Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Food

CARAMEL SWIRL NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
• Drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt while continuing to whip.
• When the sweetened condensed milk is fully incorporated, move half of the ice cream base mixture to a round metal cake pan or loaf pan. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the ice cream base. Sprinkle with half of the toffee bits if using.
• Add the remaining ice cream mixture. Drizzle the remaining caramel on top. Add the remaining toffee bits.
• Using a chopstick or other thin utensil to swirl the caramel and ice cream base together.
• Freeze for at least four hours.

VANILLA CARAMEL SWIRL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large Pyrex measuring cup or heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks with ¼ cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, salt, and the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture starts to simmer, decrease the heat.
• Remove about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture while constantly whisking the eggs, slowly drizzle the cream into the egg yolks. Repeat with another ½ cup of hot cream, then pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan, whisking as you pour.
• Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, about 1-2 more minutes.
• Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath (I fill my sink with ice cubes, then adds some water). Stir occasionally, till cool.
• Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• While the ice cream base cools, make the caramel.
• Set the warm cream by the stove so it's at hand when you need it. Put 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When the sugar is melted around the edges and starts to turn golden, stir the mixture gently and add another 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pan.
• Continue to add the remaining sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently and allowing most of the sugar to melt before you add more. Watch carefully as the sugar darkens, stirring gently to help it melt evenly.
• When all the sugar has caramelized, slowly add the cream. It will bubble furiously.
• When the bubbling slows down, gently stir in the cream to blend. If you have any hard sugar lumps, just keep the burner on low and cook till sugar melts. Stir in salt and vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Freeze the ice cream as directed by your ice cream maker.
• When the ice cream is frozen, layer about a third of it into your container. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of caramel on top of ice cream, then repeat again two more times. You will have leftover caramel.
• Use a knife or a chopstick to swirl the caramel. If you prefer softer ice cream, eat right away or else freeze for about 4 hours before serving.

BROWN SUGAR ICE CREAM WITH A GINGER-CARAMEL SWIRL

Steps:

• Make the base
• 1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in half of the brown sugar (1/4 cup). Set aside.
• 2. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, salt, and the remaining brown sugar (1/4 cup) and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.
• 3. Carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks. Repeat, adding another 1/2 cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
• 4. Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• 5. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the base for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• While the ice cream base cools, make the swirl
• 6. Set the cream by the stove so it's at hand when you need it. Put 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a heavy nonreactive saucepan, and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the sugar is melted around the edges and starts turn amber in places (about 2 minutes), stir the mixture gently and add another 2 tablespoons sugar to the pan.
• 7. Continue to add the remaining sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently and allowing most of the sugar to melt before you add more. Watch carefully as the sugar darkens, stirring gently to help it melt evenly.
• Tip: Keep in mind that the flavor of the ice cream hinges on how dark you take the caramel. We take ours to a very dark, almost reddish, stage, which produces our intense signature flavor.
• 8. When the caramel becomes a dark mahogany color, remove the pan from the heat and immediately but slowly pour the cream into the pan. (The mixture will steam and bubble up, so wear oven mitts and be very careful to avoid splatters and steam burns.) When the bubbling subsides, gently stir to completely blend the cream into the caramel. If you have lumps of hardened caramel in your pan, simply put the pan over low heat and stir until the caramel is melted.
• 9. Stir in the ginger paste and salt and let cool. (You can make the swirl up to 2 weeks ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated, but let it come to room temperature before using.)
• Freeze the ice cream
• 10. When the base is completely chilled, freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you'll use to store the ice cream into the freezer.
• 11. As you transfer the ice cream to the storage container, drizzle in the caramel after every few scoopfuls, using about 6 tablespoons of the caramel (or more if you like). When all the ice cream is in the container, use a chopstick or butter knife to gently swirl the mixture. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours.
• Tip: The swirl recipe makes more than you need (the recipe won't work in smaller quantities). You can thin the leftovers with a little cream and use as a sundae topping, or you can enjoy it right off the spoon!

