For the Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 200 g white chocolate, chopped
- 4 egg yolks
For the Caramelized Hazelnuts
- 50 g toasted hazelnuts
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 pinch of salt
Heat the heavy cream, whole milk, and sugar gently in a saucepan. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture begins softly steaming without boiling.
Whisk the egg yolks vigorously in a separate bowl. Slowly pour half the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper them without causing curdling.
Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring nonstop, until the custard thickens slightly and evenly coats the back of your spoon.
Remove the saucepan from heat. Add chopped white chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir patiently until the chocolate melts completely and the custard becomes smooth, glossy, and perfectly creamy.
Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least four hours, allowing flavors to deepen and texture to stabilize.
Prepare caramelized hazelnuts by heating sugar, water, and salt until caramel forms. Add toasted hazelnuts, coat quickly, then spread onto parchment paper to cool and harden.
Churn the fully chilled custard in your ice cream maker until soft‑serve consistency forms. Fold in roughly chopped caramelized hazelnuts gently, ensuring even distribution without crushing pieces.
Transfer the ice cream into a freezer‑safe container. Cover securely and freeze several hours. Scoop generously, garnish with extra hazelnuts, and savor the creamy caramelized crunch delightfully.