Salty Sweet Surprise

Safeway Select Limited Edition Salted Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream has to be one of the best flavors of ice cream on the planet. This was on sale 2 for $6 at my local Von's and I just decided to try it. All I can say is it's an orgasm in a bowl. Sweet creamy vanilla ice cream laced with ground pretzel bits, salt and swirls of caramel. Mr Mine and I have taken to watching an episode of Firefly each night while eating a small bowl of this divine heavenliness. Who knew?

I actually just bought the last two that they had in stock at the store today, because the thought of running out saddens me. I'm thinking I may have to try making my own version of this. It might be time to break out the old ice cream maker that we got for Christmas from my cousin and her husband year before last. 

We made several sorbets with it when we initially got it, but I have yet to try making actual ice cream. Two of the three sorbets came out pretty well, we did a Raspberry Mint, a Lemon Basil, and then a simple Orange Sorbet. The orange one came out pretty awful but I loved the other two.


I was thinking about giving this recipe that I found a try for the Salted Pretzel Caramel:

Salted Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream
caramel adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

-2 cups half and half
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
-2 cups coarsely chopped pretzels

for the salted caramel sauce
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup half and half
-4 tbsp butter
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
1. To make the ice cream base, combine half and half, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight or until completely chilled.
2. The next day, prepare your caramel sauce. Mix the brown sugar, half and half, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking gently, for 5-7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the vanilla and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl to cool to room temperature.
3. Place the ice cream base mixture into the ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Once ice cream is thick and nearly finished, add pretzels (you may need to add some of them after you finish churning to evenly distribute).
4. Layer the ice cream and the caramel in your ice cream storage container, beginning and ending with the ice cream. Freeze at least four hours, until firm.

The only change that I might make is instead of coarsely chopping the pretels I might grind them up finely. The Safeway Select version seems to have done that and it is the perfect consistency.