Ice Cream Chocolates and Carmels

∙ Make the base with 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream and ¼ cup sugar.

∙ Whisk 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into warm, strained base.

∙ Chill.

∙ Make the salted caramel variation using ½ cup sugar for the caramel and not letting it get too dark in color (it should be reddish brown rather than dark mahogany brown).

∙ Stir 1 tablespoon bourbon into base before chilling.

∙ Omit the flaky sea salt.

∙ In a saucepan, bring ¾ cup cream and 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder to a simmer.

∙ Put 1 cup chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl.

∙ Pour hot cocoa cream over chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

∙ Make base using 1 ½ cups milk, ¾ cup sugar and no cream.

∙ Stir chocolate mixture, ¾ cup crème fraîche or sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into base.

∙ Strain and chill.

∙ In a medium pot over medium heat, melt ¾ cup sugar with 3 tablespoons water, swirling pan frequently, until sugar turns mahogany brown in color (almost but not quite black).

∙ Continue making base in the same pot, using ½ cup sugar.

∙ Make sure caramel melts and cream mixture is completely smooth before adding egg yolks.

∙ Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) into base during the last 2 minutes of churning.