This recipe requires a day’s head start, but the rewards are more than worth the effort. The secret to keeping the ice cream frozen during frying? Quick handiwork and a coarse waffle crumb coating. You can whip up a batch of Belgian waffles from scratch, or just use store-bought toaster ones.
Deep-Fried Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce
Jerry Mai's recipe for Vietnamese-style fried ice cream with a salted caramel drizzle.
Ingredients
- 8 × 70 g (2½ oz) scoops salted caramel ice cream
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) waffles
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 L vegetable oil for deep-frying
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 90 g (3 oz) butter
- 140 ml cream
- 1½ tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Working quickly, place the ice cream scoops on the tray, then transfer to the freezer and freeze overnight.
- Working in batches, place the waffles in a food processor and blitz to crumbs. Set aside in a large shallow bowl.
- Place the flour in a separate shallow bowl and the beaten egg in a third bowl.
- Working quickly and with one ice cream ball at a time, roll the ice cream in the flour, making sure to dust off any excess, then roll through the egg. Transfer to the waffle crumb and roll until the ice cream is thickly coated. Firmly press the crumbs into the ice cream (this helps to protect the ice cream when it’s fried). Return the ice cream balls to the freezer and freeze overnight.
- To make the caramel sauce, place the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted. As soon as the sugar has liquefied, stop stirring, as this will agitate it and cause the caramel to crystallize. Continue to cook until the sugar turns a deep caramel colour. Slowly whisk in the butter, followed by the cream, then remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan to 200°C (400°F) on a kitchen thermometer. Working in batches, carefully lower the ice cream balls into the oil and cook for 30 to 40 seconds until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ice cream from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
- Serve in small bowls generously drizzled with the salted caramel.
