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Ice Cream Sundaes with Homemade Bourbon-Caramel-Pecan Sauce

Is there really anything else to say? The keywords are “bourbon,” “caramel,” “pecan”! Oh, and “ice cream sundae”! Done.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 2 cups of sauce, 6 to 8 sundaes

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Pinch of kosher salt
1 quart vanilla ice cream

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour the water into a large saucepan. Whisk in the sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil until it becomes a deep-golden-brown color, about 8 minutes. Remove it from the heat as soon as it’s reached this color, or it will burn.

    Step 2

    Heat the heavy cream in another saucepan until warm. Then carefully whisk the cream into the caramel mixture until smooth (the mixture will bubble vigorously!). When the bubbling subsides, stir in the butter, bourbon, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture cool slightly.

    Step 3

    Scoop the ice cream into serving dishes, and top with the warm caramel sauce. Enjoy immediately.

Image may contain: Pat Neely, Human, Person, Food, Meal, Restaurant, Cafeteria, and Buffet
Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.
TagsSundaeFrozen DessertDessertBourbonWhiskeyAlcoholBeveragesPecanNutCookbooks
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