Stretchy Salep Ice Cream needs to be on your Food Bucket List! It is so unique, super cool, elastic, and rich with flavor and history. And no ice cream maker required! Stretchy Salep ice cream takes only a handful of ingredients and a few hours of time, mostly freezing time. You won’t believe the stretch!
So when you look at that featured image, you are already realizing that this is Stretchy Salep Ice Cream is like no other! I would love to know how many of you have ever tried Salep Ice Cream? Make sure and comment below to share your experience. So of course this idea for making stretchy Salep Ice Cream came from watching the stretchy Elastigirl from Incredibles 2, so check out my Video Demonstration on YouTube for a sweet ice cream jig and a tutorial on exactly how to make it! What, you don’t dance while you cook?! YOUTUBE RECIPE DEMONSTRATION!
For a CHOCOLATE version of this ice cream, check out, Stretchy Chocolate Booza Ice Cream!
While I have never had the eventful experience of walking the streets of Turkey, I have heard that the stretchy salep ice cream out there is so stretchy and durable that people can actually jump rope with it! Crazy awesome, but I’m hoping they don’t eat it afterwards! Take a look at this!

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What Is Salep?
For those of you who don’t know what stretchy salep ice cream is, it’s a Turkish ice cream that comes from using the unique ingredient of Salep. Starchy Salep comes from the ground tubers of Orchids. Salep is a thickening agent and yields a chewy, elastic-like texture with a slightly pungent aroma that mellows out once you steep it with milk and sugar.
In Turkey, a salep drink is a special warm tonic made up of salep, milk, and sugar. In the 8th century, when Turkey converted to Islam, they were no longer allowed to consume alcohol. So this soothing concoction was created. Legend has it that this “magical” concoction restores male virility. Furthermore, this was the popular drink of the Ottoman Empire and then expanded to England and Germany before coffee and tea were in demand. Even then, the Salep drink was found offered with teas and coffees.
Turkish ice cream, or Dondurma, is found on the streets of Turkey from vendors and stores. They churn the ice cream by hand, so no ice cream maker needed for this stretchy salep ice cream! To find out more history, check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dondurma.
How to Make Stretchy Salep Ice Cream
As I mentioned, this stretchy salep ice cream is done by hand. While it is a slight time commitment, it couldn’t be easier.

If you watch my video, you will see that it only takes some whisking every 30 minyutes for a few hours to achieve the stretchiest, most unique, and coolest ice cream ever!
The first step to making this stretchy salep ice cream is to get your milk and cream heated. You will bring it to a simmer then keep the heat on low. Have your salep and sugar already mixed together and then, gradually add it to heated cream while whisking. If you are using vanilla powder for flavor, add it now. If you have extracts, wait until the end. I decided to use vanilla and rose water to further enhance the flavor of this ice cream, so I added these at the 35 minute mark.
Then, you will let this mixture cook for approximately 45 minutes. Make sure to stir it at times and use your ladle or spoon to lift up the mixture and pour it back down. I heard that helps with the stretch!
After 45 minutes you will have a thickened mixture that resembles pudding or custard before you chill it.
Chill Your Stretchy Salep Ice Cream
Then you will want to keep this ice cream in the freezer. Use a freezer proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Now comes your wait and whisk period. For the next 5 hours, you will get that mixture out every 30 minutes or so. Then you will want to whisk and stretch it upwards for a couple of minutes. Repeat every 30 minutes until you have reached 5 hours total.

Then you can either eat it or let it freeze a bit more. I let it go overnight and the next morning it had STRETCH! Leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes from the freezer if you do the overnight method. This ice cream was insanely stretchy and fun! You must try this at some time in your life! The ice cream is chewy, elastic, and COOL! Top with some crushed pistachios and you’ve got a Turkish treat that will be incredibly memorable.
Remember to share your stretchy salep ice cream pics with #saritagelner, join me here-SARITA’S INSTAGRAM.
Also, check out another trending ice cream, Homemade Rolled Ice Cream!
Another pop culture craze? Moon Milk!

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Stretchy Salep Ice Cream
Stretchy Salep Ice Cream needs to be on your Food Bucket List! It is so unique, super cool, elastic, and rich with flavor and history. And no ice cream maker required! Stretchy Salep ice cream takes only a handful of ingredients and a few hours of time, mostly freezing time. You won’t believe the stretch!
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1.5 tsp. salep
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or powder see instructions
- 1 tsp. rosewater optional
- 1/2 cup pistachios crushed, for topping, optional
Instructions
-
The first step to making this stretchy salep ice cream is to get your milk and cream heated. You will bring it to a simmer then keep the heat on low. Have your salep and sugar already mixed together and then, gradually add it to heated cream while whisking. If you are using vanilla powder for flavor, add it now. If you have extracts, wait until the end. I decided to use vanilla and rose water to further enhance the flavor of this ice cream, so I added these at the end of the cooking.
Allow mixture cook for approximately 45 minutes. Make sure to stir it at times and use your ladle or spoon to lift up the mixture and pour it back down. I heard that helps with the stretch!
After 45 minutes you will have a thickened mixture that resembles pudding or custard before you chill it. Allow it to come to room temp.
Then you will want to keep this ice cream in the freezer. Use a freezer proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Now comes your wait and whisk period. For the next 2-3 hours, you will get that mixture out every 30 minutes or so. Then you will want to whisk and stretch it upwards for a couple of minutes. Repeat every 30 minutes until you have reached 5-6 whisk sessions (2-2.5 hours).
Then allow to freeze without touching it for about 4 hours or overnight and the next morning it has STRETCH! Leave it on the counter for about 5-10 minutes from the freezer if you do the overnight method. This ice cream was insanely stretchy and fun! You must try this at some time in your life! The ice cream is chewy, elastic, and COOL! Top with some crushed pistachios and you’ve got a Turkish treat that will be incredibly memorable.
Check out these other Ritzy Recipes!
Cheesecake Bars with a Chocolate Pistachio Crust and Blueberry Topping
Cardamom Cream Puffs with Rose Water Whipped Cream
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