Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae Food

POPCORN BLIZZARD POPCORN ICE CREAM WITH FLEUR DE SEL CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy cast iron pot, heat milk, cream, and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Cover top of cream mixture completely with prepared popcorn. When popcorn starts to melt into mixture, sprinkle some more popcorn on top. When the mixture starts to bubble, remove off of heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the popcorn infuses its flavor into the cream mixture.
• Strain popcorn mixture through cheesecloth or a mesh strainer and squeeze the mushy popcorn flavor back into the cream mixture.
• Whisk together the 1 cup sugar, vanilla bean, butter extract, and eggs in a bowl.
• Still whisking, pour the cream mixture into the egg mixture and pour this back into the cleaned-out pan. Cook until cream thickens on medium-low heat (You don't want to over cook the eggs because it will leave an egg flavor. Do not leave unattended.)
• With a silicone spatula, scrape vanilla beans off of the pot and keep stirring all the flavors together. If vanilla beans clump up just break apart on the interior of the pot. When mixture thickens, remove from heat.
• Put pot into a bowl of ice water. Let cool completely.
• Churn in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Take bucket and put into freezer for at least 5 hours.
• To prepare the Fleur De Sel Caramel sauce, mix butter, brown sugar, half-n-half, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while stirring or whisking gently for 10 minutes allowing for the brown sugar to dissolve and for the mixture to thicken. Add vanilla and cook until it thickens further. Turn off heat and pour sauce into whatever you plan to serve it in. Allow cooling until the sauce is just warm. Serve over ice cream.

CARAMEL-POPCORN HOT-FUDGE SUNDAES

Steps:

• Caramel popcorn: Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add popcorn and cover. Cook, shaking pot frequently, until corn has finished popping. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in peanuts.
• Heat butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, 5 minutes. Continue to cook until mixture reaches 290 degrees on a candy thermometer, then remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda, making sure soda is dissolved fully. Drizzle half of caramel over popcorn mixture; pour remainder onto one baking sheet and let cool. Quickly toss popcorn to coat, then transfer to other baking sheet; let cool completely. Break caramel popcorn into bits. Popcorn can be stored in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature up to 5 days.
• Caramel-chunk ice cream: Finely chop sheet of cooled caramel. Working in 2 batches, soften ice cream with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat half of chopped caramel into each batch until thoroughly combined. Freeze until firm, 2 hours.
• Hot-fudge sauce: Heat brown sugar and cocoa in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking to combine. Add cream and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in chocolate, butter, vanilla, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and butter are melted and sauce is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Sauce can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days; reheat over low heat before serving.
• To serve, layer ice cream in glasses with warm hot fudge and caramel popcorn.

BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Steps:

• Make the ice cream: Set a large bowl in an ice-water bath; set aside. In a large saucepan, bring corn, corn cobs (if using), 3 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, corn syrup, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, to prevent sugar from sticking to the bottom of saucepan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup milk until well combined. Remove corn mixture from heat; slowly add about a third of the hot corn mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan with corn cobs, whisking constantly. Return saucepan to medium-high heat. Whisking constantly, cook until custard mixture coats back of a wooden spoon, 4 to 5 minutes; stir in vanilla extract and salt.
• Pour custard mixture into bowl set in ice-water bath; let cool completely. Transfer custard mixture to refrigerator and let chill overnight.
• Remove corn cobs from custard mixture, squeeze out any excess liquid; discard cobs. Transfer custard mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, discarding solids.
• Transfer custard mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Keep ice cream frozen in an airtight container up to 5 days.
• Make the compote: Place 1 1/2 cups blueberries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, pressing on berries until they burst and mixture begins to look syrupy. Add corn kernels, stir to combine and immediately remove from heat.
• Stir in remaining cup of blueberries. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until cool, up to 24 hours.
• Make the popcorn: Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; set aside. Butter a large heatproof bowl and add popcorn to bowl; set aside.
• Heat sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over low until butter and sugar melt. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until sugar mixture becomes golden brown. Remove from heat and carefully add vanilla and salt (mixture may splatter slightly). Pour sugar mixture over popcorn; stir until popcorn is completely coated.
• Turn popcorn out onto prepared baking sheet, working quickly to separate kernels; let cool completely. Transfer popcorn to an airtight container until ready to use, up to 1 week.
• Make the whipped cream: Place all whipped cream ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until soft peaks form.
• Place two spoonfuls of blueberry compote in each of 6 large parfait glasses; top with two scoops corn ice cream. Add a large handful of toffee popcorn to each glass and top with another scoop of ice cream. Top each with another spoonful of compote and a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with remaining toffee popcorn and serve immediately with cornbread muffins.