feelin hot hot hot

We got some rain the last few days! Evening thunder storms rolling in and crashing into the mountains. Lightening more spectacular than any firework show. Fresh air and cooler temperatures.....we've loved it.

Up until then it's just been HOT.... uunusually hot for our mountain town, and temperatures are climbing again. I planted my garden pretty late this year and my plants have been so sad and droopy the last few weeks. I've felt droopy with all this heat......so we made ice cream! And it was melting before we could finish our scoops....

(see? pile of melty ice cream) 

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Ice Cream Base

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half and half

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla 

 Add cream, half and half, and sugar to a medium saucepan. On medium high heat and stirring occasionally, heat the mixture to JUST before it boils and then remove from heat. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale yellow. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture in to the eggs, mixing as you pour. Return mixture back into saucepan and cook over low heat. Continue to stir and cook until a thermometer registers 170°F, and mixture coats the back of a spoon. Don't let the mixture boil. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl, stir in vanilla. Refrigerate the ice cream base 2-3 hours or until it's cold all the way though. (You can set up an ice bath to put your bowl of ice cream base in to help it cool before you put it in the fridge.)

Caramel

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup half and half

1 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla

Add half and half, sugar, and salt to small sauce pan and cook on medium low heat until it starts to boil. Keep at a low boil for about six minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into bowl and set over ice bath to help the cooling process. Once the caramel is at room temperature, add it to the chilled ice cream base and mix together.
Pour base into ice cream maker and follow manufactures instructions. 

Top with strawberries, and hurry and eat it before it melts!

What's your favorite kind of ice cream to make?

don't have an ice cream maker? try this ice cream pie with hot fudge instead!