Coffee & Caramel Ice Cream

Coffee and caramel represent two paths to depth and complexity in ice cream. These recipes use proper extraction methods for clean, intense flavor.

Vessel Requirements

Each quart mason jar holds one 1x batch. Scale by adding jars, not by overfilling.

Batch	Jars	Churning
1x	1 quart mason jar	Single churn
2x	2 quart mason jars	Two sequential 1x churns

Cold-Brew Coffee Ice Cream

Smooth, low-acid coffee flavor through cold extraction.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Cold steep
Coarsely ground coffee	45g	90g
Heavy cream (for steep)	240g (1 c)	480g (2 c)
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	150g	300g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~780g base → ~940ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Cold steep: Combine ground coffee and cream for steeping in covered container. Refrigerate 12–18 hrs.

2. Strain coffee cream: Filter through fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Press gently—aggressive pressing extracts bitterness. You’ll yield ~200g infused cream.

3. Custard base: Combine milk, second cream portion, sugar, and salt in jar. Add whisked yolks. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min.

4. Combine: Strain hot custard into coffee cream. Whisk to combine.

5. Finish: Add vanilla once below 40°C / 104°F.

6. Age: Refrigerate minimum 4 hrs.

7. Churn: Process to -6°C / 21°F.

Note

Cold-brewed coffee cream has smoother, less acidic flavor than hot-extracted. Use coarse grind—fine grind over-extracts.

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Espresso Ice Cream

Intense, bold coffee hit using espresso.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	238g (1 c)	476g (2 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	150g	300g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g
Post-strain
Fresh espresso, cooled	60g (2 shots)	120g (4 shots)
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~785g base → ~950ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Pull espresso: Extract fresh shots. Cool completely—hot espresso curdles dairy.

2. Custard: Combine milk, cream, sugar, salt, and yolks in jar. Sous vide standard.

3. Combine: Strain hot custard. Whisk in cooled espresso.

4. Finish: Add vanilla. Age, churn.

Coffee Pairing

Coffee Type	Character	Best For
Ethiopian (light)	Fruity, floral	Delicate, fruit-paired
Colombian (medium)	Balanced, nutty	Classic coffee ice cream
Italian roast (dark)	Bold, bitter, chocolatey	Intense espresso flavor
Decaf	Variable	For caffeine-sensitive; quality varies

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Salted Caramel Ice Cream

The modern classic. Deep caramel with fleur de sel.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Caramel
Granulated sugar	150g	300g
Water	45g (3 T)	90g (6 T)
Heavy cream, warm	180g (¾ c)	360g (1½ c)
Unsalted butter	30g	60g
Fleur de sel	4g	8g
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Fine sea salt	1.5g	3g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~850g base → ~1020ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Make caramel: Combine sugar and water in heavy saucepan. Cook undisturbed over medium-high to deep amber, 175°C / 347°F.

2. Add cream: Remove from heat. Carefully stream in warm cream—mixture bubbles violently. Whisk continuously.

3. Finish caramel: Whisk in butter until emulsified. Stir in fleur de sel. Cool to room temperature.

4. Custard: Combine milk, cream, salt, and yolks in jar. Do not add sugar—caramel provides sweetness. Sous vide standard.

5. Combine: Strain hot custard into caramel. Whisk thoroughly.

6. Emulsify: Blend with immersion blender for smooth texture.

7. Finish: Add vanilla. Age minimum 4 hrs.

8. Churn: Process to -6°C / 21°F.

Caution

Caramel is extremely hot—350°F can cause severe burns. Add cream carefully and keep face away from pan.

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Butterscotch Ice Cream

Brown sugar depth with buttery richness.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Butterscotch
Brown sugar, packed	150g	300g
Unsalted butter	60g	120g
Heavy cream, warm	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Light corn syrup	30g	60g
Fine sea salt	3g	6g
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Vanilla extract	8g	16g

Yield: ~810g base → ~980ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Butterscotch: Combine brown sugar and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring, until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

2. Add cream: Stream in warm cream. Add corn syrup. Simmer 3 min.

3. Season: Stir in salt. Cool.

4. Custard: Combine milk, cream, and yolks in jar. No added sugar. Sous vide standard.

5. Combine: Strain custard into butterscotch. Whisk smooth.

6. Finish: Add vanilla. Age, churn.

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Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

Pushed past caramel into complex bitter-sweet territory.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Burnt sugar
Granulated sugar	175g	350g
Water	50g (3½ T)	100g (7 T)
Heavy cream, warm	200g (generous ¾ c)	400g (generous 1½ c)
Unsalted butter	30g	60g
Fine sea salt	3g	6g
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	100g (scant ½ c)	200g (scant 1 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)

Yield: ~825g base → ~1000ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Burn sugar: Cook sugar and water to very dark amber—just before smoking, 185–190°C / 365–374°F. The edge of burnt adds complexity without pure bitterness.

2. Deglaze: Add cream carefully. Whisk smooth.

3. Finish: Add butter and salt.

4. Custard: Standard method, no sugar in custard.

5. Combine: Strain custard into burnt sugar. Age, churn.

Note

The line between complex burnt sugar and acrid ash is narrow. Watch carefully and pull from heat at first wisps of smoke.

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Affogato-Style Coffee Caramel

Coffee and caramel together.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Coffee caramel
Granulated sugar	130g	260g
Water	40g	80g
Fresh espresso, warm	60g (2 shots)	120g (4 shots)
Heavy cream, warm	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Unsalted butter	25g	50g
Fine sea salt	3g	6g
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	120g (½ c)	240g (1 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~820g base → ~990ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Caramelize: Cook sugar and water to medium amber, 170°C / 338°F—lighter than standard to let coffee shine.

2. Add liquids: Remove from heat. Add espresso first (less splatter), then cream. Whisk smooth.

3. Finish caramel: Add butter and salt.

4. Custard: Standard method, no sugar.

5. Combine: Strain custard into coffee caramel. Add vanilla. Age, churn.

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Fix
Coffee bitter	Over-extracted or poor beans	Cold-steep shorter; use quality fresh-roasted
Coffee weak	Under-extracted	Longer steep; more coffee
Caramel grainy	Crystallization	Don’t stir during cooking; wash sides with wet brush
Caramel too dark	Over-cooked	Watch temp closely; work faster at color change
Burnt taste	Pushed too far	Start over; butter line is not far past
Separated base	Caramel too hot when combined	Let caramel cool to 60°C before combining

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Mix-In Pairings

Base	Swirl/Mix-In	Amount per Qt
Cold-brew coffee	Chocolate fudge ribbons	70g
Espresso	Chocolate-covered espresso beans	50g
Salted caramel	Brownie pieces	80g
Butterscotch	Toffee bits	50g
Burnt sugar	Candied pecans	60g
Coffee caramel	Caramel swirl + cookie pieces	60g + 50g