THE LIKE-A-PRO ICE CREAM
With milk powder, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and xanthan gum.
This is how we make this extraordinary Dulce de leche Ice Cream: we make Dulce de Leche from scratch, add milk and heavy cream, and then bake it in the oven to enrich the Dulce de Leche flavour. It has a beautiful, rich caramel colour, unlike any other I have seen in ice cream, a full Dulce de Leche flavour and a fantastic texture and mouthfeel, which are the natural result of the caramelisation of the sugar and lactose.
This recipe includes xanthan gum, which allows us to reduce the amount of heavy cream without sacrificing a full mouthfeel and without the need for egg yolks.
More to explore:
Do not reduce or replace anything; everything is there for a reason.
For this ice cream, we need a kitchen scale, and I recommend weighing all the ingredients, even the liquid ones, directly into the bowl/pan as you proceed with the recipe instead of transferring them from one bowl to another because this transfer causes a small -but unwanted – loss of quantity
This recipe makes a 1.2 litre/quart ice cream mixture (before churning), perfect for ice cream makers with a capacity of 1.5 and up to 2 litres/quarts (like Cuisinart ice cream makers).
If you need to scale the ice cream mixture up or down, use this ratio of the ingredients (in weight only):
milk powder 5.8% | whole milk 46.2% | sugar 18.5 % | heavy cream 29.6% | xanthan gum 0.12% in desired total weight of ice cream mixture
to adjust the water in the recipe (which will evaporate during the process), you will need:
A flexible rubber spatula is good for:
-wiping the bottom of the saucepan when you cook dairy on the stovetop.
-scraping residues from bowls, saucepans etc.
If you do not have one, we strongly encourage you to buy one, preferably a flexible one.
The ice cream mixture needs to cool completely and hydrate before churning, so prepare it in advance (approx. 8 hours before) to give it time to chill in the refrigerator.
If your ice cream maker has a removable freezer bowl, put it in the freezer for the whole time indicated by the manufacturer before churning, usually 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 185°C / 365° F.
Dissolve the milk powder: In a small saucepan, add the milk powder (75 g; 2.6 oz) and 40 g of the sugar (1.4 oz). Stir with a rubber spatula until no milk powder streaks are visible. Pour in 1/3 of the whole milk (200 g; 7.1 oz). Whisk briefly, then scrape the bottom and corners of the pan with a rubber spatula. Keep the whisk and the spatula in the saucepan. Milk powder requires agitation and time to dissolve. So leave it to hydrate and return 3-4 times to whisk and scrape milk solids off the bottom and corners of the pan.
Prepare the syrup for the caramel: Pour the water (200 g; 7.1 oz) into a medium to large saucepan (4-litre) and place over high heat. Weigh the remaining sugar (200 g; 7.1 oz) in a bowl and have it next to the stovetop. When the water comes to a full boil, remove it from the heat and add the sugar. Set the timer and stir for 1 minute and 20 seconds. This time is crucial for the sugar to fully dissolve before returning the pan to the heat, so do not estimate it; time it.
Add the lemon juice drops (4 drops) and stir briefly.
Caramelise the sugar: Return the saucepan over high heat. Do not stir from now on. The caramelisation process begins when all the water evaporates; this time varies depending on your saucepan and stove; in mine, it takes about 10 minutes. You’ll know it begins when the caramel appears to have a yellow hue; after this, it will quickly change from yellow to light brown and finally to a golden light brown colour. Remember, do not stir during this process. However, if you notice darker spots forming, you can tilt the pan slightly to redistribute the heat. Do not tilt more than 3-4 times, as it stops the cooking process.
As the caramel boils, bring the milk powder mixture to a boil: Immediately after getting the water and sugar to heat, add approx. 1/2 of the heavy cream (200 g; 7.1 oz) to the saucepan with the milk powder mixture. If you have whisked and scraped as instructed, most of the milk powder should have dissolved by now. Any remaining powder will dissolve as you heat the mixture. Place it over medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is hot and steamy.
