Balsamic caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce

Method

1. For the balsamic caramel, put the caster sugar in a heavy-based frying pan and heat very gently until it starts to dissolve. As the edges colour, drag them into the centre of the pan with a metal fork so the caramel melts evenly. Once the sugar has completely melted, let it bubble until it turns a rich golden caramel colour (don’t let it get too dark), then immediately add the butter, stirring to melt. Remove from the heat and add the cream and balsamic vinegar, then return to the heat, stirring. Gently bubble to form a rich, smooth caramel sauce. Stir in a good pinch of sea salt to taste, then leave to cool completely.
2. For the ice cream, put a 1 litre loaf tin in the freezer. Put the sugar and 150ml water in a heavy-based pan, then scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the pan with the pod. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Put the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat and boil until the syrup reaches 120°C when tested with a digital probe thermometer or sugar thermometer (around 8-10 minutes). Remove from the heat, take out the vanilla pod using a fork, then gradually pour the syrup into the egg yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time with an electric mixer as you go (it might be easier to get someone to help you here). Try to keep the syrup away from the whisks and the edges of the bowl – if it hits cold metal it will solidify. Once all the syrup has been added, keep whisking the eggs until they’re thick and pale and leave a ribbon-like trail when the whisk is raised.
4. Leave the egg mixture to cool, whisking occasionally. Whip the cream to very soft peaks in another bowl then, once the egg mixture is cool, fold the cream into the egg mix in thirds with a balloon whisk, being careful not to knock out the air. Transfer to an ice cream machine and churn until softly frozen.
5. Once the ice cream is churned, transfer half to the frozen loaf tin. Working quickly, dollop over a generous layer of the balsamic caramel in haphazard blotches. Top with a second layer of ice cream, then repeat, swirling the final caramel blobs into the top of the ice cream gently. Cover with cling film and freeze until needed.
6. To make the chocolate sauce, put the chocolate, coconut oil and golden syrup into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of very gently simmering water (you want to see just the odd bubble) – don’t let the bowl touch the water. Stir now and then to melt, then allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a jug.
7. Remove the ice cream from the freezer around 5-10 minutes before serving. Using a hot ice cream scoop, scoop balls into bowls or coupes. Take to the table and pass around the chocolate sauce. It will solidify on touching the ice cream, becoming a snappable consistency just like tempered chocolate.