The Season for Ice Cream

Who doesn't like ice cream...that is what I want to know?  Creamy, wonderfully sweet, and most importantly on summer days, it is COLD!...

(Unlike my forehead, the steering wheel or sidewalk!)

Ice cream and summer, they just go hand-in-hand.  It is undeniable, you can't have one without the other.  It is impossible...I have tried...it wasn't pretty!

Do you have a favorite summer ice cream memory?

Mine has to do with a certain smurf-blue bubblegum flavor.  When summer rolled around the ice cream shops opened and that was always my first choice.  It was a kid's dream...ice cream and bubblegum, holy sweetness overload!

And just like my childhood, once the summer hit, my ice cream maker opened for business!  I chose a super sweet, caramel-y flavor for the first of the season,  dulce de leche.  I am not going to lie, this recipe requires some patience.  The dulce de leche part of this creamy concoction takes 45 minutes of attention.  I suggest doing the dulce de leche and the first part of the the ice cream recipe the day before, chill it over night and pop it in the ice cream maker the next morning.  Made the long process not so bad! 

Believe me when I say that it is so worth it.  I enjoyed every second of it, plus it was fantastic with the home made apple pie that was on hand!

Dulce de Leche

• 2 pt (4 cups) milk
• 12 oz sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine milk, sugar and baking soda in a heavy sauce pan.  Over medium heat bring to a slow boil.  DO NOT STIR!

As the mixture approaches a boil it will start to rise.  Take it off the heat before it foams over.  Stir.

Set the pan over low heat and cook slowly, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for about 45-60 minutes.  The mixture will slowly caramelize.

When the mixture turns a rich caramel-y brown and thickens (if  you wipe your finger over the back side of the spoon and it leaves a path then it is thick enough) but is still pourable remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Cool thoroughly.

Beginning of the process, milk is still thin and white in color

Starting to caramelize but still too thin

Final product...yummmm!

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream (pt. 2)

• 3 cups milk
• Dulce de Leche you made above
• 6 oz heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt

Heat milk and the dulce de leche mixture in a heavy sauce pan until the dulce de leche is completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients.  Chill well.

Place mixture in the bowl of an ice cream maker, and follow the manufacturers instructions for your particular ice cream maker.  I churned mine for about 30 minutes.  Place in a container with a air tight lid in freezer to continue the freezing process.