Buttered Popcorn Gelato Recipes

Steps:

• Movie theaters use butter-flavored oil, which has a lower water content than butter so it makes popcorn less soggy. Real clarified butter has the same effect. To make it, melt 2 sticks butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Let sit for a few minutes; the butter will separate into 3 layers. Skim off the top layer of foam, then slowly pour the clarified butter into a heatproof container; discard the bottom layer of milk solids. Use 3 tablespoons hot clarified butter for 10 cups popcorn; refrigerate the rest (it's great for sauteeing).

Steps:

• For caramel sauce:
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until dark amber in color, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat; immediately add butter and stir until melted. Slowly add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add vanilla and salt; whisk until smooth. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool completely. Cover sauce and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.
• For buttered-popcorn ice cream:
• Set a strainer over a large bowl; set aside. Place popcorn in another large bowl. Drizzle butter over and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Add milk and cream; cover and steep for 10 minutes. Stir in corn syrup and 1 tablespoon sugar. Working in batches, purée popcorn mixture in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Using an electric mixer, beat yolks, remaining 4 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until thick ribbons form. Gradually whisk hot popcorn mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is slightly thickened, your finger leaves a path when drawn across the back of a spoon, and an instant-read thermometer registers 175°F, 3-4 minutes. Pour through strainer. Cover and chill overnight.
• Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a container, cover, and freeze. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
• For peanut butter–chocolate halvah:
• Stir both chocolates in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Set aside. Place peanut brittle in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add peanut butter and melted chocolate. Pulse until combined. Spread out on a baking sheet. Chill for at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
• For assembly:
• Spoon some caramel sauce into tall, decorative glasses or serving bowls. Add 2 scoops buttered-popcorn ice cream. Drizzle more caramel sauce over. Sprinkle some halvah over. Top with a spoonful of whipped cream. Garnish sundae with peanuts and buttered popcorn.

Steps:

• Put the milk and popcorn in a pot set over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a ladle. The strainer will catch the coarse corn particles while allowing the milk and the broken-down popcorn solids to pass through. Discard the residue in the strainer and reserve the popcorn milk (you should have about 1,030 grams).
• Put the white chocolate in a Mason jar and lightly screw on the lid. Place the jar in a pressure cooker and add water to fill the chamber by one-quarter. The water creates steam in the chamber and forms a double-boiler pressure cooker. Seal the pressure cooker and bring up to high pressure. Cook the chocolate on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure dissipate naturally. Carefully remove the jar and let it cool. When the jar is cool enough to handle, remove the chocolate from it by running a butter knife or small offset spatula along the inside of the jar and gently shaking the chocolate out onto a plate. Alternatively, place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl in a 250°F (120°C) oven for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep golden brown. Let cool. Reserve the caramelized white chocolate. This step can be done in advance. The cooled caramelized white chocolate can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to a month.
• Chop the caramelized white chocolate into small pieces and put them in a blender. Prepare an ice bath.
• Pour the popcorn milk into a medium pan set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate. Turn the blender on low. Sprinkle in the salt and increase the speed to high. Puree the mixture for 1 minute. It should be smooth and creamy. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and cool the mixture in the ice bath. Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours. Place a bowl for the gelato in the freezer.
• Fill a Styrofoam container halfway with liquid nitrogen. Pour the ice cream base into a whipped cream canister. Charge it with two nitrous oxide charges, then extrude the base in short bursts into the nitrogen. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gelato, which will now look like popcorn. Place the frozen popcorn pieces in the frozen bowl and set them in the freezer for 10 minutes. The gelato is too cold to eat when it first comes out of the liquid nitrogen and would cause frostbite on the inside of your mouth. It has to "warm up" in the freezer for 15 minutes to become edible. Alternatively, you can freeze the base using a traditional ice cream maker. It will keep for up to 1 week in the freezer.