RHUBARB ICE CREAM WITH A CARAMEL SWIRL

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, 3/4 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla bean seeds and its pod. Simmer gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod and return mixture to a bare simmer.
• Place the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Scrape the custard back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in sour cream. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup sugar. Simmer until rhubarb is just tender and has begun releasing its juices, but has not started to fall apart, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Continue to simmer the juices until syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Pour the syrup over the rhubarb. Cool completely.
• In a clean, dry and preferably nonstick skillet, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat. When it begins to melt and lightly color, sprinkle in 2 more tablespoons and start swirling pan to help evenly distribute sugar. Add the final 2 tablespoons and cook, swirling pan until all the sugar has melted. Let cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns dark brown. Pour in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons water (stand back; it may splatter). Simmer, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula until smooth. Cool completely.
• Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.
• Scrape a quarter of the caramel into the bottom of a freezer-proof quart container. Top with a quarter of the ice cream. Repeat layering until all of the caramel and ice cream has been used, ending with the ice cream. Freeze until firm for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

CARAMEL SWIRL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup of the sugar and ¼ cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
• Boil without stirring until the caramel turns a golden amber colour, 5-8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and immediately add ½ cup plus 2 tblsps of the heavy cream - AVOID SPATTERS!
• Stir well, then cook over low heat, stirring, until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, add a dash of salt, and let cool.
• Transfer the caramel to a container, cover and refrigerate until cold, atleast 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• In a large saucepan, bring the milk and remaining 1 ½ cups heavy cream just to a boil over medium heat.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with ¾ cup of the sugar until smooth.
• Gradually whisk the hot cream into the egg yolks.
• Pour the custard back into the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes.
• DO NOT BOIL.
• Immediately strain the custard into a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring the remaining ½ cup sugar and 3 tblsps water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Boil with stirring until the caramel turns a deep amber colour, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add 2 tblsps of cold water - stand back to avoid spatters.
• Stir until smooth.
• Whisk the hot caramel into the warm custard, making sure the caramel doesn't get on the whisk as you pour as it will harden.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Let cool to room temperature, stirring once or twice, then cover and refrigerate until cold, atleast 2 hours or overnight.
• Pour the custard into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Transfer the ice cream to a chilled container and freeze until partially set but not hard, about 1 hour.
• Spoon 1/3 of the ice cream into a chilled container.
• Spoon 1/3 of the chilled caramel on top; it does not have to be an even layer.
• Top with a layer of ice cream.
• Continue layering, ending with caramel.
• Stir once; do not overmix as you want a thick caramel swirl running through the ice cream.
• Cover and freeze for atleast 3 hours or up to 2 days.

CARAMEL BALSAMIC SWIRL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Warm half of the cream with the scraped vanilla bean in a small saucepan on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Keep aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar in a bowl until the color becomes light and pale, about 2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod and pour the warm cream over the egg mixture while constantly stirring. Reheat the mixture on low heat stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, reduce by half the balsamic vinegar, about 10 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature.
• Once your custard is cool, whip the remaining cream and fold it in with the custard mixture using a wooden spoon. Add the olive oil and fold in everything together. Drizzle 3/4 of the reduced balsamic vinegar in the cream mixture and use a fork to make swirl patterns. Pour the mixture in a stainless steel container and drizzle the leftover of the balsamic on top.
• Put in the freezer until firm, a minimum of 4 hours
• For the serving: Scoop into nice bowls and serve with fresh berries.

COFFEE CARAMEL SWIRL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Make caramel swirl:
• In a 3-quart heavy saucepan boil sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch salt over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil mixture, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until a deep golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour cream and vanilla down side of pan (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and cool caramel. Caramel swirl may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Bring caramel swirl to room temperature before using. (If caramel swirl is too stiff to pour, heat slightly.)
• Make custard:
• In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully pour cream and milk down side of kettle (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.
• In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into kettle. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Whisk in espresso powder and vanilla until espresso powder is dissolved. Pour custard through a fine sieve into another large bowl and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.
• Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, in 2 batches if necessary. Transfer one third ice cream to a 2-quart airtight container and drizzle one third caramel swirl over it. Repeat layering with remaining ice cream and caramel swirl. Freeze ice cream until hard, at least 8 hours, and up to 1 week.