Ah, Sweet Caramel

Is this stuff ever going to be good over apple pie this fall (though I’ll be surprised if this particualr batch makes it past 2 PM this afternoon). The secret to really good caramel ice cream (or gelato as the case may be) is to really, really cook your caramel. Which is to say, don’t just brown it, burn it. Not to the point of blackness, but you definitely want to see a little smoke rising from your sauce pan. About 380 degress should suffice. Mind you, that’s going to produce a caramel that’s too bitter for use in something like a caramel sauce, but it will impart other-worldy burnt-sugar flavors and aromas to your ice cream. For more tips and cautions on making deep, dark caramel, see last year’s post Making Bakery Napalm.