DULCE DE LECHE WITH TOASTED COCONUT ICE CREAM

I'm pretty sure that I will be spontaneously combusting at any moment now. Actually, if it wasn't for the tropical humidity that is making everything so wet and steamy, I already would have. It's hot. Inhumanely hot. And in weather like this, a young woman's fancy turns to thoughts of ice cream.

Usually, I'd only make ice cream a couple of times between May and September. But, because of my above mentioned facing of a fiery death on what now seems to be a daily basis, I've already made ice cream three times, all of them crazy good batches.

There was the ubiquitous chocolate, made with a healthy infusion of Nutella (I wish I had two hearts so that I could pledge one of them to Nutella *sigh*). Chocolate is the preferred ice cream flavor of Mr. Icequeen, so it has become required summer (and winter) eats in our house.

Then there was the semi-successful-first-try at a peach flavored quart. Not bad, not great either, but I'd be willing to try making that one again.

But then....oh but then, came the one flavor to unite them all....Dulce de Leche w/toasted coconut. Not only is it possibly the best ice cream I've ever made, it may be (insert booming god-like voice here) THE BEST ICE CREAM OF ALL TIME.  Yep, I said it after the first spoonful, and I stand by it now, even though the last drips of it were finished weeks ago. It's not just good, it's not just great. It's (comic geek alert!) the fucking Batman of frozen treats.  This flavor will now be held up as the standard that all other ice creams aspire to. I'm drooling on my keyboard, just thinking about how great it will be when the ice cream and I are together once again.

It tastes like caramel. It tastes like coconut. Sweet monkey dumplings, it tastes like BUTTER! Smooth, and creamy, with tiny flakes of crunchy, nutty coconut throughout. It was sweet, and just a little salty. I've reached food Nirvana, and it's quite lovely.

DULCE DE LECHE W/TOASTED COCONUT ICE CREAM



1 cup half and half

1 tsp salt


1 Tbs vanilla extract


1 Tbs coconut extract


2 cups whipping cream


6 oz cream cheese, softened


14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

13.4 oz can dulce de leche


2 cups coconut, toasted and finely chopped







In large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until fluffy then gradually add sweetened condensed milk until smooth, then the dulce de leche, beating until all ingredients are smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the ice cream mixture into a ice cream freezer container and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.