Full question
Can I make and use my own caramel (not using condensed milk) instead of using tinned caramel in the salted caramel and bourbon ice cream recipe? For example, cooking down sugar with water to make a runny sauce.
Our answer
No-churn ice creams are often made with a combination of condensed milk and whipped cream. The combination of the two happens to give the right ratios of fat and sugar to give an ice cream that doesn't freeze solid and hence doesn't need churning.
Nigella's No-Churn Salted Caramel Bourbon Ice Cream (from AT MY TABLE) uses ready-made caramel from a can (Nestle/Carnation) or dulce de leche. This is made by cooking condensed milk until the sugars in the milk caramelize and is good for the no-churn ice cream as it contains the same amount of fat and sugar as regular condensed milk. Unfortunately, a home-made caramel sauce will not have the same quantities, so if it was used in the ice cream then it may freeze solid if there is too little sugar, or may not freeze enough and be very soft if there is too much. However, we have previously published an ASK Nigella.com post with instructions on how to make you own dulce de leche to use in the ice cream.
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