no churn salted caramel brownie ice cream
I love chocolate, but I don’t like chocolate ice cream at all. Anyone else with me?
I start there as an explanation for how I could have made this a chocolate ice cream, but opted to not since whenever I develop a recipe I prefer to make it as close to something J and I both enjoy, rather than doing science just for the sake of science. Neither of us are huge on chocolate ice cream. Something powdery and unnatural about its creation.
Thus, I let the brownies star as the chocolate overload in this incredible no-churn summertime treat.
Ice cream is something I as a consumer must be careful of. Commercial versions tend to break me out like no other. Although such has lessened with age, I still am gifted with a few new pustules every time I treat myself to a bowl. Even a reasonably-sized bowl. For a time I converted to frozen yogurt, which isn’t offensive to me, and some nondairy brands as well.
When I discovered ice cream without a machine, I was intrigued. After my No Churn Vanilla Fudge Ice Cream, I was hooked.
Summer heat bullshit calls for cooling foods, and I count ice cream as an appropriate nutrition group. Nothing like stumbling indoors from a beach or pool day and slurping down a few spoonfuls. The great thing is the base calls for just a few ingredients.
The brownies are entirely up to you. I am in the process of perfecting the brownies I used in this recipe – more so for texture, not taste, as they were a huge hit with J’s mountain biking clan – so use your favorite formula or get a box from the store and whip those up real quick. Let your finished brownies cool, and portion out six squares. Eat the remaining at your leisure, or scoop some of this ice cream overtop a piece for a serious brownie a la mode experience.
Salted caramel is the king of caramels. Melt down sugar until it completely dissolves into a golden hue and syrupy consistency. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in butter until it bubbles like the lava pits of hell and melts down, then whisk in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Transfer to a heat safe container, like a Pyrex measuring cup, and refrigerate until thickened and cool.
Next, the ice cream body. Transform the heavy cream into a thick, frothy base for your other components. Whip the liquid with a stand or hand mixer for about 5 minutes until soft peaks form. With a spatula, fold in the sweetened condensed milk, brownie chunks, vanilla extract, and half of your cooled caramel sauce. Pour into a loaf pan and swirl in the rest of the caramel. Cover and freeze at least six hours.
Simple, right?
Growing up, aside from the Haagen Dazs Vanilla Fudge, I loved anything cookie dough or Oreo. I’d go to town out of the pint or half gallon if left to my own devices.
Even now, I’ve a sustained weakness for anything resembling ice cream. The sweet version of tortilla chips for my tastebuds: once I start, stopping my munchies is a pretty impossible undertaking. Evenings often included a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s in college. Not exactly the most healthy habit of mine, but self control wasn’t my forte when I lived on my own the first couple years. Probably some emotional implications during that period, but that’s neither here no there.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Ingredients
- 6 brownies, homemade or store bought
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 batch salted caramel (recipe below)
salted caramel
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Bake whichever brownie recipe you intend to make. Keep in mind the prep time does not include the process for the brownies, so be sure to add that in to your considerations! Slice the brownies you intend to use until large chunks.
- Make the caramel. Dissolve the sugar on the stovetop, stirring often, until it reaches a deep gold, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter. The liquid will bubble vigorously. This is good! Stir until the butter melts, then whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and the salt. Pour into a heat safe container and refrigerate until cool, about 15-20 minutes.
- With a stand or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and half of the caramel sauce, then gently distribute the brownie chunks.
- Pour cream mixture into a loaf pan or a large airtight, freezer-safe container. Swirl in the remaining salted caramel. Freeze at least six hours but preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, let thaw on the counter about 5 minutes until scoopable. Enjoy!
