Soy Sauce Caramel Ice Cream
Homemade vanilla ice cream reaches new heights in this recipe with generous ribbons of soy sauce caramel. A creative interplay of savory and sweet flavors, this Japanese-inspired frozen treat will keep you coming back for more!
Servings: 1 QT (1L)
Calories: 2741kcal
Ingredients
For the Soy Sauce Caramel (yields ½ cup or 120 ml)
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (I used Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce)
For the Vanilla Ice Cream
- ½ gelatin sheet (1.1 g; or use ½ tsp gelatin powder; I love using PerfectaGel Gold gelatin sheets; see Notes)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
To Freeze the Ice Cream Bowl (at least 24 hours prior)
- If you‘re using an ice cream maker that requires you to pre-freeze the bowl (like this one), make sure to freeze it for at least 24 hours. If it’s not cold enough, you may end up with liquid even after 30 minutes of churning. For this recipe, I borrowed my friend’s fancy ice cream maker that does not require freezing the bowl in advance. If you don‘t have an ice cream maker, I hope this post helps.
To Make the Soy Sauce Caramel
- Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 8+ hours of chilling, churning, and freezing time.Gather all the ingredients. You can double the recipe, but do not increase beyond that because it’s difficult to melt the sugar properly.
- In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, silicone spatula, or wooden spoon.
- The sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn yourself from the splatter.
- Once the sugar is completely melted, immediately add 3 Tbsp unsalted butter. The caramel will bubble rapidly, so take extra caution not to burn yourself from the splatter.
- Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from the heat and vigorously whisk to combine. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3–4 minutes. It will eventually get there. Just keep whisking. Return to the heat when it’s combined again.
- Very slowly drizzle in ¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
- Turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Stir in 2 Tbsp soy sauce.
- Allow it to cool down slightly before use. Caramel thickens as it cools.
- After the caramel cools down, pour it into a glass jar or container. Refrigerate for up to 1 month and freeze for up to 3 months. The caramel solidifies as it cools, but you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove so it becomes liquid again. For frozen caramel, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm up before using.
To Make the Vanilla Ice Cream Mixture
- Cut ½ gelatin sheet into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces and place in a small bowl. Add ¼ cup water and let the gelatin bloom for 10 minutes. (To use gelatin powder, add it in Step 4.)
- In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream and 1 cup whole milk.
- Whisk together and bring it to almost simmering over medium-low heat until small bubbles appear along the edges (but don’t let it boil), about 8–10 minutes. If you have a cooking thermometer, it should be 181°F or 83°C.
- In a large bowl, combine ½ cup sugar and 3 large egg yolks. (If you are using gelatin powder, add it now.)
- Whisk together until combined.
- Add a quarter of the milk mixture from the pot into the bowl while constantly whisking (to prevent the eggs from cooking).
- Then, repeat with another quarter of the mixture, this time while stirring with a plastic spatula.
- Finally, pour the rest of the milk mixture into the bowl and whisk together. Now, pour the mxture back into the pot.
- Drain the water from the gelatin sheet and add the gelatin to the mixture.
- Return the pot to the stove over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Without allowing it to boil, heat for 8–10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. The cooking thermometer should reach 160ºF or 71°C to pasteurize the eggs. Turn off the heat and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a 4-cup measuring cup or a medium bowl.
- Add 1½ tsp vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Prepare a large bowl with ice cubes, and set the measuring cup (or the medium bowl) inside. Stir the mixture occasionally to help it cool faster. Once cool (it should take about 30 minutes), cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To Churn the Vanilla Ice Cream
- The next day (or after 4 hours), set up your ice cream maker according to the instructions.
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine. Make sure not to fill it more than about two-thirds of the way up.
- Start churning. Churning ice cream incorporates air into the finished product while it freezes, so you will need some extra room in your freezer bowl.
- After about 25–30 minutes, the mixture will become thicker and creamier.
- Lift up the paddle and scrape off the ice cream with a (mini) silicone spatula into the ice cream maker bowl.
To Make the Soy Sauce Caramel Ice Cream
- Transfer half of the ice cream into an airtight glass container (ideally a square or rectangular shape) and flatten the top with the silicone spatula.
- Drizzle a generous amount of soy sauce caramel on top.
- Add the rest of the ice cream and flatten it with the silicone spatula.
- Drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Save some for drizzling when serving.
- Cover the lid and put it in the freezer. Set your freezer temperature to the coldest setting, so the ice cream freezes faster. Optional: Lay plastic wrap directly on top of ice cream and press down gently to prevent ice crystals from forming on top of the ice cream.
To Serve
- Take the ice cream out of the freezer 5–10 minutes before serving, so it becomes soft enough to scoop. Drizzle extra soy sauce caramel on top if you like. Enjoy!
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Notes
For the Gelatin:
1 envelope gelatin powder (0.25 oz, 7 g) = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 3 sheets GOLD leaf gelatin.
1 sheet leaf gelatin corresponds to 1 tsp of powdered gelatin.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 QT · Calories: 2741 kcal · Carbohydrates: 170 g · Protein: 29 g · Fat: 221 g · Saturated Fat: 133 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 1330 mg · Sodium: 1094 mg · Potassium: 762 mg · Sugar: 153 g · Vitamin A: 8929 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 677 mg · Iron: 2 mg