If you want to have a little taste of summer all year long, make this Caramel Popcorn Gelato. This gelato might be my favorite summer treat, with rich caramel flavor, an undertone of butter popcorn, and just a hint of salt, it’s everything you could want in a delightfully creamy treat.
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Caramely And Salty Popcorn Gelato
Growing up on the east coast, near the Jersey Shore, we spent a week in Ocean City, NJ, each summer along with some day trips sprinkled in. Now that I have a family of my own, the tradition continues. We spend the week with family and friends, enjoying long days at the beach, dinners, boardwalk, rides, and most importantly, all the treats! At the end of the night, as we make our way back to our shore house, we grab a snack as a nightcap.
There are so many options, and we all choose a variety of different delectables, but I usually get gelato because it’s my absolute favorite. I love layering the flavors and trying new combinations. My second choice would have to be Johnson’s Popcorn. If you have traveled to any Southern NJ shore points, you have probably stumbled upon a tub of the most delicious caramel popcorn ever made. We usually buy the large family container at the end of our vacation to take home and savor for the next couple of weeks, but there are times I need to get a small bag as my treat for the night. The smell alone as your walk past the storefront is enough to lure you over.
A few years ago, after our vacation, I was sitting enjoying the caramel popcorn from the larger-than-life family-sized tub and thought this would make the most delicious gelato flavor. Already having the deep caramel flavoring with an ever-so-slight salty nuttiness from the popcorn; it would be perfection, in my opinion. After a couple of attempts, but I think I have found the correct balance to mimic the traditional Johnson’s Popcorn.
Gelato vs. Ice Cream
Even though the results for gelato and ice cream are very similar, there are quite a few differences. The biggest difference is the dairy content. Ice cream has more heavy cream and less milk, while gelato is the opposite. Another difference is the churning process. Ice cream has a longer churning process allowing more air to be incorporated, making the result lighter. Gelato is less churned, so it’s creamier and denser. Ice ream always uses eggs to make the custard, while in gelato, it’s optional. It is also served at a warmer temperature, which helps intensifies both the texture and flavor. In this Caramel Popcorn Gelato recipe, I used eggs because it adds to the creaminess of the custard playing well with the rich caramel flavor. I tend to prefer gelato over ice cream. I love the robust flavor that gelato has, along with the smoother texture.
Ingredients For Caramel Popcorn Gelato
- Johnson’s popcorn– their traditional caramel flavor, or if you are unable to get Johnson’s than any store bought Carmel popcorn can be used.
- Milk – I use whole milk when making ice cream.
- Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream – both work great.
- Egg yolks – Essential for a more creamy custard.
- Brown sugar – The molasses in the brown sugar gives a richer taste closer to caramel rather then white sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Always use a good quality, pure vanilla extract when baking like Nielsen Massey brand. It will make all the difference in your end product.
- Salt – The salt helps bring out the popcorn flavor and also balances the sweetness.
Helpful Tools For Caramel Popcorn Gelato
- KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment – Since I already have the KitchenAid stand mixer, it’s very practical for me to use the ice cream attachment. I have used this baby so many times and it always gives me a smooth even result.
- Ice cream freezer containers – I prefer a harder ice cream, so storing the soft serve in the freezer, once it comes out of the ice cream maker, is a must. It also keeps the ice cream fresh for about 2 weeks without frostbite.
- Infrared theremometer – This theremometer is used quite frequently in our house. I use it for quick surface temperature checks in tons of my baking and cooking recipes.
To get the base of your gelato tasting most like the caramel popcorn, you need caramel popcorn. You are going to steep the milk and cream with the popcorn to get the authentic flavor going. Think about how your milk tastes after your cereal. If you can get Johnson’s fantastic, if not, you could always buy any brand from the store. Before I begin, I stick my ice cream maker in the freezer. I have the KitchenAid ice cream attachment, and it takes about 15 hours to freeze fully.
Making The Creamy Gelato Custard
Start by making your custard. Slowly warm your milk and cream in a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan and add the caramel popcorn; stir and steep for about 15 minutes. Your heat should be low; you do not want your milk/cream to boil. In a medium to large bowl, you want to separate your yolks and whisk them up with half the brown sugar. I choose to use brown sugar in the gelato instead of granulated white sugar because it already has a caramel-like flavor. Beating the yolks and sugar not only helps dissolve the sugar, but it adds creaminess to the gelato. Set that bowl aside. Strain out the popcorn, which should be pale at this point, and discard. Add your salt, vanilla, and the other half of the brown sugar and stir until all dissolved.
Tempering The Egg Yolks
This part can be a little tricky. Do not add the yolks straight into the hot milk/cream mixture, you will get scrambled eggs. Instead, you will add spoonfuls of the hot milk/cream to the yolks while vigorously mixing. Keep adding spoonfuls until the temperature of the yolk mixture is within about 20 degrees of the mix/cream mixture. My milk/cream was about 170 F. degrees, and I brought the yolk mixture up to about 150 F. degrees. The ideal temperature is about 160 F. degrees to ensure you have cooked the eggs and killed off any possible salmonella. I use an infrared thermometer for this because it gives a super-fast reading. Slowly add the yolks to the milk/cream, constantly mixing until the custard thickens. As soon as the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, remove the custard from the heat. I always like to pass the custard through a fine-mesh strainer to collect any cooked egg pieces, so you have super-smooth gelato.
Chill Out The Caramel Gelato
The gelato base needs to chill in the fridge to thicken further and churn in the ice cream maker properly. To help speed things along, you can make an ice bath, transfer the custard to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure to touch the surface. Place the covered bowl of custard into the fridge for about 6 hours to overnight. Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions to achieve a soft-serve texture gelato. I churn the gelato for about 30 minutes on a low setting, then firm up to a scoopable consistency by transferring it to an ice cream container and freezing for about 2-3 hours. Top with homemade caramel bits, which can be found in my Caramel Brulee Latte post, and enjoy this Caramel Popcorn Gelato anytime for a taste of summer!
IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE, YOU’LL WANT TO TRY THESE!
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