Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream

My friend's Jessica and Ben recently got married. (You might remember them from their recent visit to Oregon.) Last time I talked to them, I asked if they got any "out there" wedding gifts that weren't on their registry. Our chat went something like this...

"so did you guys get anything you weren't expecting for your wedding?"

j&b: [thinking...thinking]

me: well?

j&b: yes! THE WEIRDEST MOST USELESS GIFT EVER!

me: really? what was it?

b: AN ICE CREAM MAKER!

j: i mean, seriously, i will never ever use it.

b: we're definitely taking it back.

me: [aghast]. what! i just paid good money for an ice cream maker, and i couldn't be more excited about it!...i actually almost bought you guys one.

j&b: big mistake. huge. we would have given you this one.

And this, my friends, is what makes the world go 'round.

Whatever. "More for you and me. Idiots! "

I bought my first ice cream maker a few weeks back and have been searching recipe after recipe for the perfect "first flavor". I watched Ina make this recently and the entire time, my mouth was agape. And I drooled a little. I had found The One. Sold.

This needs to be made in two phases with at least 8 hours between phases. Your ice cream bowl needs to have been freezing in the freezer for at least 24 hours. Oh, and you need an ice cream maker. I got mine from Amazon, and so far, absolutely no complaints from this girl. Maybe a few from my thighs. But definitely not from anywhere else.

Here we go.

Salted Caramels and Candy Thermometers

I've been meaning to purchase a candy thermometor for almost a year now. But the past three times I've come across one, I pick it up, lug it around while I peruse the store, bring it the register, and finally have a change of heart. My exchange with the cashier typically goes something like this:

"Ah, I'm sorry, but, um, I won't be getting the thermometer this time."

"Okay...How about those Sour Straws*?" he asks.

"Oh, these? Of course. Just the Sour Straws."

You see, in my adventure of moving across the country and leaving behind the glamorous and equally material life of an investment banker, I made a conscious effort to downsize and de-clutter. I ended up donating or throwing away three quarters of my life when I left the east coast. [Imagine the TV show "Hoarders"...in reverse.] Sometimes I can feel myself starting to acquire, acquire, acquire again and anxiety ensues. Which is why the cashier at Bed, Bath, and Beyond likely thinks I am an indecisive, confused little girl with a Sour Straw dependency. And justifiably so.

Anywho, when I came across this recipe, my lingering fear of unnecessarily cluttering my kitchen was abated. Bonus: You will likely already have all of the required ingredients in your pantry. I hope you enjoy as much as my roommates and I did!

*I love Sour Straws. It's becoming an issue. I think I felt my first cavity forming after a recent binge.