Dairy can be such a scary word to some people. It is a serious allergy, intolerance, and many people suffer skin irritation (i.e. acne). I used to be dairy free thinking it would treat my eczema. However, I realised i was just eating too much of it - they say a ball of mozzarella is too much apparently.

I love baking vegan treats but sometimes it is nice using different dairy products (other than egg and yoghurt) and making new recipes. So if you can eat dairy, then take a seat…

DAIRY WEEK

Signature: Dairy cake with a cultured diary product

Technical: 12 Maids of honour

Showstopper: Stunning display of milk based Indian sweets - ‘Mishti’

Cream cheese ice cream with crunchy caramel swirls

Pre-baking information: The caramel was crunchy by accident as the sugar started to caramelise together so I would add 1tsp of water so it dissolves not crunch together. Recipe from ¡Hola! Jalapeño. Link in the title.

Ice cream ingredients

• 240g cream cheese (room temperature)

• 380ml sweetened condensed milk (I used evaporated milk and sugar - each cup of evaporated milk add about 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar. Pour the mixture in a pan, stir while heating on the stovetop until the sugar completely dissolves. Let cool.)

• 1tsp vanilla essence

• 1/4tsp salt

• 480ml heavy cream

Method

• Get a big enough Tupperware for the ice cream.

• In a mixing bowl add cream cheese and beat with electric mixers until smooth.

• (If you are making your own sweetened condensed milk do this now)

• Add to the mixing bowl the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt - continue to beat the ingredients until they have combined and there is a smooth texture.

• In another mixing bowl pour in the heavy cream and whisk until it becomes stiff peaks. (whipped cream texture)

• Add a third of the cream into the cream cheese & milk mixture and fold to combine. Repeat until all the cream is in and combined completely.

• When all the cream is in scrape the bowl in to the container and place in the freezer.

• Then make the caramel sauce.

Salted caramel sauce ingredients

• 2 tbsp salted butter

• 1/2 cup light brown muscovado sugar

• 1/4 cup double cream

• 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt

• vanilla essence to taste
  

Method

• Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan except the vanilla essence.

• Place the saucepan with the ingredients on the stove with a medium heat. Whisk them together and allow to boil.

• Once there is a boil, reduce the heat and keep whisking whilst they simmer.

• It will take a while but don't stop whisking until you think it is a caramel texture, whisk in the vanilla while doing this.

• Once there is caramel forming, remove from heat, let cool slightly.

• While the caramel is cooling add in to the ice cream and swirl around.

• Place back in to the freezer for 4 hours.

Happy baking! (freezing!)