The Baker Chick

Sweet treats, Recipe and Tricks of the trade from this NYC gal and her itty-bitty NYC kitchen.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce

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This past Sunday I left for Maine for a month. I know I’ve mentioned this in a few previous posts, but I figure it’s time to tell you that my blog may be slightly different for a few weeks. I’ve been preparing for a while trying to have a nice “back log” of recipes so that my blog stays alive, and  I also have 4 outstanding guest posts planned! I feel so grateful that my fellow bloggers are so giving and willing to help out.

The Theatre that I am working for houses us in an apartment with a full kitchen, but I didn’t know what supplies would be in it, or how much time I’d even have to be baking. Now that I’m here, I can report that there are a few old measuring cups and a hand mixer, but I am glad I didn’t come here needing to bake every day. The last thing I feel like doing is trying to find lighting, ingredients and inspiration while I’m also in 8 hours of rehearsal a day and adjusting to a new city. (I will probably end up baking at some point this month though, as two of my cast mates have birthdays while we’re here and I can’t resist giving b-day treats!)

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Anyway- my first “on the road” post is a recipe from the “Frugal Feast” dinner party I had over the weekend. It consists of creamy and fluffy Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with a perfectly salted Caramel Sauce. Now I know we maybe be transitioning out of Ice Cream season, but this was too good not to share. (Also it was 80 and humid the day I made it. )

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This may be the first Ice Cream recipe I’ve actually made correctly. See for once in my life I showed some patience. I’m really not a patient person, (working on it I swear!) Usually when I have my mind on a flavor of Ice Cream, I want to be eating it right away. The thought of letting the mixture chill overnight and having to wait until the next day to make it seems unbearably long. But this time I did it! I was so busy packing for Maine that I didn’t even remember I had the mixture in the fridge. By the time I started churning it in my Ice Cream maker, I could already tell a huge difference. It got so thick and creamy that I could actually eat it right out of the machine!
The Caramel sauce is pretty standard and my absolute favorite. The use of salted butter and a sprinkling of sea salt adds the perfect amount of saltiness. The sauce is thick and rich and perfect for this classic flavor. Enjoy! And more from Maine very soon….
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Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups heavy cream, or 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups cream (or the remaining 1 cup cream and the milk) and the vanilla extract.
  3. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. (Overnight!) When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use (I stuck mine in my sugar container,) and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
 
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Salted Caramel Sauce
Yield: 1 cup of sauce
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 6 TBs Salted Butter- cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Make sure all your ingredients are ready to go before you begin. Have the cream in a measuring cup and the butter in pieces near the saucepan.
  2. Heat sugar on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. *A somewhat easier method involves mixing ½ cup water in with the sugar. It takes a while longer to caramelize, but the sugar is less likely to burn!
  3. As soon as all of the sugar crystals have melted (the liquid sugar should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.
  4. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. This is why you must use a pan that is at least 2-quarts (preferably 3-quarts) big.
  5. Add the Sea Salt. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. (Remember to use pot holders when handling the jar filled with hot caramel sauce.) Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm before serving.
Adapted from: Simply Recipes
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Comments

  2. Hi there – I’ve been following your blog and I think that you’re recipes are awesome. You mentioned above above that you are having guest posts this month and I was wondering if you’re looking for more volunteers?! I also started my food blog this year and am trying to figure out how to get a bit of a following – if you’d let me contribute a post to you a could do some sort of unique NZ sweet treat? I hope to hear from you!
    http://myocg.blogspot.com/

    Reply

  3. Hey Jaimie! Thanks so much for reading and for your kind words!
    I lined up these guest bloggers a few weeks ago, but I am sure that in the future I’ll need more so please stay in touch! Gonna check out your blog :)

    Reply

  9. Oh this is just glorious!!! Vanilla and Caramel….AND Sea Salt?!? WOW!!! you should try my Chocolate Chip cookies with sea salt!!! they are so yummy! I’m so glad I saw this and I can’t wait to make it!! Thanks for sharing!
    Carolyn

    Reply

  12. That is THE best vanilla ice cream recipe ever! I made some for my husband when he came home from his last deployment. I jokingly said if David Lebovitz wasn’t gay I would be madly in love with him for his ice cream. To which my husband replied, and if I was gay, I’d be in love with him too! Enjoy your trip!

    Reply

  19. I have been looking for a simple vanilla ice cream recipe for ages, custard based versions always seem to rich for me. This recipe is perfect, delicious on it’s own, child friendly and plain enough to use as an accompaniment to oh so many desserts!

    Reply

  21. That’s the first time I’ve ever made caramel, let alone a sauce out of it. Your instructions were spot on and excellent. You’re a good teacher

    Reply

  22. I tried making the sauce for your vanilla cake. I ended up adding water and I am not sure if I cooked the sugar and water long enough as it is quite pail now that I added the butter and cream. I have it sitting out cooling now Andrea I hope it thickens up as it cools. It tastes good at least

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  23. Well, it only took 3 attempts for me to make a make it, haha
    Second try I burnt it and added to much salt. Third time was a charm!

    Reply

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