1cuptoasted nuts such as slivered almonds or pistachios
Caramel Ice Cream
1 ¼cupssugar
1quartwhole milk
12egg yolks
Instructions
Make beer brittle:
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil and grease lightly with cooking spray.
In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine beer, sugar and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a good simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until a candy thermometer inserted reads 310°, and remove from heat.
Immediately stir in the salt, vanilla and nuts (be careful, as the mixture will steam). Quickly pour the brittle into the prepared pan, spreading it thin. Cool completely, and break into pieces.
Make ice cream:
Put sugar in a large 6 to 8-quart saucepan with a heavy bottom, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, occasionally shaking the pan but not stirring (you can scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, but don’t stir the sugar itself) until the sugar liquefies, bubbles, and turns dark brown, at least 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, then carefully add the milk- very carefully, as it will bubble up, and this mixture is hot and sticky. Turn the heat to medium, and cook, stirring with a wire whisk, until the sugar dissolves; remove from heat.
Use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks until they are light yellow. And thick. Pour about a third of the milk mixture into the egg mixture and stir, then pour that mixture back into the remaining milk mixture.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 175° to 180°, or is slightly thickened; do not boil. (There will be a thick coating on the back of the spoon, one that will hold the outline of your finger after you pass it through.) Cool over a bowl of ice, and then place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours until completely chilled.
Freeze the caramel custard in an ice cream machine, following manufacturer’s directions.
Break the brittle up into really small pieces and mix it into the ice cream for a great roasty beer brittle ice cream.