Name: Caramel Corn On The Cob Ice Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 14 h 50 min
Yield: 3 c.
Ingredients: 1/2 c. granulated sugar; 2 tbsp. dry milk powder; 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum; 2 tbsp. light corn syrup; 1 1/3 c. whole milk; 1 1/3 c. heavy cream; 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar; 1/4 c. light corn syrup; 1 1/4 c. heavy cream; 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into several pieces; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste; 2 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 c. raw corn kernels, freshly sliced off the ear (from 1 to 2 ears of corn); 3/4 c. whole milk; 2 tbsp. granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 3 c. ice cream base, very cold; 1/2 c. vanilla caramel

Make the ice cream base

Step 1Combine the sugar, dry milk, and xanthan gum in a small bowl and stir well.
Step 2Pour the corn syrup into a medium pot and stir in the whole milk. Add the sugar mixture and immediately whisk vigorously until smooth. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent a simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
Step 3Add the cream and whisk until fully combined. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours, or for even better texture and flavor, 24 hours. Stir the base back together if it separates during the resting time. The base can be further stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (Just be sure to fully thaw the frozen base before using it.)

Make the vanilla caramel

Step 1Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan, and stir until all of the sugar looks wet. Cover, set the pan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely melted, about 3 minutes.
Step 2Continue to cook, covered but this time without stirring, until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking, without stirring but paying close attention, until the mixture is the color of light maple syrup, about 2 minutes more.
Step 3Take the pan off the heat, and immediately stand back and pour the cream in a nice steady stream (whatever you do, do not dump it all in at once!), stirring as you pour. It’ll bubble furiously.
Step 4Put the pan over medium-high heat again. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Let the mixture simmer away, stirring it occasionally, until it registers 230°F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, salt, and vanilla bean paste, stirring slowly but constantly until the butter has completely melted.
Step 5Let the caramel cool to room temperature, and chill it in the fridge, if using a frozen-bowl type of machine. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Separation is totally normal; just make sure to stir it well before using.

Make the caramel corn on the cob ice cream

Step 1In a small pot, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring it occasionally with a spatula, until it begins to turn a golden amber color and smells nutty, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add the milk, sugar, and salt, and raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to cook at a lazy simmer, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
Step 2Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a container, pressing on the corn to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the corn. Let the liquid cool to room temperature, then chill until cold, or up to 5 days. Before using, scrape any solidified butter off the top. Put the ice cream base and corn flavoring into a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and turn on the machine. Churn just until the mixture has the texture of soft serve.
Step 3Alternate spooning layers of the mixture and thick swirls of vanilla caramel into freezer-friendly containers.