Combine the hot milk mixture with the caramel: When the caramel reaches a golden brown colour (185°C / 365°F if you have a thermometer), remove it from the heat and immediately add a generous splash of the hot milk mixture and whisk vigorously. Important: Step back and keep your hands off the saucepan as you do so, as the steam is very hot and can cause severe burns. Once the steam subsides, stir with a rubber spatula to combine and smooth the mixture, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan to remove any caramel residues. Then, add the remaining milk mixture from the saucepan and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining heavy cream and bring to a boil: Any solidified caramel residues on the whisk, the spatula, and the bottom saucepan are part of the recipe. We want them all in the mixture. To collect them, we have to melt them into the mixture, so add the remaining heavy cream (185 g; 6.5 oz) into the saucepan with the caramel residues and return it over medium heat. During this final heating phase, whisk and scrape the sides of the pan. The remaining caramel residues will finally dissolve into the mixture if you aim to incorporate them. When the whisk and spatula come out clean, remove them from the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining 2/3 milk and water: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining 2/3 milk (400 g; 14.1 oz) and water (600 g; 21.2 oz). Before blending, do a final check to ensure the bottom and sides are free of any residues. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture while keeping the blender head submerged at all times to prevent splashing.
Write down the weight of the Dutch oven: Before pouring the ice cream mixture in, weigh the Dutch oven without the lid and write down its weight. You can also use any other baking dish with a heavy lid.
Pour the ice cream mixture into the Dutch oven / baking dish. The ice cream mixture is now a light beige, as the Dulce de Leche flavour has been muted into the milk. We will bake it in the oven to achieve a rich Dulce de Leche brown colour and enhance the flavour.
Cover and bake for two hours: Cover with the lid and bake in the preheated oven (185°C; 365°F). After two hours, the mixture will develop a deep caramel colour. Allow it to cool briefly with the lid on, then uncover it. Scrape all the caramelised bits from the insides of the Dutch oven and push them down into the mixture.
Blend the mixture with the immersion blender until it is completely smooth, scraping residues from the sides and bottom as you blend. If the mixture is too hot, allow it to cool slightly before blending to prevent hot splatters.
Weigh the Dutch oven (uncovered) with the ice cream mixture in it. Our goal weight is the weight of the Dutch oven plus 1300 grams (45.9 oz), which is the sum of the recipe’s ingredients: milk powder + whole milk + sugar + heavy cream. Add enough milk (or water) to reach this weight if it weighs less than that. Troubleshooting: If it weighs more than the goal weight, return it briefly to the oven and bake uncovered to reduce the weight further, then add milk or water as needed.
Add the xanthan gum: (1/2 teaspoon; 1.5 g) Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface, then blend with an immersion blender, constantly keeping the blender head submerged to prevent splattering. Blend until no streaks of xanthan gum are visible, then continue blending for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the xanthan gum.
Strain the mixture into a bowl: Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, scraping along any residues.
Cool the mixture with an ice bath: Place the bowl with the ice cream mixture inside a larger one and fill the space around it with ice cubes and cold water to create an ice bath. Make sure no water gets into the mixture. About 200 g (7 oz) of ice—roughly one standard tray—is enough to cool it down properly.
Let the mixture cool in the ice bath for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to help it cool evenly.
Chill completely: Once the mixture is no longer warm, remove the bowl from the ice bath, cover it and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. The base should be fridge-cold before churning.
Check if the ice cream mixture is cold before churning it: 4ºC–12ºC / 39ºF-54ºF / it feels fridge-cold when you place your index finger into it.
Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Blitz: the ice cream mixture is thick; give it a quick blitz with the immersion blender; this will allow it to churn for longer, resulting in a better texture. Pause once during blending to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Churn: with the machine running, pour the ice cream mixture through the canister and into the ice cream maker. Leave to churn until fluffed up and creamy; this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on your ice cream maker. If you are new to ice cream making, read the bulb below to find out how you will know that the ice cream is ready.
