean heatproof bowl. Stir in vanilla, if using.
4. Refrigerate custard until well-chilled; freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Pack ice cream into a freezer proof container and freeze at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop (I recommend 4-6 hours, minimum). Enjoy!

Storage: Frozen and packed tightly in a covered container (I also put a layer of Press-n-Seal directly on the surface of the ice cream), it will keep for up to two weeks.
- Recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, From My Home to Yours