Homemade Ice Cream: History and Recipes

Ice cream has got to be one of the most popular desserts around. The taste of the cold, creamy treat melting on your tongue is one of the pleasures of summer for most of us.

Long before Blue Bell and Breyers, people were enjoying ice cream. From the earliest civilizations ice was cut in the winter and stored in special ice houses for summer use. Ancient Greeks sold frozen confections made of shaved ice mixed with honey and fruit that were similar to snow cones. In Biblical times, the Emperor Nero had ice combined with fruit.

Ice cream as we know it began to appear in the early 1700s. Confectioners sold ice cream at their shops in New York and other cities during the colonial era.

Some colonial ice cream fans were:

• Ben Franklin

• George Washington

• Dolly Madison

• Thomas Jefferson

The ice cream sundae was reputed to have been created in the late 1800s to get around the blue laws. It was illegal to sell sodas on Sunday, therefore shops created the Ice Cream Sundae. People bought them by the thousands and soon ice cream sundaes became a regular treat for many Victorians.

The ice cream cone was invented for the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904. Europeans claim that they were eating ice cream from cones long before the World's Fair. In any case, the ice cream cone increased in popularity equal to that of a sundae.

With the advent of widespread techology and refrigeration Ice Cream was a household treat by the 1950s. Howard johnsons and Badskin Robbins developed a large variety of flavors and the race to outdo eachother was on.

In the 1980s there was a turning away from cheap, commercial ice cream and the premium flavors were born. Richer, more cream, heavier texture meant more luxurious mouth feel as well as more money with these designer ice creams. Predictibly the cost of good ice cream caused people to remember how good homemade ice cream was and the home ice cream maker saw a return in popularity.

• Ice cream is easy to make at home. By making your own ice cream you not only save money but you get a higher quality product with only the ingredients you want in it. Use organic dairy products and fruits for a creamy, organic ice cream that your family will love.
• Heavy cream is one of the important ingredients in ice cream. The more heavy cream that is added to the dessert, the richer and creamier the final product will be. The addicting mouth-feel of the ice cream comes in a large part from the fat content of the confection.
• Follow manufacturer's direction for freezing the ice cream.
• Add ingredients when the cream is almost done so that they will be evenly distributed through out the ice cream.
• If you are using a cooked custard base make sure that the custard is completely cool before adding it to the ice cream freezer.
• Let the ice cream season for a day before serving for best texture and flavor.
• While you can get a small ice cream maker, a large one that makes a gallon or more is a better deal. Ice cream stays good in the refrigerator for a long time and it is as easy to make a gallon or two as it is a quart.

• The small freezers just do not give the ice cream that firm, homemade texture that the big churns do.

• 6 cups half and half

• 6 cups heavy cream

• 2 ½ cups sugar

• 2 vanilla beans, split

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Bring the heavy cream just to a simmer and add the vanilla beans, sugar and salt. Simmer, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Remove bean pods and scrape out the seeds into the warm cream mixture.

Cool completely.

Add the rest of the ingredients and freeze according to manufacturers directions.

One gallon.

*Add 1-2 pints chopped strawberries

• 1 cup sugar

• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate, grated

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 7 cups heavy cream, softly whipped

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar and 1 cup of cream. Heat to a simmer.

Whisk in the egg yolks, carefully so they don't curdle. Stir constantly for one minute.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate and vanilla.

Stir until smooth. Cool completely.

Fold in whipped cream and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

One gallon.

*Add chopped nuts, marshmallows, chocolate chips, or chopped oreo cookies.

• 1 Tbs butter

• 2 c dark brown sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 c water

• 1 c pumpkin pulp, homemade or canned

• 1 tsp ginger

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp cloves

• ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

• 2 ½ cups heavy cream

Spread butter and one cup of brown sugar on a baking sheet and broil until sugar gets bubbly. Be careful not to burn it. This will only take a few moments.

Allow to cool and break into small pieces.

Beat the egg and the salt until very foamy and thick.

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with the remaining brown sugar. Boil for five minutes without stirring. With mixer running, slowly add the hot syrup to the beaten eggs while mixing at high speed. Beat until cool.

Add pumpkin, spices, and praline.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the pumpkin mixture.

Freeze according to manufacturers directions.

½ gallon.

• 2 c sugar
• 2 tbs finely grated lemon peel
• 1/2 c fresh lemon juice
• 5 c heavy cream
• 1 c crushed lemon drops (optional)

• 2 c white chocolate chips

Combine sugar, lemon juice, rind and candy if using.

Whip cream until soft peaks form when you lift the whisk.

Add the lemon mixture to the cream. Fold in gently but thoroughly.

Pour the lemon mixture into the ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturers directions,

When nearly done add the white chocolate. For best results this should be done when the ice cream has thickened but the ice cream maker has not slowed down.

Let ripen 24 hours in freezer

½ gallon

Ice cream cake is simple to make at home.

Just get your favorite layer cake recipe and make two 9" layers. Allow them to cool completely.

Place one layer at the bottom of a 9" spring form pan. Soften about a quart and a half of your favorite ice cream and spread over the cake.

Top with the second layer.

Cover well and freeze over night.

The next day make your frosting.

Get the cake out of the freezer and run a knife around the edges. Pop the spring form open and remove the sides.

Frost and decorate the cake quickly, placing back in the freezer if the ice cream begins to melt.

Freeze until about 10 minutes before serving.

10-12 servings.

There are a lot of ice ceam makers on the market. They are basically two types. The type where the barrel goes into the freezer before you make your ice cream and the church kind where you need to add ice and ice cream salt.

The first type usually only makes a quart or so of ice cream. The texture is softer and it is good, but does not have that great, old-fashioned feel, They are great for singels and couples that don't want a gallon of ice cream sitting around.

The second type requires more preparation but usually will make about 6 quarts or more at a time and the texture is true to Grandmas. These makers also tend to last much longer, so while the initial investment is alot, you will still be making ice cream in this when the smaller ones have been replaced a couple of times. It is almost impossible to make just a small amount of ice cream though, so when you drag it out be prepared for a generous protion of ice cream.

Whichever you choose, make some memories with homemade ice cream parties! There is just nothing like a bowl of homemade ice cream on a hot evening.

Is there?