Oh how we have loved having an ice cream maker. First we made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream, then Butterscotch Ice Cream and now a new fall favourite – Apple Pie Ice Cream with Homemade Caramel Sauce.
Garrett has declared it the all-time best ice cream flavour….for now. I feel like we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg of flavour possibilities.
This ice cream has all the apple-cinnamon goodness of a real apple pie, made even better with thick, homemade caramel sauce poured over top. It’s like autumn in a bowl and it smells just as amazing as you probably imagine. If I could bottle this up and put it in a scented candle, I’d be rich!
- 2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 1 cup whole milk (homogenized milk)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pour 1 cup heavy cream into a heat-safe bowl, set in a large bowl filled with an ice bath (ice cubes + water). Rest a fine mesh sieve over the top of bowls.
- In a medium saucepan, combine remaining cream, milk, brown sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to steam. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly whisk in some of the warm cream mixture, about ¼ cup at a time until it is about half cream in the bowl and the mixture is warm to the touch. By doing this gradually, you are tempering the yolks, rather than cooking them.
- Pour yolk mixture into saucepan and return to medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens for about 5-7 minutes or until it reaches 165ºF to 170ºF. Don't let it boil! I used a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the saucepan to make sure that I didn't get the mixture too hot.
- Pour mixture through the sieve into the cold cream. Add vanilla and stir.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure to press the plastic wrap down onto the surface of cream mixture, preventing a skin from forming while it cools. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 3 hours but overnight is ideal.
- To make the apples, melt the butter and then add the apples. Saute for a 5-10 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until the sugar has all melted and the liquid begins to evaporate. Transfer the apple mixture to a small bowl, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, put the apple mixture and half the custard into a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Pour the apple custard mixture, along with the rest of the custard into the freezing chamber of your ice cream maker. All manufacturers are different, but I found that with the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker we bought, it took about 25 minutes.
- Transfer ice cream to an air-tight container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
- Serve with Homemade Caramel Sauce (recipe below)
Pour 1 cup heavy cream into a heat-safe bowl, set in a large bowl filled with an ice bath (ice cubes + water). Rest a fine mesh sieve over the top of bowls.
In a medium saucepan, combine remaining cream, milk, brown sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to steam. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly whisk in some of the warm cream mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time until it is about half cream in the bowl and the mixture is warm to the touch. By doing this gradually, you are tempering the yolks, rather than cooking them.
Pour yolk mixture into saucepan and return to medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens for about 5-7 minutes or until it reaches 165ºF to 170ºF. Don’t let it boil! I used a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the saucepan to make sure that I didn’t get the mixture too hot.
Pour mixture through the sieve into the cold cream. Add vanilla and stir.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure to press the plastic wrap down onto the surface of cream mixture, preventing a skin from forming while it cools. Refrigerate the custard until completely cool, at least 3 hours but overnight is ideal.
To make the apples, melt the butter and then add the apples. Saute for a 5-10 minutes or until they begin to soften.
Add in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until the sugar has all melted and the liquid begins to evaporate. Transfer the apple mixture to a small bowl, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, put the apple mixture and half the custard into a food processor and puree until smooth.
Pour the apple custard mixture, along with the rest of the custard into the freezing chamber of your ice cream maker. All manufacturers are different, but I found that with the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker we bought, it took about 25 minutes.
The ice cream will come out of the maker as soft serve. Pour it into a freezer safe container and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours to make it into a harder ice cream.
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Meanwhile, you can make this amazing homemade caramel sauce recipe. I saw it on Pioneer Woman ages ago and it has since become the only caramel sauce I’ll use. It puts any store bought stuff to shame. And it only takes a few minutes to make. Easy peasy.
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup half-and-half cream
- 4 tbsp butter
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Mix the brown sugar, cream, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker.
- Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further.
- Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar.
- Refrigerate until cold.
When you’re ready to scoop it….
…drizzle on some of the caramel sauce and then lick the spoon clean.
Enjoy!
Look at all those little specks of cinnamon and apple. Delicious!
This sounds so yummy I can taste it now! I invite you to share this at a blog hop I’m co-hosting My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Party.
Michelle @ On A Wing And A Prayer