There are many reasons to eat ice cream in summer. To start with the most obvious one – it is absolutely delicious and refreshing. Not to mention comforting. Who could resist a serving of this frozen delight after a long day?

But why should you go to the trouble of making it at home instead of simply buying it from the store? We can think of several reasons:

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Making ice cream at home is easy . Not all ice cream recipes require an ice cream maker and this post will prove it!

. Not all ice cream recipes require an ice cream maker and this post will prove it! Ice cream can turn a group of plain fruits into a delectable dessert. On the other hand, ice cream can be used to take standard desserts like pies and cupcakes to a whole new level . We don’t simply refer to placing a dollop of ice cream on top of the dessert. The fantastic recipes offered below support this claim!

. We don’t simply refer to placing a dollop of ice cream on top of the dessert. The fantastic recipes offered below support this claim! Ice cream can be healthy . Store-bought ice cream is typically sweetened with sugar or sugar substitutes. It also contains artificial coloring, flavors and stabilizers added. When you make it at home, you get to control the ingredients. So, instead of constantly denying your kids’ ice cream treats because it is unhealthy and will spoil their teeth, you can let them enjoy completely guilt-free! Homemade ice cream is perfect for vegans, people who are lactose intolerant, or allergic to dairy products.

. Store-bought ice cream is typically sweetened with sugar or sugar substitutes. It also contains artificial coloring, flavors and stabilizers added. When you make it at home, you get to control the ingredients. So, instead of constantly denying your kids’ ice cream treats because it is unhealthy and will spoil their teeth, you can let them enjoy completely guilt-free! Homemade ice cream is perfect for vegans, people who are lactose intolerant, or allergic to dairy products. And finally, kids can help you make ice cream to learn where it comes from and have fun. Need a storyline to go with the process? Let’s make ice cream making interesting and educational!

How Did It Get in Your Fridge? The History of Ice Cream

500 BC – Ancient Greeks enjoyed snow mixed with fruit and honey. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recommended this mixture to his patients to improve their well-being.

400 BC – Persians invented the predecessor of ice cream, a food called Faloodeh. This chilled treat was made of vermicelli and rose water, then complemented with fruits or spices like saffron. It was considered a luxurious treat and was served only to Royals during hot days.

300 BC – Alexander the Great enjoyed ice and snow flavored with nectar and honey.

200 BC – The Chinese went a step forward, creating an even richer treat with rice and milk. To make this wonder, they used a mixture of snow and potassium nitrate on the outer side of the containers to freeze the contents inside.

1 century AD – Nero Claudius Caesar, a Roman emperor, had people bring him snow from the mountains, then flavored it with juices and fruits.

16th century – Catherine de’ Medici introduced flavored ice and sorbets on the French court when she married the Duke of Orléans

17th century – Charles I of England liked ‘frozen snow’ so much that he offered the chef responsible for making it a lifetime financial support to keep the recipe secret so that, like in ancient Persia, only aristocrats could enjoy it.

In the same century, the first written recipes for flavored sorbets and ices appeared in France and Italy, whereas in England they appeared a century later.

In the USA, the first written accounts of ice cream are a letter and an advertisement from the 1700’s. It is a well-known fact that three early American presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were big ice cream fans.

Ice cream remained a prerogative of the rich until the beginning of the 19th century when the first refrigerators appeared. The ice cream production suddenly increased and rose in popularity among common people. At the same time, new flavors and varieties like ice cream soda and sundae popped up.

Ice cream was served to soldiers to increase the morale during the World War II and was one of the most consumed goods immediately after the war when the dairy product restrictions were lifted.

Today, over 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream are sold every year!

Tips and Tricks for Making Classic Ice Cream at Home

When we say ‘classic ice cream’, we refer to ice cream that uses custard as a base, i.e. contains eggs and is mixed using an ice cream maker. Whether you are making ice cream at home, or you just want to master the art of preparing this summer dessert, the following tips and tricks will facilitate the process.

Basic mixture tips

Recipe

The first step to a great ice cream is the recipe. If you are a first-time ice cream maker, make an experimental batch using only 1/2 a cup whole milk and a tablespoon of sugar. Place in a ziplock bag, shake, and freeze, checking and re-shaking every 15 minutes.

If this goes well, pick a simple recipe with fewer ingredients and follow it to the point. Once you perfect the simple version, you can start experimenting with the recipe to adjust it to your taste and add anything you like (write the changes you have made so that you don’t forget next time you make the recipe).

Eggs

Bear in mind that the more eggs your ice cream contains, the creamier it will be but, on the other hand, going overboard with eggs can make your frozen treat taste too eggy.

