Burnt Sugar Ice Cream Recipes

PRUNE SHERRY ICE CREAM WITH BURNT SUGAR SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the prunes and 1 cup water, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the prunes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are very soft. Add the Sherry, simmer the mixture for 1 minute, and let it cool. In a food processor purée the mixture coarse.
• In a bowl whisk together 2/3 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, the whole egg, and the yolks and add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking. In a heavy saucepan bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, and boil it, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and add the prune mixture and the cream. Stir the custard mixture until it is cold and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Line a metal loaf pan, 9 by 5 by 3 inches, with plastic wrap, spoon the ice cream into it, and freeze the ice cream, the top smoothed and the surface covered with plastic wrap, for at least 8 hours or overnight. The ice cream may be made 1 week in advance.
• In a dry large deep heavy skillet cook the remaining 1 cup sugar over moderately low heat, undisturbed, until it is melted, increase the heat to moderate, and cook the sugar, swirling the skillet occasionally, until it turns a deep caramel. Remove the skillet from the heat, pour 1 cup hot water carefully into the side of the skillet, and boil the burnt sugar sauce, stirring, until it is syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup. The sauce may be made 1 week in advance and kept covered and chilled. Unmold the ice cream and serve it, sliced, with the sauce, warm or at room temperature, and sprinkled with the almonds.

BURNT-SUGAR ICE CREAM WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a saucepan, and bring to a simmer.
• Combine the egg, flour and 1/2 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Start beating the mixture until it is thoroughly blended, and pour in the hot milk. Pour and scrape the sauce into a saucepan, and start beating over moderate heat. Cook until the mixture is thickened and smooth.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into a small nonstick skillet, and cook, stirring, until the sugar is melted and starts to take on a light caramel color. Immediately add the orange rind, and blend, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Immediately add the caramel-orange mixture to the sauce and blend.
• Line a mixing bowl with a sieve, and pour the sauce into it, pressing all around with the sides of a rubber spatula to extract as much flavor as possible from the orange rind. Discard the rind.
• Add the 1 cup of heavy cream, and stir. Let cool. Pour the mixture into the container of a hand-cranked or electric ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the butterscotch sauce, put the 1 1/2 cups of sugar into a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and cook, stirring, until the sugar is melted and becomes a dark caramel in color. Add the corn syrup, stir to blend, and remove from the heat. Stir in the butter to blend. Stir in the 2/3 cup of cream and the bourbon. Spoon the sauce over the ice cream and serve.

BURNT SUGAR ICE CREAM (SALLYE)

Steps:

• NOTE: INSTRUCTIONS IN PARANTHESES ARE MY INTERPRETATIONS ADDED FOR CLARIFICATION. THE BULK OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE COPIED EXACTLY FROM MY GRANDMOTHER'S HAND WRITTEN NOTES..
• (Lightly whisk eggs together until frothy, set aside) (Separate out 1 cup of sugar and set aside) (Beat 1 quart of heavy cream until soft peaks form and set aside)
• (Over medium high heat), caramelize 2 cups granulated sugar in a thick pan and let boil until a good brown. (Stir often with wooden spoon to avoid burning)
• In the top of a double boiler combine the beaten eggs, 1 cup sugar, salt and 1 quart of cream. When the custard has thickened, add the caramelized sugar while very hot. Strain and cool. (I'm not sure exactly what she meant by strain, I would just set aside pan covered by plastic wrap or airtight cover until cool. The plastic wrap or cover will prevent it forming a crust.)
• (When cool) add vanilla to taste, then add the extra quart of cream just half whipped. Freeze in hand freezer - I mean by agitation.
• Serve with toasted almonds sprinkled over top. (optional)