Sea Salt Ice Cream
lightly adapted from Kieran Murphy of Murphy's Ice Cream
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar (120 grams)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1½ tsp. coarse ground sea salt* (or to taste)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl using an electric mixer for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow and thick enough to hold its shape for 2 seconds.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat until simmering.
- Temper the egg mixture: very slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs while whisking constantly. Do not whisk too quickly or the milk will begin to foam.
- Pour the warmed eggs back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Using a spoon or spatula, stir until the custard is thick enough to coat the utensil.
- Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard.
- Chill the custard for 1 hour, or until completely cool.
- Stir in the salt. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Do not overwhip! Stiff cream will be challenging to fold into the custard.
- Fold the whipped cream into the custard, working gently so as not to deflate the cream.
- Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to machine instructions, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer the ice cream to a wide, shallow container and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze for at least 4 hours before scooping.
Notes
* Different types and sizes of salt can yield very different levels of saltiness in this ice cream! For fine sea salt, start with 1 tsp. and add more in small increments if needed. For coarse sea salt, start with 1½ tsp. and adjust as needed to taste. You can also grind your own salt, which will result in some smaller and some larger salt crystals.
The ice cream should taste salty, but not overpoweringly so.
If you overdo the salt, add ¼ tsp. vanilla extract to the ice cream, which will counterbalance the salt and give the ice cream a more caramel flavor.
