Anyone who hasn’t tried Haagen-Dazs’ dulce de leche ice cream will have a hard time guessing what flavor this is. Not quite caramel or butterscotch, this is one of those ice cream flavors that make people go, “Oh my gulay* this is so good. What flavor is this?”

Dulce de leche ice cream comes  in a low-key shade of light brown so it’s not the most exciting-looking frozen dessert, but one spoonful and finicky preferences won’t matter. This ice cream flavor is a certified crowd pleaser.

It’s also really easy to make because it uses an egg-free ice cream base. The pre-churn chilling does take a bit of time, but you’ll get the best flavor and consistency with an overnight rest in the fridge.

* Filipino version of OMG. Translates to “Oh my vegetable.” Doesn’t make sense to me either.

recipe adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

makes about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream, depending on overrun

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups whole milk (18.5 ounces / 525 grams)
1 1/4 cups dulce de leche (14 ounces / 396 grams)
1/2 cup heavy cream (4.6 ounces / 130 grams)
a splash of vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Notes:

• If you’re making your own dulce de leche from sweetened condensed milk, this recipe uses exactly one 14-ounce / 396-gram can.
• Make dulce de leche from scratch, or by heating up sweetened condensed milk in its own can or in a bain-marie.

Special Equipment:

• an ice cream maker
  

Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk and dulce de leche just to a boil, stirring until the dulce de leche is dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
3. Cool completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.
4. Churn, churn, churn.
5. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency or store in an airtight container and freeze.

Links Related to Dulce de Leche Ice Cream:

• A plated dessert using dulce de leche ice cream from No Special Effects
• Alternative dulce de leche ice cream recipes from Küchenlatein and Smitten Kitchen

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Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

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You know you’re on the right track if your most trusted recipe sources agree on procedures for classics such as this one. This recipe for dulce de leche, a thick caramelized milk sauce essential in South American desserts, is adapted from Alton Brown, Saveur, and Wayne Gisslen.

While the instructions and cooking times differ slightly, all three sources agree on the use of baking soda, a key ingredient which may be a bit unexpected. The baking soda tips the slight acidity of milk towards alkalinity. This is important for two reasons (excuse me while I put on my lab coat):

• Alkalinity keeps milk proteins from curdling
  For the same reason adding vinegar to milk makes cheese, mildly acidic milk, along with heat, may cause grittiness when milk proteins solidify. Adding the baking soda controls curdling to a certain degree, giving you a smoother dulce de leche.
• Alkalinity helps with browning
  Since dulce de leche is all about caramelization, a little help with getting that deep brown hue can’t hurt. One reason pretzels and bagels are boiled in a lye solution is the alkalinity of the liquid — it helps brown the crust while baking.

recipe adapted from Alton Brown, Saveur, and Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Dulce de Leche (Spanish)
Doce de Leite (Portuguese)
Confiture de Lait (French)
Caramelized Milk Sauce

makes about 1 cup / 250 ml

Ingredients:

4 cups / 1000 ml whole milk
1 1/2 cups / 375 ml granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 vanilla bean, split OR 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Special Equipment:

• A skimmer

Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and baking soda.
2. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring. A foamy layer will develop on top as it reaches a boil.
3. Remove from the heat when it reaches a boil. Skim the foamy layer on top and return to the stovetop over medium heat.
4. If using the split vanilla bean, add it at this point.
5. Continue to simmer gently for 1 hour over medium heat, skimming the top as needed and stirring occasionally.
6. If using the split vanilla bean, remove and discard it at this point.
7. Continue to simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours over medium heat, stirring often. Once the dulce de leche reaches a deep caramel color and thick consistency, watch it closely. Stir continuously to prevent the bottom from scorching.
   
   Watch out for scorching when it gets to this stage
8. Reduce the heat to low when dragging a spatula across the bottom of the pan leaves trails.
   
   Happy trail
9. Fine-tune the consistency to your liking at this point, keeping in mind that dulce de leche will stiffen slightly as it cools. You can thin dulce de leche by adding small amounts of water if it gets too thick.
10. Strain the dulce de leche.
11. If using vanilla extract, add it at this point.
12. Cool to room temperature before storing.

Dulce de Leche Storage:

Refrigerated in an airtight container, dulce de leche will keep for up to a month (as if it will last that long).

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Dulce de Leche Recipe

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