2 Tbsp. instant coffee crystals (use espresso powder for a stronger coffee flavor)
2-4 Tbsp. heavy cream
Instructions
For ice cream:
Place whole milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the hazelnuts. Heat the milk until bubbles form around the edge of the pan and turn off the heat. Let the chopped nuts steep in milk for about an hour.
After the nuts have steeped in the milk, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the nuts to extract all the milk. (Reserve nuts for another use, if desired.) You will have around 2 cups of milk left. Place the nut-infused milk back into the saucepan and heat again until very hot, but not boiling.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk (or beat with an electric mixer) the brown sugar and egg yolks with salt until very thick and pale in color.
Whisk the hot milk into the egg/sugar mixture in a small, steady stream. Pour entire mixture back into the pan. Cook while constantly stirring with a wooden spoon until custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and/or the temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Strain the cooked custard over a large, clean bowl with a fine, mesh sieve. Add the cold cream. Chill the custard for at least 3 hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Makes approximately 1½ quarts.
For Coffee-Toffee Sauce:
Add the first four ingredients (up to vanilla) to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil. When it becomes a deep golden brown, remove from heat and add the vanilla, coffee crystals and heavy cream (use enough to get to the desired thickness.) Stir well and let cool before serving. Makes about 1 cup sauce.
Recipe by Cafe Johnsonia at https://cafejohnsonia.com/2007/04/hazelnut-brown-sugar-ice-cream-with-coffee-toffee-sauce.html