I remember the first time I saw snow. I was in my twenties, but I felt (and acted!), like a five year old. I am almost certain I screeched with sheer excitement upon seeing inches of fluffy, white magic not only forming a soft blanket on the ground around me, but delicately falling from the sky flaunting its unique snowflake shape.
This snow spectacular was in Boston – my former residence for quite a number of years. Winter in Boston certainly can be cold and long. The snow can start before Thanksgiving and continue all the way through to Memorial Day. During these months of chilly temperatures, apart from the typical memories of constant driveway shovelling, car windshield scraping, and leather boots waterproofing, there is one memory that has me shaking my head until this day. Ice cream consumption.
It has been mentioned here, here, here and here, that New Englanders consume the greatest proportion of ice cream in the USA. And after witnessing the hoards of lines outside fine purveyors such as JP Licks, Emack & Bolio’s, Herrell’s, and the former Steve’s (inventor of the mix-in!) throughout the city and surrounding towns, I do not question this fact at all.
I have recently been reminded of my years in Boston during my recent honeymoon. Mr Mélanger and I took a relaxing and tranquil holiday to Tasmania. For those unfamiliar with Tasmania, it is our most southerly state in Australia. During our travels, we reached the magnificent World Heritage-listed wilderness of Cradle Mountain. (Some photos from the trip below.) As we were approaching the rugged alpine peaks of the mountain we could see they were still peppered in snow – which was a thrill to see given it is spring here in Australia. Along the windy drive to the Lodge, it actually started to snow, too.
I had not seen snow since Boston. I was that five year old kid again. Moreover, after the thoughts of hoping there may be enough snow on the ground for a little snowball fight action, I thought of ice cream. As you do. With my ice cream food memory top of mind, I knew I would have to make some deliciously, rich ice cream as part of caramel month.
So back in sub-tropical Brisbane, I turn my attention to some refreshing ice cream. For this task, I look to none other than the undisputed ice cream authority, David Lebovitz. David showcases a mouth-watering double caramel ice creamon his blog. The custard for the ice cream not only has been caramelised, but David incorporates crunchy caramel throughout the churning process at the end. After the triple caramel feast, I elected to keep things simple, enjoying the single caramel overtones of the ice cream custard in its most pure form.
I followed the directions to the letter. For this exercise, no point tweaking a recipe which had been expertly created. Having made considerable quantities of homemade ice cream in the past (all due to the abundance of egg yolks I have on hand after all my macaron efforts!), I was not anxious at all by the directions. The only area of watchfulness I noted was cooking the sugar. If there is only one trick to making caramel, this is it. The heating of the sugar to the right colour and temperature makes or breaks the caramel. In this recipe, you want it to be a strong flavour, but certainly not bitter.
I have never enjoyed a caramel ice cream like this one. Because of the caramel, it remains deliciously creamy even after freezing. It would also be sensational with the addition of praline per David’s original recipe to add some further crunch. I think this will be a firm favourite even after caramel month is over.
{ Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream } adapted from David Lebovitz
* Ingredients *
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300g) sugar
4 tablespoons (60g) salted butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
* Directions *
Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they’re floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/litres) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Heat the sugar over low to medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Stir the liquefied sugar towards the centre until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it is just about to burn. Once caramelised, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C). Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes one litre
{ Images } Distinctive alpine vegetation and temperate rainforest waterfalls of Cradle Mountain
{ Images } Forest flora and local wildlife of Cradle Mountain
{ Images } Abandoned Dove Lake boat shed at Cradle Mountain
{ Images } Reflections and Cradle Mountain Lodge at Cradle Mountain
October 7, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Oh wow, I can picture myself here in Cradle Mountain! So beautiful!!!
The salted caramel ice cream sounds so sinfully good. Couldn’t be better then this!
October 7, 2009 at 1:11 pm
The ice-cream looks delicious. Love the little bowls 🙂
October 7, 2009 at 1:47 pm
A fantastic recipe and stunning pictures! I would love to be there…
Cheers,
Rosa
October 7, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Oh I’m so trying this out! I’ve been meaning to start making icecreams soon enough as it is getting a little bit warmer here (although in the past week the weather in Sydney has been all over the place).
Thanks for the recipe!
