The Sundae of Broken Dreams

• 12 cup broken salted pretzel bits, in pieces no longer than 1 inch
• 6 tablespoons Caramel Sauce
• 2 (4-ounce) scoops vanilla ice cream
• 12 cup Whipped Cream
• 1 cup (8 ounces) water
• 3 cups (24 ounces) cane sugar
• 14 cup (3 ounces) honey
• 112 cups (12 ounces) heavy cream
• 12 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 112 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 12 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups (16 ounces) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce) confectioners sugar
• 12 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1. Place 14 cup of the pretzels in the bottom of a beehive sundae bowl and drizzle 3 tablespoons of sauce over them.
2. Place 1 scoop of the ice cream on top of the pretzels in the center of the bowl.
3. Press the second scoop firmly down on top of the first scoop, creating a double stack.
4. Scatter the remaining pretzels over the ice cream and drizzle with the remaining sauce.
5. Top with Whipped Cream and serve immediately.
6. Pour the 1 cup water into a heavy saucepan with high sides and then pour the sugar carefully into the center of the pan.
7. (You dont want the sugar crystals anywhere but in the water or they will make your caramel crystallize.)
8. Then add the honey and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat.
9. Dont stir!
10. (Resist the temptation or you will have a crystallized mess on your hands.)
11. Cook until the mixture is a rich amber color and registers 305F on your candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
12. If scum rises to the surface of the caramel while it is cooking, simply skim it off with a spoon from time to time.
13. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add 12 cup of the heavy cream.
14. The hot caramel will spit viciously when you add the cream, so stand back and give it a few seconds to calm down; whisk it and then add the remaining cream.
15. Whisk to combine thoroughly and then start adding the butter, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, whisking the caramel after each addition.
16. You dont have to wait for the butter to melt completely between additions, but you want to add the butter slowly enough to successfully incorporate it into the sauce, so whisk for 10 to 15 seconds between additions.
17. After the butter is completely incorporated into the sauce, whisk in the vanilla and salt.
18. Store the topping in glass jars or covered plastic containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
19. Pour the cream into a large bowl (a metal one, if you have it, which will chill more quickly than other materials) and place the bowl, along with the beaters from the electric mixer, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
20. Using an electric mixer fitted with the chilled beaters, beat the cream on medium until soft peaks form.
21. (To test for soft peaks, dip a spoon in the cream and pull it back out.
22. The action should pull up a small hill, the point of which will flop over.
23. Picture a dog with floppy ears.)
24. Sift the confectioners sugar into the bowl, add the vanilla paste, and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
25. (Test the same way you did for soft peaks, but this time picture a dog with ears that stick straight up.)
26. Stop beating immediately (or you risk making butter).
27. Serve within 2 hours, refrigerating the cream if youre not serving it immediately.

pretzel bits, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, cream, water, cane sugar, honey, heavy cream, unsalted butter, vanilla, salt, heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, vanilla bean paste

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/the-sundae-of-brokennbspdreams (may not work)