Caramel & Chocolate Crunch Sundae

Heat the cream and milk in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, until hot but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract. Very gradually whisk the hot cream and milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly.

Return the custard to the rinsed-out pan and heat over a medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon. Do not heat it too fast or for too long, or the eggs will “scramble”. Remove the custard from the heat and transfer to a clean, cold bowl immediately, whisking for a couple of minutes to cool it down.

Cool the custard completely, then cover the surface with a layer of clingfilm (placing it directly on the custard) to prevent a skin forming. Transfer to the fridge and chill for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Pour the chilled custard into an ice-cream maker and churn it until it is thick, scoopable ice cream. Transfer it to a plastic container and freeze until needed.

To prepare the salted caramel sauce, melt the sugar in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. As it melts, whisk frequently for 7-10 minutes, until it becomes amber brown. Add the butter and whisk to combine.

Remove from the heat and add the cream. Continue whisking as the caramel bubbles, until it settles into a smooth mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Set aside to cool completely.

To serve, roughly crush some chocolate-covered pretzels in a plastic food bag and scatter over the ice cream. Finish with a drizzle of the salted caramel sauce.