Carmel-Swirled Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Carmel-Swirled Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Pretzels. WHEW! Try saying that 10 times fast! While it sounds complicated, this ice cream is far from it.
Just a simple (yet delectable) vanilla ice cream, with crushed up chocolate covered pretzels mixed in, and layered in carmel syrup! Sweet and salty, chocolate and vanilla-y, pretzel and carmel-y.... UMM YUM!
You get your salted carmel without having to make salted carmel.
Really, this ice cream is AMAZING!
So amazing that I had to make a second batch of it after 2 days because we gobbled it up! Everyone gave this two thumbs up.
Let's get to it, shall we?
You'll need to plan a bit ahead to make this. Ideally, you want to heat up the base ingredients, and cool the mixture in the fridge overnight. Then you mix it in your ice cream maker for 20 or so minutes, mix in the pretzels, and put it in the freezer (in a freezer safe container), for about 5 hours to harden.
If you're short on time, you can cool the mixture in the fridge for about an hour, or until it's cold. Then mix it in the ice cream maker until it's reached a soft-serve consistency. Then freeze for at least an hour.
Okay!
Start by heating the whipping cream, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a sauce pan. Stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Carmel-Swirled Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Pretzels:
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 tea. vanilla extract
Caramel Syrup
15-20 chocolate covered pretzels
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine half-and-half, whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Bring to 270 degrees, or until the mixture is thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon. (Test by running a line through it with your finger to make sure it does not run).
Cool mixture in a container in the refrigerator overnight.
Once mixture has cooled and flavors have developed, pour into your running ice cream maker.
Mix according to your ice cream maker's instructions. While ice cream is churning, place chocolate covered pretzels in a ziplock bag, and crush to break up the pretzels to smaller chunks. I prefer to keep them pretty big. Pour in crushed pretzels while the mixer is still running to incorporate them evenly.
Once the ice cream is done (soft-serve consistency), pour 1/3 of it into your freezer-safe container. (Bread pans work great). Drizzle with caramel syrup. Pour another 1/3 on top, and drizzle with more caramel. Pour the remaining ice cream on top, and smooth slightly. Cover pan with foil, and freeze for a few hours to harden.
Enjoy!!
