Caramel/Peach Ice Cream

The recipe for the caramel makes more than you need for the ice cream. Save the extra in a jar in the fridge, and warm the jar in hot water before serving (it will become quite firm). You do want to have the caramel freshly made when making the ice cream, as it will still be soft enough to dissolve in the custard.

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, syrup and salt. Stirring constantly, bring to the boiling point over medium heat. Cook five minutes longer (still stirring). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and set aside while you make the custard.

For the custard:

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. In a saucepan, heat the cream and milk until steaming. Whisk the milk into the eggs slowly, then return it all to a pan and cook, whisking to prevent scorching until you reach 170 degrees F. Remove from heat.

Place about half of the caramel mixture in the bottom of a heat-proof mixing bowl. Set a fine strainer over it, and strain the custard in. Remove strainer, and place entire bowl into an ice bath. Whisk to dissolve the caramel into the custard. When cool, freeze in a tray in the freezer, breaking up the crystals every twenty minutes, or process in a machine. At the end, mix in 1-2 large, ripe peaches that have been mashed with a few drops of lemon juice to preserve the colour. Freeze in a container until set. Serve with hot caramel sauce.