Be careful when heating the eggs with the sugar and milk to form the ice cream base. To avoid the formation of curdles, start by warming the milk up alone, then scoop some of it into the beaten eggs and sugar. This will warm up the eggs. Heat the whole base slowly and at a low temperature, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot. You are done when the mixture thickens.

If your eggs curdled despite all precautions taken, just strain the mixture before churning it.

Sugar

Bear in mind that the more sugar (or another sweetener) you add, the more slowly the mixture will freeze. So, this is another reason to go easy on it.

Smooth operators

To keep the mixture from getting too hard in the freezer, add a little booze! Alcohol doesn’t freeze, so it will it will keep the mixture smooth and soft, but be careful; a couple of tablespoons is just enough.

Another trick for obtaining a smoother texture is to mix the ice cream ingredients one day before freezing.

Add-in tips

Start small

When you decide to go with add-ins, start simple, by first adding spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the milk. Other options include extracts like vanilla and almond, fresh herbs like mint, cocoa nibs, or coffee beans.

Then go big

Include larger add-ins in the mixture a minute before churning in the ice cream maker finishes. Adding them too early will make them break up. Here is what you can take into consideration:

Fruit slices (strawberries, cherries, plums, peaches…)

Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar

Chopped candy bar

Butterscotch chips

Coconut flakes

Chopped nuts

Peanut or nut butter

Improve it

Additions like evaporated milk, whipped cream, beaten eggs, gelatin, cream of tartar, or melted marshmallows are used to prevent the formation of large ice crystals, improve the flavor, and increase the mixture’s volume.

Ice Cream Maker Tips

Read the manual

If you have just acquired an ice cream maker, make sure to follow the instruction manual that goes with it. Many ice cream makers have a bowl that has to be frozen in advance overnight before making the ice cream. Make sure the bowl is really ice-cold otherwise your ice cream will end up stone hard.

Don’t overfill

Be careful not to fill the ice cream maker more than 2/3 because the air bubbles incorporated during the freezing process will make the mixture expand.

A quickie on salt and ice

Three quick tips for using the ice cream freezer when it comes to salt and ice: Turn it on before you start placing the ice and salt around the canister; use seven parts of ice to one part of salt; and keep a pitcher of hot water on hand to pour over the ice and salt if case they get clumped together.

Freezing tips

The ice cream mixture must be cold before you put it into the ice cream freezer. This will not only speed up the freezing process, but it will also smoothen the texture. Let it cool in the fridge for at least one hour (even better, overnight) before transferring to the freezer.

Alternative freezing options

Plastic containers

It’s OK if you don’t have an ice cream freezer. Just pour the mixture into a deep plastic container and cover with a lid. Open the container every 40 minutes or so to stir the mixture well. If you don’t do this, the ice cream will freeze too hard. This method will take you about 5 hours, so plan ahead. For best results, leave the ice cream in the freezer overnight, after you have finished stirring.

Ziplock bags

Pour the ice cream mixture into a one-quart ziplock bag. Fill another, larger bag about halfway with ice and coarse salt. Place the smaller bag containing the ice cream mixture into the larger bag, making sure both bags are sealed tightly so that the contents don’t mix. Shake the bags carefully for about 20 minutes (don’t apply to much force because the bags might burst!).

Storage tips

Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap and keep it in an air-tight container. This will prevent the ice cream from absorbing smells from other foods in the freezer, stop the formation of ice crystals, and ensure your frozen delight keeps its consistency. Store at a temperature from between -5 to 0 degrees F.

Do not refreeze melted ice cream. It will not be tasty at all!

Mind-blowing Ice Cream Recipes to Try

Now that you have learned all the secrets to a perfect ice cream, it is time to get down to business. We have the most amazing ice cream recipes for you to try this summer.

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Butterscotch Ice Cream

The secret ingredient that makes this ice cream recipe so fluffy and mousse-like is gelatin but your ice cream will be just as delicious without it!

Ice Cream Cupcakes

The very look of these triple chocolate cupcakes will make your mouth water! To add a dash of freshness, use mint chocolate chip ice cream instead of regular chocolate. In case you can’t eat them all at once (which is close to impossible), these cuties will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Apricot Ice Cream Crunch

If you don’t have apricots at hand, peeled peaches will do the trick as well. During winter, opt for dried apricots. Soak them in some water to soften, then chop. Your ice cream crunch will be full of apricot flavor!

Fried Ice Cream

This recipe is a prefect combination of how and cold! Use a slotted spoon or a wire frying spoon to lower the ice cream into the hot oil during frying.

Enjoy!

I believe that food should not only taste good, but make you feel good as well and that is why I am so interested in exploring ingredients, preparing meals, and finding ways to make the whole cooking experience fun and exciting! Being a blogger for MyGreatRecipes unites my two passions – food and writing, and I am enjoying every second of it!