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Most Recent Update: June 6, 2019

It’s Grilling Month for Progressive Eats! That gave me an opportunity to use my grill to make some ice cream? What?! Yup–read on and we’ll make some smoked caramel pineapple ice cream together. And it’s no-churn, too!

Don’t miss the round up of all my ice cream recipes.

I really hated summer camp. And when I say I hated it, I am not kidding. I loathed it.

I was the least sporty girl there, I’m sure. If I’d been a Spice Girl, my nickname would have been Anti-Sporty Spice.

I was made to attend day camp for at least a handful of summers, and my camp experience culminated (nadir-ed?) in a one-week sleep-away camp called Camp Occoneechee.

Camp Oconeechee in 1981. Please click photo for attribution. CC license

I have been reading all the comments from girls who camped at Camp Occoneechee for years and years and apparently loved it, so I guess I’m in the minority. Even so, reading all their memories and love for camp made me feel a bit nostalgic. And guess what? Apparently that very cabin is the one that stood in for Johnny’s cabin in Dirty Dancing. I never put it together that they filmed at Camp Occoneechee, even though I knew they’d filmed in Lake Lure, NC. Wow. It also shows how much of that camp I tried to erase from my memory that I didn’t recognize those cabins at all when Dirty Dancing came out. Go, me.

The one part of camping I enjoyed, and I know this will come as a shock, was the cooking. The Banana Boats, the hobo’s meals, of course the S’mores, the pots o’ gold soup. Up until camp, I hadn’t really done more than watch my mom cook, so being able to wrap food up in foil and nestle into dying embers was pretty heady stuff for young non-camper me.

In the spirit of minimizing the parts I didn’t enjoy and focusing on the positive, I give you: Ice Cream You Can Make (Partly) On Your Grill!

Smoked Caramel Pineapple Ice Cream (No-Churn)

Whether you’re a die hard camping fan or like me, your idea of Enjoying Nature is from the comfort of your luxury resort window, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to smoke cream and how much flavor and nuance it can bring to ice cream.

Note that, if you don’t want to get out your grill at all and still want to enjoy some smoked ice cream, I won’t tell anyone if you just add a few drops of liquid smoke to your base. Trust me, though: it’s Funner to light up your charcoal grill and go for it.

Note as well that this base is a bit of a departure from the standard 2 cups of cream and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. I add an entire cup of whole milk to the mix. Because the sugars in the dulce de leche are so concentrated, the added liquid ensures your ice cream will harden as ice cream should. If you would like to enjoy a more mousse-like texture, cut back to 1/2 cup of whole milk but don’t leave it out entirely or your base may not freeze at all.

Look, here’s a pretty pin for you!

Smoked Caramel Pineapple Ice Cream

Yield: 0 about 1 1/2 quarts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This smoked caramel pineapple ice cream is the perfect dessert for a grilled meal. How often can you say you used your grill to make ice cream? This time you can! Smoke the cream and you can even cook your pineapples on the grill. Since it's no-churn, it'll be ready for the freezer in no time!

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Ingredients

For the Dulce de Leche (and make your own--the store-bought kind isn't nearly as good as homemade)

• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

For the Pineapple

• 1 pound of fresh pineapple pieces
• 2 oz granulated gold or regular granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

For the Ice Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 14 oz can homemade dulce de leche
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• all the pineapple, , minced finely

Instructions

For the Dulce de Leche

1. Place the can of sweetened condensed milk in a pan deep enough to allow water to cover it by at least an inch.
2. Bring to a boil and then keep at a low boil for 3 hours, adding additional water if needed. If you keep the pan partially covered, there won't be a lot of evaporation, but check it at least once an hour.
3. Let the can cool in the water for about 45 minutes, and then remove it. Dont' open the can until it has cooled to just barely warm.

For the pineapple

1. Place the pineapple pieces and sugar in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer slowly, stirring frequently, until the pineapple juices have mostly evaporated and the sugar has turned a golden caramel color, about 10 minutes.
2. Allow to cool to room temperature, then mince the pineapple fairly finely. Refrigerate until needed.

