Caramel Latte Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Combine cream and coffee beans in a medium saucepan and set on stove over medium heat until foaming and steaming, stirring occasionally. Cover, remove from heat, and allow beans to steep for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a large, tall pot and shake to spread out in an even layer across the bottom surface. Set over medium-low heat (or just below medium) and let sit until the sugar begins to liquify. This usually takes about 15 minutes, give or take, depending on your stove’s heat and the pot used, but watch carefully to avoid burning the sugar.
3. Once the sugar is just starting to liquify, microwave the milk for about 90 seconds, until very warm. Set aside near the stove.
4. As the sugar liquifies, use a heat-safe spatula to gently scoop the melted sugar over the unmelted, just until all of the sugar has melted. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat immediately and carefully pour in milk while stirring. The mixture will be very hot and will bubble up dramatically. Continue to stir until bubbles subside.
5. Set caramel back over heat and stir constantly until any hardened pieces of sugar have melted once again. If a lot of the sugar has hardened, you’ll need to stir for a while, but it should all evenly liquify again into a smooth caramel. Once done, set off the heat to cool until just warm.
6. After an hour, stir the coffee-infused cream and, making sure the caramel is no warmer than the cream, strain the cream from the beans into the caramel sauce. Add salt and stir until smooth. Put mixture back on stove briefly over medium heat, stirring just until fairly warm but not hot.
7. Whisk the egg yolks together in a large bowl. While continuing to whisk rapidly, slowly pour in the caramel mixture until all has been added. Transfer mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir, until a custard forms that is just thick enough to lightly coat a wooden spoon, leaving a visible trail when you run your finger down the center. (If you have a good kitchen thermometer , the custard should be at 170º-175º when it is ready.
8. Remove custard from heat and strain into a bowl. Set over an ice bath and stir until no longer warm. Stir in vanilla extract. Transfer to a container with the lid slightly ajar and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator (about 8 hours or overnight).
9. Just before churning, whisk ice cream base briefly. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until cold and firm before serving. Serve with homemade caramel sauce or magic shell if desired.