½cupunpopped popcorn kernelsthat's about 6 cups of popped popcorn
1 ½tspsalt flakeslike Maldon
5egg yolks
1tspof cornflourto stabilize the eggs - optional
For the caramel popcorn (for the topping)
3tbspunpopped popcorn kernels
⅓cupwhite sugar
Instructions
For the Ice Cream
Heat the 2 1/2 cups of half n half till it’s warm to the touch. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, sprinkle the sugar evenly on the bottom of the pan and heat it over medium-heat. Keep your eye on the sugar as it starts to caramelize. Shake the pan well as the sugar caramelizes to spread the sugar crystals to make sure none of it burns. When most of the sugar has turned a deep golden/amber colour, add the warm half n half and salt flakes and heat the mixture, stirring frequently to make sure all of the sugar melts. This will take a few minutes as the sugar hardens on the bottom of the saucepan.
Add the 6 cups of freshly popped popcorn and stir to combine. Transfer to a jug/container and store the milk overnight in the fridge - can be stored this way up to 24 hours.
The following day, strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve, and squeeze out as much of the liquid out of the popcorn. Discard the popcorn.
Return the mix to a saucepan and heat it until it starts to steam. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cornflour until frothy. When the milk mixture is steaming, add about ½ cup of the steaming milk into the egg yolk mix in a slow steady stream while whisking (tempering the yolk mix). Add the yolk mix back into the rest of the milk and stir frequently until the whole mixture thickens. The cornflour will help reduce the risk of the eggs curdling at this point. However, make sure you keep whisking to prevent the eggs scrambling. Once the custard has thickened to a point where it thickly coats the back of a spoon, run this mix through a sieve to remove any lumps.
Whisk in the 2 cups of whipping cream into the custard, and let it cool down to room temperature. Cover and chill until the mix is very cold (overnight in the fridge or about 3 hours in the freezer).
Churn the ice cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions, and transfer the ice cream to a container.
Let it set in the freezer for a few hours until it has set. Serve with some caramel popcorn and chocolate fudge sauce.
Caramel Popcorn
Pop the popcorn in a saucepan with a dash of oil. Place them in a lightly oiled large metal bowl.
Sprinkle the sugar in a non stick pan evenly on the bottom. Heat over medium-heat until the sugar caramelizes completely. Pour it over the popped popcorn and use two wooden spoons to mix the caramel well with the popcorn. The caramel will make the popcorn stick together so let it cool down to room temp and then break them apart. Store in an airtight container.