For the Smoked Ice Cream

1. Place 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream in a grill-safe skillet. Grill over indirect heat with hardwood charcoal for 15-30 minutes, depending on how much smoke flavor you like. Make sure you cover your grill! Measure the cream again to make sure you still have 1 1/2 cups. If a bit has evaporated, add in enough heavy cream to compensate. Chill until cold.
2. Carefully whisk the whole milk into the dulce de leche. You may have to warm it slightly in the microwave to help it come together since the dulce de leche will be very thick. Cool and then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Whip the chilled smoked cream, salt and vanilla together until it reaches medium peaks.
4. With the mixer on low, stream in the thinned out dulce de leche until you have added it all. Scrape the bowl to make sure you get all of it.
5. Whip in the dulce de leche. Your ice cream base will thin out some, but it's okay--there will be plenty of air in it to keep it creamy in the freezer.
6. Fold in the pineapple so it is evenly distributed and place in a freezer-safe container.
7. Only if your ice cream base is too thin to suspend the pineapple: freeze for 45 minutes and then stir, scraping the frozen ice cream from the sides and making sure it's all evenly distributed. Freeze another 45 minutes and repeat the scraping and stirring. By this time, your ice cream should be frozen enough that the pineapple will be suspended rather than sinking to the bottom. Use your judgement and then continue with the instructions.
8. If your base is thick enough to suspend the fruit, press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream and chill until firm, at least 8 hours.
9. Enjoy!

Delicious, right?! I must say, the smokiness married with caramel and caramelized pineapple all frozen into a creamy base that stays creamy adds complexity you wouldn’t believe just reading the ingredient list. It’s a short one, right? Smoke is magic. And it will elevate your ice cream game just the way it elevates ribs or a great steak. Give it a try. I know smoked caramel pineapple ice cream will become one of your new favorite no-churn ice cream recipes.

Progressive Eats

And now, let’s get our grill on with the rest of the talented ladies of Progressive Eats, shall we?

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month we’re featuring It’s Grilling Time! hosted by Jane Bonacci, the author of The Heritage Cook. Today we are sharing recipes that are prepared on a barbecue or grill. Savory and sweet, you can cook your entire meal outside keeping your kitchen cool and perfect for hot summer evenings. We know you’ll enjoy the kiss of smoke in every bite!

And by the way, Jane has a fabulous gluten-free baking book coming out this fall. It’s available for pre-order now, so if you or someone you love follows a gluten-free diet, you’ll want to add The Gluten-Free Bread Machine to your cart now. Then, when it is released, it will magically show up at your house like it’s Christmas! 

Main Course

• Succulent Grilled Prime Rib (Gluten-Free) from The Heritage Cook
• Grilled Flank Steak and Asparagus with Bearnaise Butter from Creative Culinary
• Grilled Brazilian Rub Salmon from Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Vegetables/Side Dishes

• Grilled Fattoush Salad with Chickpeas-Sweet Peppers Naan from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Grilled Belgian Endive from Mother Would Know

Desserts

• Buttermilk Panna cotta with Grilled Mango Sorbet from Spice Roots
• Grilled Buttermilk Pound Cake with Peaches and Mascarpone from The Red Head Baker
• Grilled Peach Melba from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Smoked Caramel Pineapple Ice Cream (No Churn) from Pastry Chef Online (you’re already here!)

As always, everything sounds fantastic, and the first thing I’ll be doing tomorrow is visiting all the Progressive Eats blogs to drool, pin, share and save for future reference! I hope you’ll do the same.

Thanks so much for spending some time with us for Progressive Eats. Enjoy the smoked caramel pineapple ice cream and the rest of our wonderful summer menu. Thanks for being a great host, Jane, and huge congratulations on your upcoming cookbook!

Take care, friends, and have a lovely day.

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