Instructions: To make caramel sauce: Pour sugar into small, heavy-bottomed pan. Place over medium heat and let sugar melt to a dark brown liquid. Stir in butter and half-and-half (mixture will sputter, so be careful). Stir over medium heat until mixture comes together as a sauce. Stir in salt. Remove from heat.

To make vanilla ice cream base: In heat-proof bowl, beat together eggs and salt. Set aside.

In heavy-bottomed pan, combine sugar and half-and-half. Bring to a simmer.

Pour about 1/2 cup of the mixture into egg mixture and beat. Return mixture to pan, and cook slowly over low heat until thickened to sauce consistency and it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Strain into bowl.

Cover and refrigerate until cold.

If caramel sauce is too thick to pour, microwave on low 30 seconds.

Make ice cream according to manufacturers directions. While ice cream is still soft but almost firm, drizzle in caramel sauce and nuts. Continue to churn ice cream just to mix ingredients. Remove from machine and serve or freeze immediately.

Note: Use real butter or stick margarine. Do not substitute reduced-fat spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.