Caramel Ice Cream

 

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

2 eggs

1/8 t. salt

1 c. lowfat milk

1 pt. heavy whipping cream

1 T. vanilla

1/8 t. ground cardamom

 

Freeze ice cream chamber at least 24 hours in advance.

 

Pour condensed milk into a non-aluminum saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it boils for a couple of minutes and turns a golden caramel color.  (Don't let it burn.)  Pour into a tall-sided mixing bowl, scraping pan clean.  Set bowl aside.  Rinse pan well and add sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low, and continue cooking until syrup turns golden brown.  Stir into condensed milk.  (Don’t worry if the caramel syrup hardens a bit as you mix it into the condensed milk.  There will be a lot more mixing later.)

 

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and salt until thick and yellow.  Set aside.

 

Pour lowfat milk into the same saucepan as before and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Beat some of the hot milk into the eggs.  Then stir the milk-egg mixture back into the rest of the hot milk.  Heat again on low heat, stirring constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon.  (If it cooks few seconds too long and becomes thick, that’s okay; the ice cream will still turn out fine.)  Pour hot custard into condensed milk mixture.  Beat with an electric mixer until well combined.  On lowest speed, add cream, vanilla and cardamom.  Cover bowl and place in refrigerator until mixture is chilled, about an hour.

 

This would be a good time to have dinner, go for a walk, etc.

 

Set up the ice cream freezer and pour in the chilled mixture.  Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions (should be approximately 35 minutes.)  Serve immediately and freeze the rest.  Makes a little over a quart.