Ever tried stretchy ice cream before?
Imagine your usual ice cream but when you scoop it, it tugs and stretches from your spoon like a thicker and gooier mozzarella cheese.
A known favorite
This traditional ice cream from Turkey is called dondurma.
It is also called Maraş ice cream, after the city where they believe the treat originated from.
The ice cream’s properties make it resistant to melting which is good when you want to enjoy its dense and chewy goodness under the sun.
As simple as it gets.
As complicated as it may look, the recipe only demands three ingredients and some elbow grease.
The only challenging part is getting the salep, which is an important part of the recipe and the patience in front of the stove.
So, if you want to try this traditional Turkish treat in the comfort of your own home, read down below for the full recipe.
What you’ll need:
- milk
- salep
- sugar
While goat or buffalo milk is traditionally used, you can also use cow’s milk. Salep is a special kind of starch that you can buy in Turkish stores or online.
The measurement for this recipe is easy. You just have to remember one number – one.
- One liter of milk
- one cup of sugar
- one tablespoon of salep.
To prepare the base:
In a flat pot, pour in your milk. You might need at least 2 liters of milk to serve a small group.
Bring the milk to a boil. Make sure to stir the milk so it won’t burn or stick to the pan. You should also “pull” the milk once in a while.
“Pulling” means scooping the milk with a ladle and then pouring it back into the pan.
Milk has around 85%-95% of water, so boiling it can evaporate excess water. This will make for a thicker and creamier ice cream that’s not “icy”.
Once the milk boils, simmer it over low heat. Stir occasionally.
Prepare the salep mixture:
Salep is a special kind of starch. This gives the ice cream its signature texture.
Put a tablespoon of salep in a bowl for each liter of milk. Then, mix in some sugar and incorporate the two ingredients together.
Work slowly.
Add the salep slowly into your simmering milk to avoid lumps. Continue stirring and pulling.
After a while, you’ll notice that the milk is thicker – almost like a batter.
To know if your milk is cooked enough, dip your ladle in. If the milk coats the entire back of the ladle, then it’s ready.
Bring it down to room temperature.
Then, fold the edges of ice cream towards the center so the whole thing comes together. You can also take this opportunity to flavor your ice cream.
Place it in the freezer for two to three hours, then repeat the step. Leave the ice cream overnight after the folding.
Serve by slicing. You can also top it with crushed or sliced nuts.
See the entire process in the video below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
