Caramel Gelato

1. Make Caramel

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine ½ cup of sugar with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then let it cook without stirring until it becomes a dark brown caramel, just slightly smoky.

2. Prepare Milk and Cream Mixture

In a large measuring cup, mix 2½ cups of milk with 1 cup of heavy cream. Once the caramel is ready, carefully pour this cream mixture into the saucepan. Be cautious, as it will bubble up vigorously. Stir the mixture until any hardened caramel bits are fully dissolved and steam rises from the surface.

3. Whisk Egg Yolks

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together 9 large egg yolks, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt until the mixture is smooth and pale.

4. Combine and Cook Custard

Gradually pour the hot caramel cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and reaches 185°F on an instant-read thermometer.

5. Strain and Chill Custard

Once the custard is ready, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean heatproof bowl to remove any lumps. Stir in ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk and add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract if you didn't use the vanilla bean earlier. Place the bowl over an ice bath and stir occasionally until the custard is cold. Then, cover and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, or overnight, to chill thoroughly.

6. Churn and Freeze Gelato

When you’re ready to churn the gelato, pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and freeze it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once churned, transfer the gelato to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.