Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

I know that most people know this trick.  Making your own Dulce de Leche in the crockpot.  But I must tell you that I felt like a scientist, like Bill Nye, or a chemist of sorts when I made this.  Seriously. Easiest, most rewarding recipe yet.

And this ice cream is super easy as well.  For those of you that get nervous about eating eggs in your ice cream, never fear this recipe doesn’t call for it.  The Dulce de Leche is so thick that you really don’t need any.  Or, if you want to get over your fear, here’s a few tips on putting eggs in your ice cream.

And guess what else I did? I made this affogato.  This is a fancy term for pouring some hot espresso (ok, I’m not that fancy, it was only coffee) over these scoops. Affogato in Italian means to “drown”, you are literally drowning the ice cream in espresso.  Like a Dulce de Leche coffee, only hot and cold.  Delicious.

Oh, and I put it in this Cowboy martini glass.  I know!  So cute, right?  My friend Megan gave this to me for my birthday a few years back and I just love it.  I wear cowboy boots quite frequently  and I woke up to the Dixie Chicks almost every morning when I was a junior in High School.  It’s still my mom’s jam.

And seriously making your own Dulce de Leche is like magic.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream adapted from Epicurious.com

1 small can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy  whipping cream

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh brewed coffee or esperesso (optional)

Before you go to sleep, place can of sweetened condensed milk into small crock pot.  Fill with water until can is totally covered.  Place lid on, and set to low.  Go to sleep.  Wake up.  Turn of crock pot, and carefully remove hot can from crock pot.  Open with can opener and magic! Dulce de Leche.  Set aside.

Place heavy whipping cream and whole milk into large saucepan over medium heat.  Heat while stirring until it’s almost to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Whisk Dulce de Leche into milk and cream until fully incorporated.  Whisk vanilla into milk and cream.  Pour mixture into metal bowl.  There will be some small pieces of Dulce de Leche, no harm done, add them to the metal bowl by scraping the pan.  Place bowl into refrigerator and let cool completely.  Churn with ice cream maker that has been frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Let freeze overnight to get to be ice cream consistency.  Scoop into bowl and pour as much hot espresso or coffee over scoop until it is drowned.  Enjoy!