A Little Love Letter

So it was pretty clear that I had to make salted caramel ice cream myself. The beautiful thing about it starts long before the ice cream is even finished. In the kitchen, the sugar slowly turns into caramel, and suddenly the whole apartment smells warm.

And then comes the part I was almost most excited about: the caramel swirl. That glossy, thick caramel sauce that gets layered between the ice cream and creates those beautiful ribbons when you scoop into it.

Here is my very important note: give the base enough time to cool down before putting it into the ice cream maker. Really. Cold base equals better ice cream. But even with my little bit of impatience, it still turned into a creamy, caramel-y, slightly salty ice cream that became even more perfect in the freezer.

And by the first spoonful at the latest, it was clear: this flavor is staying. It tastes like a summer evening, like a little dessert moment, like “just a little bit more” — and then somehow you find yourself standing in front of the freezer again with a bowl and a spoon.