Apple Cider Caramel Ice Cream Recipe: Oh, how I like caramelized apple cider. With its tart edge, it’s just so much nicer than conventional caramel, especially in the fall when all things cider and spiced!
If you’ve been visiting this site for some time, you may have seen this recipe before, but it was only used as a garnish or an addition to another baked good (pavlova, ice cream, cheesecake, cookies, etc).
However, she is so unique that she need her own space. To be honest, there’s a lot about caramel to talk about, and I want to go over it all with you. Now let’s get started.
Apple Cider Caramel Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider use honeycrisp apple cider for a more tart taste, add mulling spices for added flavor
- 200g or 1 cup granulated sugar
- squeeze of lemon
- 85g 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 80g or ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 40g or 2 tablespoons reduced apple cider from above
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Method
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Place the cider in a medium- to large-sized pot along with the mulling spices, if using. For 45 to 60 minutes, boil on medium high until reduced to a thick, sticky syrup, about 1/4 cup.
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Put the sugar and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice into a 4-quart pot. In order to coat the sugar with the lemon, stir the sugar. Set the temperature to medium. Initially, it will melt on the bottom; swirl frequently to ensure even caramelization.
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Warm the heavy cream to the touch in the microwave.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to press out any lumps of sugar as it melts and becomes darker. After everything has melted evenly, simmer it for a few minutes or until the color you want is achieved. Aim for a shade or two darker than amber; the deeper the caramel, the more bitter the flavor; if you stop it too light, it won’t have a profound taste.
- To prevent the caramel from separating, gradually add the heavy cream while stirring. It will spit and sputter and can burn, so be careful handling it and wear oven mitts.
- When the butter is added, whisk it until it melts. After turning off the heat, stir in the vanilla, cider, and salt.
- Keep it in an airtight container; when sealed, it keeps for a few weeks.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh apple cider : is available from September through January in the grocery store’s juice aisle. It is the apple’s unfiltered juice. Crucially, neither apple cider vinegar nor apple juice—which is filtered and sweetened—should be consumed. Begin by heating two cups of fresh cider until nearly all of the water evaporates and you are left with only ¼ cup. The flavor of honeycrisp apple cider is more intense and acidic. Consider adding mulling spices to give it flavor while you boil it to reduce it.
- Sugar: I usually use finely ground granulated sugar. Moreover, organic sugar is an option.
- Unsalted butter: (so we may regulate the amount of salt applied). Use the European or American styles, which have a higher percentage of butterfat. Baker’s selection.
- Rich cream: similar to thick whipping cream. Avoid using half and half instead, as it has less fat.
- Fine sea salt is used: Table salt isn’t ideal here because it tastes overly salty.
- Vanilla: You can use vanilla paste or extract. As the sugar caramelizes, you can, if you’d like, cut open a vanilla pod and scrape it, adding the scrapings and the bean. When the caramel has cooked, remove the bean.
Also See
FAQ
How to make apple cider caramel
- I use the dry method to make my caramel which means, I caramelize the sugar straight onto the pan without adding water (the wet method).
- I do this because it gives me more control over the liquid ingredients that go into the recipe; if I want it to taste of more cider than water or if I want it creamier.
- So to start: set the sugar in a deep pan and add some acid. I usually do a couple of squeezes of lemon but for this specific caramel I might add ½ tsp apple cider vinegar.
- Then turn the heat on and begin cooking on low. The process takes time so be patient.