This ice cream mixture expands and becomes airy as it churns. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks smooth, creamy, and slightly wavy—similar to soft-serve ice cream. Churning time varies depending on your machine and can take anywhere from 30 to 70 minutes.
To check the texture, lift a spoonful. It should be thick enough to stay on the spoon, but still soft. If it looks too thin or starts melting immediately, it needs more time.
If you’re unsure, let it churn for 10 more minutes. Keep in mind that it won’t look like store-bought ice cream at this point—it will still be soft. It only becomes firm and scoopable after a few hours in the freezer.
Stop the machine once the mixture is thick and creamy. If you continue churning beyond that point, the mixture can start losing the air it has built up and may seize, resulting in a dense, heavy texture.
One important note: some ice cream makers are programmed to stop automatically after a fixed time, but that doesn’t always mean the ice cream is ready. If your machine stops and the mixture still looks too soft, simply restart it and continue churning until the texture improves.
Put in the freezer to set: before serving the ice cream or moving it to a container for storing, you have to put it in the freezer to set. To do so, turn off the ice cream maker and:
· remove the removable freezer bowl (still filled with the ice cream) from the ice cream machine
· remove the paddle, scraping any ice cream attached to it back into the ice cream bowl
· cover the ice cream bowl and place it in the freezer
Setting time depends on many factors; see notes below for indicative times.
Serve or store: when it sets, you can serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.
The setting time depends on the type of ice cream maker you’re using. Here are the general guidelines:
3–5 hours for machines with removable freezer bowls (these bowls must be pre-frozen before churning)
Under 1 hour for machines with built-in compressors and aluminum bowls
⚠️ Important: Ice cream in aluminum bowls sets quickly. Do not leave it for too long—once fully frozen, it can become extremely hard and difficult to remove without risking scratches to the bowl. Always monitor it closely.
To check if the ice cream is ready, aim for an internal temperature of –11°C (12°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, use this simple test:
Insert a round-tip knife all the way to the bottom of the ice cream:
✔ If it goes in smoothly but meets gentle resistance, it’s ready
✖ If it feels hard on top but soft underneath, it needs more time
✖ If it’s too firm to insert the knife, it’s over-frozen and likely too hard to scoop
If it’s over-frozen, don’t worry—head to the next section for how to bring it back to scoopable.
If the ice cream sits in the freezer in the removable freezer bowl for too long after it has set, it can become too hard to scoop or remove.
To make it scoopable again:
Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the ice cream to soften gradually.
Here’s how long that may take:
4–10 hours for removable freezer bowls (pre-freeze models)
1–2 hours for aluminum bowls (from compressor ice cream makers)
Note: These times are approximate and may vary depending on your fridge and the amount of ice cream. Check the texture occasionally as it softens.
Once the ice cream is soft enough to scoop—or its internal temperature reads approximately –11°C (12°F)—you can:
✔ Transfer it to another container and store it in the freezer
✔ Or serve it directly from the bowl
Just be sure to avoid digging into an over-frozen bowl with hard utensils, especially if using a nonstick-coated or aluminum bowl.
Straight after churning, the ice cream has a soft-serve consistency and melts almost instantly on contact. At this stage, it’s too soft to serve neatly or transfer easily—it’s simply too messy to handle.
Freezing the ice cream immediately after churning allows it to set properly. This step brings it to the right texture: scoopable, stable, and easy to portion or transfer into a storage container.
It’s the final step that turns churned ice cream into finished ice cream.
Storing: Transfer the finished ice cream to a lidded container and store it in the freezer for up to one month.
Cover it well to protect it from absorbing any unwanted freezer smells.
Scooping: Like all artisanal-style ice creams, this one freezes hard over time.
To make it scoopable again, place the container in the refrigerator for 45–60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about –11°C (12°F).
Once softened, it’ll scoop cleanly and serve beautifully.