October 7, 2009 at 2:44 pm
So adorable!! I am actually thinking of this very flavour lately…
Tell us more about the wedding and honeymoon, will you? 😀
October 7, 2009 at 4:20 pm
WOW! Those landscape photos are magnificent, I mean really straight out of a National Geographic Magazine! Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your honeymoon with us. I’m with Anh above – more, more…! 🙂
Now as for caramel ice cream, snow and Boston… I can’t say Boston was the first place I saw snow in my 20’s (having grown up in NY), but I did live in Boston in my 20’s and that’s where I made my very first batches of salted caramel ice cream! And ooooh I have the must sublime taste memories of it. (Best pairing was when I served it with my Toblerone molten cakes!) Sadly my ice cream maker is sitting in my attic here in Zurich – wrong voltage, arg.
Many ice cream shops feature burnt caramel as a flavor (Toscanini’s in Boston for one), but I’m with you – I don’t want notes of burnt or bitter. The play of sweet and salty, and creamy and melty – is just divine. Love the photo styling, simply gorgeous!
October 7, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Your pics are great! Love the color of this ice cream! Sounds yummy!
October 7, 2009 at 9:07 pm
wowowowow!
the most AMAZING photos!
you have really outdone yourself
x
October 7, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Your photos are constantly breathtaking Julia! Those nature shots wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine!
I’m slowly edging towards the home made ice-cream cliff, this may just about be enough to make me jump 🙂
October 7, 2009 at 9:59 pm
i went to uni in boston, and have vivid memories of shovelling my car out from under a mountain of smow each week in the winter. i’ve been itching to make this very recipe for a long time now, but my husband insists he’s not a fan of salted caramel (what??). your post makes me want it even more!
gorgeous pictures of cradle mountain! what a wonderful honeymoon you must have had. tasmania is a very special place and i’m so glad i got to visit while we were in australia.
October 7, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Those photos are just heartstoppingly gorgeous! I especially love the waterfall. More reasons to go to Australia, besides visiting both you and Y 😉 And while I’m not a huge ice cream fan, I’ve had this ice cream by Lebovitz bookmarked for much too long.
October 7, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Perfect post:) The little pots..spoons.. board..so pretty! The vistas too.Thank you.
October 8, 2009 at 12:07 am
The caramel journey has taken an unexpected turn! (At least to me- ice cream is usually last on my mind, the shame!) Now I want some salted butter caramel sauce on it too- or is that overkill? 😉
October 8, 2009 at 12:33 am
That photograph of the waterfall is breathtaking! The recipe sounds amazing and makes me wanna run out and buy an ice cream maker right now. Lastly, I’ve been meaning to ask what program you use to make your collages? I’m a Blogger user so for all I know this is a feature of WordPress. Thanks!
October 8, 2009 at 12:59 am
This one is on my to-do list.. Lovely photographs :))
October 8, 2009 at 6:46 am
Once again, I’ve gone to heaven … and darn! I’ve just lent my ice cream making attachment to my friend ‘J’!
Your ice-cream looks divine and I love your little pots. Love your layout so much.
Thanks again for sharing your lovely thoughts and photos. I see you were lucky enough to get to Cradle Mountain on a nice sunny day. You have made it look even more beautiful than it could possibly be. And it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
October 8, 2009 at 7:44 am
I’m a sucker for salted caramel, and having it in ice cream sounds perfect!
October 8, 2009 at 8:07 am
Sounds absolutely delicious!
And I’m so glad you had a lovely time on your honeymoon – Tasmania is such a beautiful place. Oh! And that abandoned boatshed! My sister and I spent as-long-as-we-could-handle-the-cold sitting next to it on the pebble beach just a couple of years back. Came away from it freezing and refreshed all in one 🙂
October 8, 2009 at 8:43 am
Did you get to try Valhalla ice cream in Hobart?
October 9, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Oh yes, we made sure to sample as much local offerings as possible. It was sensational!
October 8, 2009 at 9:25 am
I have wanted to make that recipe for a while… perhaps it’s time to get my ice cream maker out.. ( 😦 actually my ice cream paddle is broken… maybe I should buy a new one). Love the photography!
October 8, 2009 at 1:50 pm
my husband is a transplanted new englander and his family is obsessed with ice cream–thanks for clueing me into as to why. lovely pictures.
October 8, 2009 at 2:23 pm
AH! Finally I hear from you! I’ve been wondering what delicious antics you’ve been up to since you posted that caramel question. YAY! I LOVE the idea of some saltiness in that ice-cream! 😀
October 8, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Beautiful, as always. D. Lebovitz’s ice cream recipes are the best, and this one looks like it follows suit. I’m making salted caramel buttercream for my friend’s birthdy cake this week. The flavor seems to hang in the air around this time of year!
