Salted Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream Cake

Instructions

Follow this order for the recipe and assembly:

1. Bake brownies into bottom of springform pan.
2. Make ice creams and freeze.
3. Spread salted caramel ice cream on top of brownie layer and smooth until even. Cover pan in foil and freeze.
4. When solid, spread on ganache, sprinkle half to 3/4 of the crumb, then spread on more ganache.
5. Freeze again until firm. Then spread pretzel ice cream on top in the same way and sprinkle on the remaining crumb.
6. Freeze again for at least 3 hours until the whole cake is set and frozen. When ready to serve, make sure to cut along the edges of the springform pan and then release it smoothly.

Make the brownie layer:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
6. Pour into spring-form pan and smooth out. Bake for 20-30 minutes, but check it regularly, as it might get done sooner because it is so thin.

Make the salted caramel ice cream:

1. Stand over the pan of sugar with a heatproof spatula ready, but do not touch the sugar until there is a full layer of melted and browning liquid sugar on the bottom with a smaller layer of unmelted white sugar on the top.
2. When the edges of the melted sugar begin to darken, use the spatula to bring them into the center to help melt the unmelted sugar. Continue stirring and pushing the sugar around until it is all melted and evenly amber in color-like an old penny. When little bubbles begin to explode with dark smoke, give the sugar another moment and then remove from the heat. Immediately but slowly pour about 14 cup of the cream and corn syrup mixture into the burning-hot sugar. Be careful! It will pop and spit! Stir until it is incorporated, then add a bit more cream and stir, then continue until it is all in.
3. Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.
4. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
5. Mix the cream with the corn syrup in a measuring cup with a spout.
6. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
7. Heat the sugar in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until it is melted and golden amber in color (see note above). Remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, slowly add a bit of the cream and corn syrup mixture to the caramel: It will fizzle, pop, and spurt. Stir until well combined, then add a little more and stir. Keep adding the cream a little at a time until all of it is incorporated.
8. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the milk. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
9. Bring back to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. If any caramel flecks remain, pour the mixture through a sieve.
10. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
11. Pour into frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.
12. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid.

Make the pretzel ice cream:

1. Heat the oven to 300°F.
2. Spread the pretzels on a sheet pan and toast for 15 minutes, until the pretzels have slightly darkened in color and your kitchen smells pretzely. Cool completely.
3. Put the pretzels in a large bowl, pour the milk over them, and stir while steeping for 2 minutes.
4. Strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the soggy pieces of pretzel.
5. Bloom the gelatin.
6. Warm a little bit of the pretzel milk and whisk in the gelatin to dissolve. Add the remaining pretzel milk, glucose, brown sugar, cream cheese, salt, and baking soda and whisk until all of the ingredients are fully dissolved and incorporated.
7. Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream is best spun just before serving or using, but it will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Make the chocolate crumb:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. Add the butter and mix on low until small clusters begin to form.
3. Spread the clusters on a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, breaking up the pieces as needed. The crumbs should still be slightly moist to the touch, they will harden as they cool.
4. Allow the crumbs to cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature, or up to 1 month in the fridge.

Make the chocolate ganache:

1. Put chocolate chips in a small bowl.
2. Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan. Pour cream evenly over chocolate. Let stand for one minute to soften, then stir until smooth.
3. If ganache is too loose to spread, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ganache will continue to thicken as it cools.