SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Place sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Stir continuously and break up any lumps of sugar-this will help the sugar caramelize evenly. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring with a spatula to dissolve the sugar, then simmer, without stirring, until the caramel turns the color of a copper penny (or an Irish setter), about 4 minutes. If, while the caramel cooks, any sugar crystallizes on the sides of the pan, brush down the sides with a clean, wet pastry brush. Reduce the heat to low, and slowly add 1/2 cup of the cream (the caramel will rise and bubble and might spit, so be careful). Stir until the cream is well incorporated into the caramel. Remove from the heat and stir in salt. Should the caramel seize and harden, return the mixture to the heat and stir until it softens. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set another bowl over it. Set aside.Pour the milk and remaining 1 1/2 cups cream into a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Add the vanilla bean seeds and pod and warm the mixture until you see steam rising from the top.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, with a kitchen towel underneath it to prevent slipping, whisk together the egg yolks until uniform. While whisking, add a splash of the hot dairy mixture to the yolks. Continue to add the dairy mixture, whisking it in bit by bit, until you've added about half. Add the yolk mixture to the remaining dairy mixture in the double boiler, and stir in the caramel. Set the heat under the double boiler to medium and cook the custard, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and reducing the heat to medium-low as necessary, until steam begins to rise from the surface and the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Hold the spoon horizontally and run your finger through the custard. If the trail left by your finger stays separated, the custard is ready to be cooled.Strain the custard into the bowl sitting over the prepared ice bath and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the custard has cooled. Transfer the custard to a quart-sized container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker, add the salted caramel, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the container in which you refrigerated the custard in the freezer so you can use it to store the finished ice cream. Churn the ice cream until the texture resembles "soft serve." Transfer the ice cream to the chilled storage container and freeze until hardened to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can serve it immediately-it will be the consistency of gelato. The ice cream will keep, frozen, for up to 7 days.