Prep: 30-40 minutes Cook: 20 Freeze: minimum 2 hours

Homemade ice cream. Need folks say more? It’s ice cream you get to just make and do whatever you want with. I did purchase an ice cream machine that churns to make sure I was getting that effect. This is what makes it airy and fluffy. Mine uses a frozen bowl method and it comes out more like a soft serve that can be frozen. I picked Dulce de leche as the favorite flavor of my brother’s girlfriend. I wanted to make something she’d like for when I see her next. I used a milk and cream base instead of one with eggs mixed in for custard as this would be a bit easier for my first one. I also did a half recipe since little, old me isn’t going to eat that much.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk (I used 2% as that’s what I always buy and didn’t think about it. The fat content did change results and did make it freeze more afterwards. )

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• 13 oz Dulce de leche (I bought a jar of this. You can make it by simmering milk and sugar for hours to make the caramel)

• 1/2 bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Prep

1. Get yourself setup with a sauce pan and a stove top

2. Set it to a medium heat

3. Add the milk and cream and get that mixture up to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Simmering is the lesser cousin of the boil that is quieter and softer

4. Let this go for about 5 minutes, stirring sometimes

5. Remove from the heat and add in the dulce de leche and whisk until it melts and mixes fully in

6. Add the vanilla and whisk some more

7. Add to a metal bowl then put in the fridge (or in a larger bowl with ice) to chill it for at least 20 minutes

8. Turn on your ice cream maker, whatever kind you have an pour in the mixture

9. With mine, it takes about 20 minutes

10. Before it gets too thick and hardened, but after it’s obviously not a liquid anymore, add the chocolate chips or any other mix-in that has your fancy

11. Scoop out and eat or store for later

Afterthoughts

This tasted amazing. The strong caramel smell, the crunchy chocolate chips, it was all an experience. This was super, crazy easy and I can’t wait to make more kinds. I do want to learn the custard method that uses eggs and gives a creamier texture but this way was worth while as well. I’d highly recommend ice cream making as a past time to bring a little more joy into your possibly mundane life.