This is an easy version of vanilla ice cream, which we make at Bar Amá with cream and crème fraîche—no ice-cream maker necessary! We use it for raspados of shaved ice and hibiscus syrup, for fried ice cream, or to serve drizzled with dulce de leche or chocolate sauce.
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
VANILLA BEAN SEMIFREDDO
6 egg yolks
1½ tsp dark brown sugar
½ cup [100 g] granulated sugar
1½ cups [360 ml] heavy cream
½ cup [120 g] crème fraîche
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
Dulce De Leche
One 14 oz [420 ml] can sweetened condensed milk
METHOD
Make the semifreddo: Put the egg yolks, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high to high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Combine the heavy cream, crème fraîche, and vanilla seeds scraped from the bean in a clean bowl, and with a clean whisk attachment, or a hand mixer with regular beaters, whip until soft peaks form.
Carefully fold the whipped cream mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into a container, cover, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Any leftover ice cream will keep in the freezer for up to 1 week.
Make the dulce de leche: Peel the label off the can of condensed milk and put the can in a large pot. Add enough water to the pot so it comes within 2 fingers of the top. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 6 hours, checking the water level, and adding more as needed to keep the pot filled. Remove the can with tongs and set aside to cool overnight at room temperature.
Serve the semifreddo with a drizzle of the dulce de leche. Store any remaining dulce de leche in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
From Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen by Josef Centeno and Betty Hallock, © 2019. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Ren Fuller.
This original article first appeared in the SUMMER 2026 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
Get More Inspiration
from City Style and Living
