Vanilla ice cream recipe with burnt sugar 🍧🍦🍨

 Vanilla ice cream recipe with burnt sugar 🍧🍦🍨

To start, imagine the sweet and comforting smell of vanilla mixing with the caramelized aroma of burnt sugar. This harmonious combination will result in an ice cream that wins you over with its contrast of flavors and textures. By following the steps below, you will create a creamy vanilla ice cream with crunchy and deep hints of caramel.

Ingredients:

500 ml of whole milk

200 ml of fresh cream

6 egg yolks

150 g of granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence)

100 g of burnt sugar (caramel)

1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

Vanilla infusion: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and cream together over medium heat. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds and add both the seeds and the bean to the milk mixture. If you are using vanilla essence, add it later. Heat until almost boiling, but do not let it boil. Then turn off the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes so that the milk absorbs the vanilla flavor.

The custard base: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and caster sugar until the mixture is light and thick. Gradually pour in the milk and cream mixture, straining to remove the vanilla pod. Stir constantly as you add the hot liquid to the yolks, to prevent them from cooking.

Cooking the custard: Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly. The custard is ready when it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil, so that the custard does not curdle. Once ready, pass the custard through a fine sieve to ensure a smooth texture.

Caramelizing the sugar: In a small saucepan, place the 100 g of sugar to make the caramel. Let the sugar melt over medium heat, without stirring, just shaking the pan occasionally. When the sugar has turned a deep amber color and the aroma of caramel is in the air, remove from heat immediately.

Caramel Mixture: Gradually add the caramel to the cream base, stirring briskly to mix evenly. The caramel may harden slightly when it comes into contact with the cold cream, but it will melt as the mixture heats. Continue stirring until it is fully incorporated.

Cooling: Allow the ice cream base to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight). Ideally, the base should be very cold before adding it to the ice cream maker.

Churning the Ice Cream: If you have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled base into the machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture into a container and place it in the freezer, stirring every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours to ensure a creamy texture.

Finishing: When the ice cream is almost ready, you can add pieces of crunchy caramel (if you prefer), or just leave the ice cream plain, letting the flavor of the vanilla and burnt sugar stand out.

Now, visualize this finished dessert: the vanilla ice cream with that caramelized touch, creamy and at the same time with crunchy nuances of burnt sugar.