How to Make Salted Caramel Pretzel Crunch Ice Cream

Ingredients:

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         1 teaspoon sea salt

For the Pretzel Crunch:

·         2 cups pretzels, crushed into small pieces

·         4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

·         2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Ice Cream Base:

·         2 cups heavy cream

·         1 cup whole milk

·         3/4 cup granulated sugar

·         4 large egg yolks

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Prepare the salted caramel sauce:

·         In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it melts and turns amber in color.

·         Add the butter to the pan and stir until fully melted and combined with the caramelized sugar.

·         Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring continuously. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up.

·         Stir in the sea salt and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

·         Remove from heat and let the caramel sauce cool completely.

Make the pretzel crunch:

·         Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

·         In a bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Mix until the pretzels are evenly coated.

·         Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes until the pretzels are golden brown.

·         Remove from the oven and let the pretzel crunch cool completely.

Prepare the ice cream base:

·         In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk, and granulated sugar over medium heat until it begins to steam, but not boil.

·         In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.

·         Slowly pour about 1 cup of the heated cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the yolks.

·         Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture, stirring well.

·         Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

·         Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled.

Churn the ice cream:

·         Once the ice cream base is chilled, pour it into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.

·         While the ice cream is churning, break the cooled pretzel crunch into smaller pieces.

·         During the last few minutes of churning, add the pretzel crunch to the ice cream maker and continue churning until well combined.

Layer the ice cream with salted caramel:

·         Transfer the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, alternating layers of ice cream and drizzles of salted caramel sauce.

·         Use a spoon or spatula to gently swirl the salted caramel sauce into the ice cream, creating a marbled effect.

·         Cover the container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until the ice cream is firm.

·         Serve and enjoy!

·         When ready to serve, scoop the salted caramel pretzel crunch ice cream into bowls or cones.

·         Drizzle some extra salted caramel sauce on top and garnish with a few pretzel pieces, if desired.

·         Enjoy!!