Name: Salted Chocolate-Caramel Ice Cream
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H20M0.000S
Yield: about 1 quart
Ingredients: 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; 1 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 6 large egg yolks; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 3 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered toffee bars (such as Heath), roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup); Flaky sea salt, for topping

Directions

Special equipment:

a fine-mesh sieve, an ice cream maker

Put the bittersweet chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until completely smooth. Set a medium metal bowl over a large bowl of ice water.
Stir together 3/4 cup sugar and the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally but not stirring, until dark amber in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately add the heavy cream and milk to the saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until the caramel is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. (The caramel will harden at first when you add the liquid, but keep whisking and it will become smooth.) Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth; remove from the heat.
Whisk together the egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the kosher salt in a large bowl. Ladle about one-quarter of the caramel mixture into the bowl and whisk to combine. Ladle in another one-quarter of the caramel mixture and whisk, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan along with the melted chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and the mixture coats the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. If at any point the mixture comes close to a simmer, remove from the heat while continuously stirring, then return to the heat, reducing the heat if necessary; you do not want the custard to thicken too quickly or for the eggs to scramble.
Immediately strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the prepared metal bowl to chill; stir in the vanilla. Stir occasionally until cool, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it’s the consistency of soft serve, about 30 minutes. Add the chopped toffee bars during the last few seconds of churning. Transfer to a chilled container and freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours. Store the ice cream in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Top with flaky sea salt before serving.