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–+ servings

Homemade Caramel Pecan Ice Cream

A creamy and rich homemade vanilla ice cream with swirls of caramel and homemade candied pecans
Prep Time:45 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
chilling time:1 day
Total Time:1 day 1 hour

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Candied Pecans

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Ice Cream

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 egg yolks
  • pinch salt

For Swirling

  • 1/2 cup prepared caramel sauce

Instructions

Make the Candied Pecans

  • Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Toast the pecans. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and stir for around 2 minutes until they're lightly toasted.
  • Add sweeteners and spices. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Then, add the water, salt, and vanilla. Stir until the water evaporates and the pecans are coated in a thick, sticky coating.
  • Bake the pecans. Pour the pecans onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, until crisp.
  • Cool and smash the pecans. Allow the pecans to cool while you make the custard. Then, smash into smaller pieces if desired.

Make the Ice Cream Base

  • Heat the milk and cream. Heat the milk, cream, and ½ cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it's warm and steaming, about 170°F.
  • Whisk the egg yolks and sugar. At the same time, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until they turn light yellow and mix well. You can use a hand mixer on low speed if you prefer.
  • Temper the eggs. Slowly pour half of the warm milk mixture, about half a cup at a time, while constantly whisking. Then, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream.
  • Cook the custard. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it's warm, but don't let it boil. Then, take it off the heat and add a little salt and some vanilla extract.
  • Strain and chill the custard. Strain the custard using cheesecloth or a strainer. Immediately place it in the refrigerator to chill for 4-24 hours, until very cold.

Churn and Add Mix-Ins

  • Freeze the ice cream. Freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it has reached the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, add the candied pecans to the machine. Once everything is mixed in, scoop the ice cream into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour.
  • Add the caramel swirl. Remove the vanilla ice cream from the freezer. Then, Put the caramel sauce on top. Gently swirl the sauce into the ice cream using a butter knife. Place the ice cream back in the freezer to firm up for at least 3 hours.

Notes

You can prepare the pecans either before or while the ice cream is chilling, whichever you prefer. You have the option to make the pecans on either Day 1 or Day 2 of this process.
Make sure the candied pecans are completely cooled before adding them to the ice cream mixture. 
You can also add fudge or chocolate chips to this recipe along with the caramel.
Don't try to rush any part of making homemade ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 866IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 343kcal
Author: Katie