Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream with Salted Caramel and Pecans

If you are using pecans, start by toasting them. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and toast them for 3-4 minutes, stirring or tossing the skillet frequently. They will be ready when they start to smell fragrant and lightly brown. Be careful not to burn them, as they will become bitter. Transfer them to a plate and let them cool completely, then chop coarsely with a knife.

Prepare the caramel sauce. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place the sugar and melt it over medium heat without stirring with a spoon. You can only gently swirl the entire saucepan to ensure the sugar melts evenly. Once all the sugar has melted and has a beautiful amber color (like tea), reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Add the diced butter. Note that the mixture will start to bubble and splatter intensely! Whisk vigorously with a kitchen whisk until the butter is completely combined with the caramel.

Now very carefully, slowly pour in 120 ml of 36% heavy cream in a thin stream into the caramel, while constantly stirring with a whisk. The mixture will bubble up again. Continue stirring over low heat for about 1-2 minutes, until the sauce becomes smooth and uniform. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add sea salt, and mix. Pour the sauce into a jar or bowl and set aside to cool completely at room temperature.

Prepare the chocolate base. Break the chocolate into small pieces. Place it in a metal or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of gently boiling water (a double boiler). The bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until it is completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pot and set it aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Sift dark cocoa powder into it through a fine sieve - this will prevent lumps from forming. Add vanilla extract. Mix everything thoroughly with a whisk until you have a smooth, uniform mixture. Then pour in the slightly cooled, melted chocolate and mix again until the ingredients are perfectly combined into a thick, glossy chocolate cream.

In a separate, large, and well-chilled bowl, place the remaining 500 ml of cold heavy cream (36%). Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the cream. Start at a low speed, gradually increasing to maximum. Whip until the cream becomes thick and forms stiff peaks (known as 'stiff tips') when the beaters are lifted. Be careful not to 'overwhip' it, as it will turn into butter.

Now combine both mixtures. Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and mix it quite vigorously with a whisk. This will 'loosen' the thick chocolate mixture. Then add the remaining whipped cream, but this time mix very gently using a silicone spatula. Use 'folding' motions (from the bottom of the bowl, along the sides, and over the top) so that the aerated cream does not deflate. Mix only until the ingredients are combined.

Prepare a freezing container (preferably a metal loaf pan with a capacity of about 1.5 liters). Spread 1/3 of the chocolate mixture on the bottom. Drizzle it with 1/3 of the cooled caramel sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 of the chopped pecans. Repeat these steps two more times to create layers. Finally, using the handle of a spoon or a skewer, make a few movements in the mixture to gently swirl the layers and create a marbled effect.

Smooth the top of the ice cream. Cover the surface of the mixture with a piece of parchment paper, pressing it gently so that it touches the ice cream. This will prevent ice crystals from forming. Then tightly wrap the entire container with plastic wrap or cover it with a lid. Place it in the freezer for at least 6-8 hours, preferably overnight, until the ice cream is completely frozen and firm.