I Scream, You Scream...

...we all scream for ice cream!  Ice cream is so creamy, cold, and refreshing on a hot summer day.  Why shouldn't we celebrate it?  We should, of course!  And that is why tomorrow is National Ice Cream Day.  Of all the crazy things that have gotten their own day, this is one of my favorites. There's nothing better than a cold bowl or cone of sweet and satisfying ice cream...except a cold bowl or cone of sweet and satisfying homemade ice cream!  I know, I know, I don't have an ice cream machine either, but that shouldn't stop you.  I've been trying out methods for making ice cream without a machine, and frankly, it's really easy.  Even if you don't or can't eat traditional ice cream, there are plenty of other ice cream recipes out there. Scroll to the bottom of the post for some ideas.

First there is the bag method.  Use your favorite ice cream recipe to make your base.  Pour it into a quart sized zip-top baggie and seal it.  Some people recommend taping the bag shut to ensure there will be no leaks.  Place that bag in a gallon sized zip-top baggie along with plenty of ice cubes and salt.  The larger the salt chunks the better, but in a pinch table salt will do.  Seal this bag as well.  Now comes the work...ehh, I mean the fun part.  Squeeze, squish, roll, and toss your bag.  The salt makes the ice colder, the cold makes the cream freeze, and the movement prevents the ice crystals that are forming from becoming too large and ruining the creamy texture that is ice cream.  This part of the recipe is great to keep kids busy while they wait for the ice cream to be edible.

Next is the coffee can method.  It is very similar to the bag method.  Again, use your favorite ice cream recipe to make your base.  This time, pour it into an average sized, clean coffee can.  Seal the lid on the can, again using tape to prevent any leakage.  Now place the average sized coffee can inside an industrial sized coffee can along with your ice cubes and salt.  Like the bag method, you now need to shake, rattle, and roll your can.  You can roll it on the floor between two people (again, great for keeping kids busy), or I've even heard of gently rolling it back and forth under your feet while you work at a desk or sit on the couch.  The poster of that suggestion states that it is great for aching feet.

Finally, is the freezer method...the one I chose.  It seems to me that unless you use multiple baggies or cans, the first two methods limit the amount of ice cream you can make to what will fit in the bag or can.  With a family of five that includes two teenage boys, I need to cook in quantity.  With the freezer method, I can make as much ice cream as I wish.  Keep in mind, though, that larger batches will take longer to freeze.  I make a gallon at a time, and it isn't ready until the next day. Your time will vary, of course, based on the size of your batch, your freezer's temperature, and the starting temperature of your ice cream base.

Here's how it works.  Simply pour your ice cream base into any appropriately sized covered container.  I keep an empty one gallon plastic ice cream tub on hand just for this purpose.  Put the lid on the container and place it in your freezer. Periodically, pull out the ice cream and stir it up.  You can hand stir it, or use a hand mixer.  Just as with the other methods, periodically stirring the base prevents the ice crystals from growing too large, and makes your ice cream creamier. But, don't worry if you have frozen chunks because you waited too long to stir.  Simply put the ice cream in your blender and smooth it back out.  As I said before, smaller batches will freezes more quickly, and larger batches will take longer to freeze.  When I make a gallon, the ice cream is soupy for about 6-8 hours.  For me, it works best to make the base just before bedtime.  That way, the ice cream is just getting to it's freezing stage when I get up in the morning and can stir it through out the morning.  If you make smaller batches, or divide your gallon into smaller containers, you can make it in the morning and stir it through out the afternoon.

Here is my basic vanilla ice cream base.  You can use this as a starting point to create whatever flavor you can imagine. Beat 4 eggs.  Add in 2 cups of sugar, and beat until thick and frothy.  Mix in 2 cups of evaporated milk, one can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk, 2 tablespoons of vanilla, and a pinch of salt.  Once well mixed, pour into a one gallon container (or divide evenly between smaller containers totaling one gallon).  Fill the container(s) the rest of the way with milk (I use 2%, but you can use whole).  Mix again and freeze.  Don't have evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk?  You can make your own.  That makes this ice cream even more affordable!

What if you can't or don't eat ice cream?  Don't worry, there are plenty of recipes out there for non-dairy, vegan, and sugar free ice cream.  So whatever the reason, you don't eat traditional ice cream, you can still enjoy great ice cream flavor. Healthy Living How To posted a very tempting dairy-free, vegan blender ice cream recipe that uses almond milk...and Stevia, so it's sugar-free as well.  It looks delicious!  Try serving Rick Bayless' dairy-free avocado ice cream to your adult guests.  It has a little secret ingredient!  Perhaps this dairy-free, vegan creamy chocolate gelato from Healthy Living is more your style. Last, but certainly not least, is one of my favorites.  One ingredient, dairy-free, sugar-free, vegan ice cream.  The Kitchn explains how to make it, but it doesn't have to be one ingredient.  You can add anything you want to it!

You see, no matter your diet or lifestyle, we can all scream for ice cream...homemade ice cream, that is!  So, whip up a batch tonight and have a happy National Ice Cream Day tomorrow!

Karissa