For decades, humanity has headed straight for the freezer to get a bowl of ice cream whenever our sweet tooth has ached. But the modern-day cost of ice cream can inflate our grocery bill and ruin our budget. There’s a more affordable way to satisfy your sweet tooth – just make your own ice cream!
For homemade ice cream, you will need simple ingredients including milk and sugar. Some recipes will require large amounts of ice, so to help you save the ice in your freezer, consider buying a portable ice maker. You can search online to find the best home ice maker for your needs. [Thanks goes to guest writer Mike Jones for the article with recipes and image credit goes to Marco Verch from Flickr]
Contents
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
This recipe will allow you to create homemade vanilla ice cream without an ice cream machine. You will be able to enjoy it in just 10 minutes!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-3 cups ice, crushed or cubed
- 1/3 cup kosher or coarse salt
- 1 quart-sized plastic zip lock bag
- 1 gallon-sized plastic zip lock freezer bag
Instructions:
Combine the sugar, vanilla, and milk into the quart-sized plastic bag and seal it tightly. Press out any trapped air then seal it. Mix the salt and ice in the gallon-sized plastic bag. Place the quart-sized bag into the gallon-sized plastic bag and seal it tightly. Vigorously shake the bags for 5 minutes. You may consider wearing gloves while doing this because they will become very cold. You will begin to see the smaller bag’s ingredients have mixed and hardened after 5 minutes. Do not open the bags! Let them rest on a safe surface for a few more minutes. Ensure the ice cubes are surrounding the smaller bag.
Open the bags, scoop out the ice cream, and enjoy it immediately!
Cookies & Cream Nutella Ice Cream
This sounds like a dream come true, and it will be perfect as a dinner party dessert.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup chocolate milk
- 3/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 3/4 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
Instructions:
Puree the hazelnut spread, sugar, cream, salt, and vanilla in a blender until creamy and smooth. Chill the blender with the mixture in the fridge for 5 minutes. Once chilled, place blender in the freezer for 45 minutes. Remove blender from the freezer and blend for 15-20 seconds then pour into a serving dish. Place dish in the freezer for another 45 minutes. Remove dish, whisk, mix in Oreo cookies then place in freezer for 45 minutes. Repeat step 5 once more but leave in freezer until frozen. Serve immediately.
Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream
A family favorite can now be made anytime and for a fraction of the cost. For this recipe, you will need an ice cream machine.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions:
Whisk the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan then add the cream and milk, stir, and bring all to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir to melt the chocolate chips. Let cool and refrigerate for 6 hours. Pour chilled mixture into ice cream machine and freeze per the machine’s instructions. When churning finishes, transfer ice cream to an airtight container. Once transferred, mix in marshmallows and almonds. Cover and freeze until ready to be served.
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
One of the original flavors of ice cream, chocolate is a classic that the whole family will love!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
Combine the sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly and bring it to a simmer. Place egg yolks into a small bowl and gradually stir in 1/2 cup of the saucepan mixture into the egg yolks. Mix and then pour bowl contents into saucepan. Heat until thickened but do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate until melted. Pour mixture into a chilled bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. When completely cooled, stir in the cream and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to instructions.
Although ice cream is usually enjoyed during the hot summer months, there’s no reason that you can’t use these simple recipes all year long. With the proper containers, you can preserve your homemade ice cream longer than commercial ice cream. Just scoop it out and enjoy!
