Home > Everyday Gourmet > Archives > 2009 > June > 24 > Entry
Time for Celebratin’ (or Let’s Eat Ice Cream)
We all know that July 4th is America’s Birthday. July is also National Ice Cream month. WOW! Let’s celebrate! And I DO mean with ICE CREAM. There are ice cream recipes in every summer magazine, all over the Internet, in everyone’s family. Why write a blog about ice cream? I have no real defense except that it is fun to think about ice cream, to dream about ice cream, to scream—no, that’s going too far. Somehow, no matter how good or expensive or creatively flavored store-bought ice cream is, it just can’t stack up or freeze up to the homemade stuff.
I just bought an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl that you freeze for 24 hours. It requires no ice, no salt. While it’s a little noisy (no moreso than the other electric type), it’s really great. It freezes ice cream in about 25 minutes, and clean- up is really easy.
My dad, God rest his soul, would have said that this was cheating. I remember taking turns with my brother and sister sitting on top of the newspaper that had been tightly wrapped around our faded turquoise-blue hand-crank ice cream maker. Daddy would turn the crank for what seemed to be hours until finally delicious ice cream was frozen - at least frozen enough to stand in the spoon for the 2 seconds before it was devoured on a hot summer Texas day. THAT was real ice cream that “real men” made for their families.
I’m sticking with my new electric ice cream maker. I wonder what Molly will use to make ice cream when I’m 80. Maybe she’ll test out some of these recipes. I’m guessing, however, none will top her favorite recipe as seen below.
Some Ice Cream Basics-with credits for copying:
Allrecipes. com divides ice cream into to two types: French custard which is cooked to make a creamier mixture and to assure that the eggs safe to eat and New York or Philadelphia style which is uncooked with no egg products. Some uncooked mixtures depend on whipping cream for creaminess; some use gelatin; some use whipped evaporated milk. Then, of course, there are other frozen desserts such as sherbet, bombes, mousses and ices.
Some suggestions from our favorite, The Joy of Cooking:
Prepare the ice cream mixture the day before it is frozen to make the ice cream smoother. When possible dissolve sugar in liquid over heat before adding to the cream. Add 1/8 t. salt to the syrup. Cool before adding to the cream. Chill the mixture before freezing.
Below are some ideas for celebrating National Ice Cream Month:
Vanilla Ice Cream with Egg Yolks*
Makes about1 1/2 Quarts
Scald over low heat but do not boil:
1 1/2 cups milk
Stir in until dissolved:
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pour the milk slowly over:
2 or 3 beaten egg yolks
Beat these ingredients until they are well blended. Stir and cook them over low heat or in a double boiler until they are thick and smooth. Do not let them boil. Chill them. Add:
1 tablespoon vanilla
Whip until stiff:
1 pint heavy cream: 2 cups
Fold it into the custard. Freeze according to ice cream freezer directions.
*Use the egg whites for a Fruit Meringue Torte
Strawberry or Peach Meringue Torte
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
10 saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
In an electric mixer beat egg whites and baking powder until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until egg whites are stuff but not dry. Fold in crackers and pecans. Bake in a butter-greased 8 or 9 inch pie plate at 300F for 30 minutes.
Cool. Add 1 quart whole or sliced strawberries (or sliced peaches) and top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Alternatively, form individual meringues and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet Bake until lightly brown.
This is an old favorite from Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook:
Lemon Velvet Ice Cream
1 quart plus 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 quart plus 1 1/3 cups milk
Juice of 8 lemons
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
Mix thoroughly and freeze according to your freezer directions. It tastes just the way it sounds—like velvet.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet; however, it comes from a wonderful source and I plan to make it over the weekend. The source is Barbara McCellan from the Longview News-Journal:
Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 cup cold milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Fruit, if desired—2 cups mashed peaches or strawberries.*
Stir milk, vanilla, condensed milk, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed. Gently stir in milk mixture. Fold in fruit, if desired. Pour mixture into a ½ qt. metal bowl (Can be frozen in the metal mixer bowl). Cover and freeze for at least four hours, stirring after two hours, around the sides when the edges begin to harden. This makes about 3 pints of ice-cream. Serve, or store in air-tight containers. *Very ripe mashed fruit is good so that there are no frozen chunks. Add fruit near the end of the freezing period.
My own (and my daughter’s) personal favorite is the following. I like it mostly because it is all mixed in one bowl, requires no heating, beating, cooking, or stressing, AND it tastes fabulous!
Simple Vanilla Ice Cream
Makes 14 1/2 cup servings (that is 7 one-cup servings)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups sugar (make sure it is fine sugar so that it dissolves completely)
1 can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed, although my grandfather loves a can of this in it as well)
Enough cream to make 3 cups combined with the evaporated milk
1 1/2 tablespoons really good, strong vanilla, like Neilson Massey
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk (or mix with mixer) untilthe sugar in dissolved. Pour into ice cream canister and freeze according to ice cream maker manufacturer directions.
There are thousands of ideas and variations and you may have a favorite. Please share your favorite with all of us.
Happy Freezing and Eating!
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