Butterscotch Ice Cream

Instructions

1. In a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter.
2. Add the light brown sugar and fine sea salt, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles, about 3-5 minutes, forming a smooth butterscotch sauce. Remove from heat; set 1/2 cup (120 ml) aside for swirls.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
4. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm remaining butterscotch sauce into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper and avoid scrambling the eggs.
5. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining butterscotch sauce.
6. Add the heavy cream and whole milk to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 170°F–175°F (77°C–79°C). Do not boil.
7. Remove the custard from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract.
8. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any curdled bits or lumps.
9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the custard surface to prevent a skin from forming.
10. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
11. Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and creamy, about 20-30 minutes.
12. Transfer half of the churned ice cream to an airtight container, gently swirl in the reserved 1/2 cup (120 ml) of prepared butterscotch sauce, then add the remaining ice cream and swirl lightly to create ribbons.
13. Freeze the ice cream for at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.