Recipe: Caramel balsamic ice cream

This ice cream is definitely out of the ordinary and deliciously rich.  Don't let the vinegar put you off, it's acidity gets balanced out by the caramel and the cream.  I used a 20 year old balsamic when I made this - it's more expensive, but it pays off in the end.  Get one of the ones that's nice and thick and syrupy.  If you don't want to go that route, you can reduce regular balsamic till it starts to get thick, then sweeten it just a bit.  Depending on the caramel sauce you make and the vinegar you use, the proportions may vary a bit, so play with it till you like the balance.  Again, this is a small recipe in order to freeze faster in a home machine - if you can churn a generous litre (quart) of ice cream, by all means double the recipe.

You will need:

250ml / 1C                cream

250ml / 1C                milk (homo)

5                                egg yolks
98g / 3.5oz                sugar
1/2                            vanilla bean
pinch                         kosher salt
35ml / 2Tbs + 1tsp    caramel sauce (refer to previous recipe)
37.5ml / 2.5Tbs         aged balsamic vinegar

Method:

 - make your caramel sauce separately and set aside
 - combine the milk, cream, vanilla, half the sugar and pinch of salt in a pot and bring up to a simmer
 - turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for half an hour
 - mix the yolks with the other half of the sugar
 - bring the mix back up to heat and temper into the yolks
 - return to the stove and while constantly stirring, cook to 83C / 181F
 - strain into a bowl over ice and cool completely
 - measure in the balsamic vinegar and caramel sauce and mix well
 - press cling film onto the surface and let ripen in the fridge overnight
 - give the custard a whisk
 - churn in an ice cream machine
 - store in the freezer