October 9, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Wow. Fantastic photos. That flavor is just one of my favorites. They’re so addicting.
October 9, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Hi again Julia. Just stopping by to let you know I posted an award for you on my site…and to test my willpower not to buy an ice cream maker and david’s book off Amazon this very minute O=).
October 9, 2009 at 10:37 pm
OMG – this icecream looks and sounds amazing!!! I have never been to Tassie, but these beautiful photos have convinced me that I should.
October 10, 2009 at 3:03 am
What fabulous photos! This caramel ice cream is going to be my favourite–I just know it. I am obsessed with caramel and I’m so happy that you are doing a caramel month.
October 10, 2009 at 7:44 pm
love those pictures & the icecream looks soooo good ^^. XOXO
October 10, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Glad you enjoyed the Valhalla ice cream. We used to use it when we had a restaurant.
I made the caramel ice cream yesterday – divine.
I noticed two things.
Firstly that without water added to the sugar it caramelises a lot faster than I expected. I very nearly burnt it.
Secondly, I wonder if it the high amount of sugar that prevents it from freezing hard.
We have enjoyed it on its own, with waffles and banana for breakfast this morning and in banana milkshakes this afternoon.
October 11, 2009 at 12:42 am
Julia,
it sounds so delicious! And the photos are wonderful as always.
I am going to check whether I put the ice cream bowl in the freezer so I can make some for tonight.
October 11, 2009 at 12:52 am
I cannot decide which is more gorgeous – the ice cream, or the landscapes. Who am I kidding, I would pick the ice cream, but that’s only because I’m greedy. It’s all beautiful.
October 11, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Your photos – of the ice cream and your honeymoon – are absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing!
October 11, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Yeah winter can just be really long in North-East North America :(. I mean, the first snow, especially if it happens in the evening, is wonderful. But right after, I get bored of the snow… winter is always too long for me.
Your ice cream sounds amazing! 🙂
October 12, 2009 at 8:48 am
Oh my goodness, what a lovely caramel color! Those cradle mountain photos are amazing, they really should belong in National Geographic.!
October 13, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I’m just getting back into blog reading and pleased to have discovered your blog. I didn’t realise you were in Brisbane until I saw your comments at Tartelette. I look forward to more of your wonderful posts.
October 15, 2009 at 8:37 am
I don’t remember if I already commented on this, but here I am again if so! This caramel month of yours is driving me insane! Beautiful!
October 15, 2009 at 3:13 pm
fantastic recipe! I can just taste the saltyness in the icecream now, and I just love the deep rich colour of it, you’ve really done a great job!
Those pictures of cradle mountain are fantastic! We were in Tasmania last year, but never made it to cradle mountain, now I wish I had!
October 18, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Fantastic pictures and styling Julia! 🙂 Love the idea of this ice cream too!
October 22, 2009 at 5:27 am
oh, what i wouldn’t do for a pint of that right now. i haven’t made ice cream since i was a kid and did so with my parents. this recipe may just be the one to prod me into making a batch. unfortunately it’ll have to wait until i’m back in the States. my freezer here is the size of a pocketbook. thank you for sharing this amazing looking recipe.
October 29, 2009 at 12:25 am
Ton site est une vraie merveille qui regorge de gourmandise!! J’adore!!! BRAVO à toi pour tes merveilleuses photos et tes recettes pleines de gourmandises et de finesse!!
October 30, 2009 at 5:01 am
[…] I remember the first time I saw snow. I was in my twenties, but I felt (and acted!), like a five year old. I am almost certain I screeched with sheer excitement upon seeing inches of fluffy, white magic not only forming a soft blanket on the ground around me, but delicately falling from the sky flaunting its unique snowflake shape … [read more] […]
October 30, 2009 at 5:38 am
You’ll be happy to know that it’s going to be 60 degrees in Boston tomorrow. Hopefully the snow will hold off until after Thanksgiving!
Yes, we in New England love ice cream and that’s one of the reasons why I can’t wait to try your recipe! And your photos are just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
October 31, 2009 at 9:50 pm
[…] :: Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream :: Deep, rich caramel infused ice cream. The ice cream is creamy, yet with an edge. Enjoy by the spoonful whether it is 30C, or 30F, outside. { Recipe here … } […]