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When it comes to frozen treats, I always lean more towards frozen custard instead of ice cream, because I prefer the creamier consistency. And, since learning how to make ice cream at home, I have always sought out recipes that incorporate egg yolks into the ice cream base, because I know that this will net me a creamy texture that I adore.
The problem with using egg yolks, of course, means you end up with egg whites that you then have to find a use for. Sometimes, I just don’t want to deal with that. And, over time, I have found a few instances where making the ice cream egg-free still yields a creamy and luscious end product. This dulce de leche ice cream is one of those.
I make this dulce de leche ice cream often, because it comes together fairly easily and contains ingredients that I almost always have on-hand. If I have milk or cream that is rapidly approaching its expiration date, ice cream is one of my go-to solutions to this predicament.
The first thing you need to do is heat your dulce de leche on the stove with the milk. You want to dissolve the dulce de leche so that it fully incorporates into the ice cream mixture.
Once all of the dulce de leche has melted, you’re left with a thick, caramel colored mixture.
Pour this mixture, along with your heavy cream, into a heat-proof bowl. Add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is cold. You can speed this up by setting your bowl into a larger bowl full of ice, but I usually just let the mixture refrigerate overnight.
When the mixture is ready, you can freeze it according to the manufacturer’s directions for your ice cream maker, then store it in the freezer until ready to serve.
A few hours of patience while you wait for it to set will reward you with some smooth, creamy ice cream that is just bursting with dulce de leche flavor in every bite.
You can buy premade canned dulce de leche, or make your own out of a can of condensed milk. I haven’t yet tried this with dulce de leche that is made from scratch, but I imagine that it would also work.
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 14oz can dulce de leche (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the dulce de leche and the milk. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the dulce de leche has melted and mixture is uniform and free of clumps.
Pour mixture into a heat-proof bowl, and gently stir in the cream and vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container, then freeze until set.
Makes about 1.5 quarts