There might be something better than homemade Dulce de Leche gelato.
But, you know, nothing is coming to mind just at the moment.
But I'm willing to wager a little bet.
My proposal? You spend a little while (or a long while, if you feel like making your own dulce de leche) making a list of things that are really delicious and might possibly be more delicious.
Then, you taste the gelato. If this gelato were a person, it would be the absolute suavest of Italian playboys. It's just so smooth and gooooooood. It's creamy. It's sweet with just a little-baby-taste of salt. Like, just enough to keep you licking the spoon clean before the next spoonful. It's a master of keeping you coming back for more.
And I'm betting that after you taste it, you'll be hooked. And you, like me, might be at a loss for what could possibly be better. Well, except for pairing it with this cake.
Here's the recipe. If you feel like using store-bought dulce de leche, like I did, make sure you buy some of the good stuff and then just skip to step 3.
Dulce de leche Gelato
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (or purchased prepared dulce de leche)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 pints heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Procedure
- Fill a large pot 3/4-full with water. Place the unopened can of condensed milk in the water, making sure it is covered completely, and carefully bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours, adding more water as necessary. Remove from the heat and let sit until completely cool. Watch the can carefully to make sure it does not start to bulge. If the can does begin to bulge, remove from the heat and let cool. Once cool, punch a small hole in the top of the can, return to the heat, and continue cooking. Although this is a traditional way to make this recipe, we suggest using the method below as a safe alternative to cooking an unopened can of condensed milk.
- Pour the condensed milk into the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until a caramel color is achieved, about 2 to 3 hours. Or, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pour the condensed milk into a baking dish and cover with foil. Place the pan in a larger pan. Fill the larger pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish with the condensed milk. Bake until caramelized, about 2 hours.
- In a clean saucepan, combine the brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the warm syrup and egg yolks. Whisk constantly until the mixture is a thick, pale yellow and reaches the ribbon stage. Remove the bowl from the heat, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until cool. Whisk in the condensed milk, heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container. Cover with plastic, pressing down onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
- Transfer to the bowl of an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.