Dulce de Leche & Chocolate Waffle Cone Ice Cream

Sweet dulce de leche, chocolate and chunks of waffle cone all in one delightful scoop of ice cream. There's nothing like the combination of caramel and chocolate!

For most, Father's Day is often filled with barbecues, making the most of the sunny weather to grill everything from big slabs of flank steak to hamburger sliders and kebabs.

For our family, it means a day of food inspired by Mexican flavors. The day always starts with my husband's favorite breakfast, Breakfast Burritos and we typically move onto enchiladas later in the day. Not wanting to veer from the theme at dessert time, I decided to make a version of dulce de leche ice cream. Using David Lebovitz's creamy version of vanilla ice cream and vanilla pods I bought at Organic Fair, a charming farm just outside of Victoria, B.C., I had a base ice cream that would make any other flavors shine. After the ice cream processed in the machine, chocolate-drizzled waffle cones and dulce de leche (a milk caramel popular in Latin America) were gently stirred in. The result was a rich and creamy ice cream filled with sweet caramel and crunchy chocolate pieces.

How to make waffle cone ice cream:

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup whole milk, pinch of salt, and ¾ cup granulated sugar until very warm. Remove from heat. Split 1 vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a small, sharp knife.

Mix the seeds and the pod into the milk, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.

In a medium bowl, whisk 5 egg yolks. Reheat the milk mixture and gradually pour about ¼ of it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture and set it over low to medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture forms a custard until it is thick enough to coat a spatula or the back of a metal spoon.

Make a water bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice. Set a medium bowl into the water bath. Place a strainer in the top bowl and pour 2 cups heavy cream through the strainer.

Pour the egg mixture through the strainer and stir until it is cool (it should still be sitting over the water bath). Stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Remove the vanilla bean.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Pour the custard mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

While the ice cream is processing, break 2 waffle cones into ¾-inch pieces and lay on a piece of parchment or wax paper on a baking sheet. Chop 1 ½ ounces bittersweet chocolate and combine it with 1 teaspoon canola oil in a microwave-proof bowl. Heat at 50% power until the chocolate is melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the waffle cones and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.

Spoon half of a 13.5-ounce can of dulce de leche in a small bowl and microwave until pourable.

Once the ice cream is finished processing, transfer it to a freezer-proof container. Gently mix in the chocolate-covered waffle pieces and the dulce de leche. Freeze until solid.

Scoop and serve.

Dulce de Leche & Chocolate Waffle Cone Ice Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream base by David Lebovitz

1 cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 waffle cones
1 ½ oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 can (13.5 oz.) dulce de leche - you'll only use half

In a medium saucepan, heat whole milk, salt, and sugar until very warm. Remove from heat. Scrape out the seeds out of the vanilla bean with a small, sharp knife. Mix the seeds and the pod into the milk, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. Reheat the milk mixture and gradually pour about ¼ of it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture and set it over low to medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture forms a custard until it is thick enough to coat a spatula or the back of a metal spoon.

Make a water bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice. Set a medium bowl into the water bath. Place a strainer in the top bowl and pour heavy cream through the strainer. Pour the egg mixture through the strainer and stir until it is cool (it should still be sitting over the water bath). Stir in vanilla extract. Remove the vanilla bean. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Pour the custard mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

While the ice cream is processing, break waffle cones into ¾-inch pieces and lay on a piece of parchment or wax paper on a baking sheet. Combine chocolate it with canola oil in a microwave-proof bowl. Heat at 50% power until the chocolate is melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the waffle cones and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.

Spoon dulce de leche in a small bowl and microwave until pourable.

Once the ice cream is finished processing, transfer it to a freezer-proof container. Gently mix in the chocolate-covered waffle pieces and the dulce de leche. Freeze until solid. Scoop and serve.

Makes about 1 quart.

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