Creamy Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Pretzels and Chocolate (no machine)

To prepare the caramel, start by pouring the sugar into a saucepan with a thick, light-colored bottom. Spread it out in an even layer. Place the saucepan on a medium heat burner. Do not stir the sugar with a spoon! Allow it to melt quietly. You can only gently swirl the entire saucepan to distribute the heat evenly. The sugar will begin to melt from the edges, forming a liquid. Patiently wait until all the sugar has dissolved and has taken on a beautiful amber color. This may take 5-8 minutes. Be careful not to burn it, as it will become bitter.

When the caramel has reached the right color, remove the saucepan from the heat. VERY CAREFULLY add the diced butter. The mixture will foam up vigorously and start bubbling – this is a normal reaction. Whisk everything together vigorously until the butter is completely melted and combined with the caramel, creating a smooth, uniform mixture.

Now, while continuously stirring with a whisk, slowly pour in 120 ml of heavy cream in a thin stream (it should be at room temperature). The mixture will start bubbling vigorously again and may thicken for a moment. Don't worry, that's normal. Place the saucepan back on low heat and warm it, stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes, until all the lumps dissolve and the sauce becomes perfectly smooth and shiny.

Remove the finished caramel sauce from the heat. Add the coarse sea salt and mix well. Pour the sauce into a jar or bowl and set aside to cool COMPLETELY, first at room temperature, and then in the refrigerator. The sauce must be cold before you add it to the ice base, otherwise it will melt the whipped cream.

While the caramel cools, prepare the toppings. Chop the dark chocolate on a cutting board with a sharp knife into irregular pieces – from small crumbs to larger chunks. Break the salty pretzels into smaller pieces with your hands. If you are using optional pecans, chop them roughly as well. Set everything aside in separate bowls.

In a large, chilled bowl, pour in 500 ml of very cold heavy cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, start whipping the cream on medium speed. Gradually increase the speed. Whip until the cream becomes thick and fluffy, and stiff peaks (known as 'stiff tips') remain when the beaters are removed. This will take about 3-5 minutes.

Pour the entire can of chilled condensed milk and vanilla extract into the whipped cream. Now, using a large silicone spatula, very gently combine the ingredients. Make slow, circular motions from the bottom of the bowl upwards, folding the mixture. The goal is to disturb the fluffy structure of the cream as little as possible. Mix only until the ingredients are combined into a uniform, smooth mass.

Prepare a freezing container, such as a metal loaf pan with a capacity of about 1.5 liters. Spread 1/3 of the prepared ice cream base on the bottom and smooth the surface with a spatula. Add dollops of half of the cooled caramel sauce, sprinkle with half of the crushed pretzels and chopped chocolate (and nuts, if using). Cover with the second 1/3 of the ice cream base, and on top of that, spread the rest of the caramel, pretzels, and chocolate. Finally, add the last layer of the ice cream base on top.

Take a long knife or a skewer. Insert it into the ice cream mixture and make a few 'swirl' movements (in the shape of eights) to gently mix the layers and create a beautiful, marbled pattern. Do not mix too vigorously to avoid completely combining the sauce with the base – we want to achieve visible streaks of caramel.

Cover the surface of the ice cream with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it gently so that it touches the mixture. This will prevent ice crystals from forming on top. Then, tightly close the container (if it has a lid) or wrap it additionally with plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until the ice cream is completely frozen and firm.