Homemade ice cream

by Don Bingham

The earliest reference to ice cream in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1744. Ice cream was introduced to the United States by the Quaker colonists, who brought their recipes with them.

First Lady Dolly Madison is closely associated with the early history of ice cream in the U.S. One respected account states that as the wife of President James Madison, she served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813.

In the second half of the 20th Century, an explosion of ice cream stores, flavors and vendors made this favorite sweet treat more accessible to all. Howard Johnson advertised “a world of 28 flavors.” Baskin-Robbins made 31 flavors (one for each day of the month) their marketing strategy. Baskin-Robbins now boasts more than 1,000 varieties.

Mrs. Marshall’s Cookery Book, published in 1888, endorsed serving ice cream in cones, and at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, the waffle booth suggested the waffle as a potential carrier of the ice cream when the ice cream booth ran out of cardboard bowls!

There is a multitude of ways to make homemade ice cream: hand-cranked, electric freezer, ice trays or ice cream in a bag. Listed below are the top 15 favorite flavors, according to a recent survey. One of my favorites is still “snow ice cream!” These hot summer days remain the perfect time for fun, fellowship and fabulous feasting with homemade ice cream!

Buttered Pecan or Black Walnut Ice Cream
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cans Eagle Brand milk
1 can water
2 small cartons half & half
2 small cartons whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1/2 to 1 cup pecans or black walnuts

Sauté the nuts in the butter five minutes; cool. Beat eggs until light; gradually add sugar, continuing to beat. Stir in remaining ingredients, including nuts. Pour into 1 1/2 gallon ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Lemon Ice Cream
11 cups light cream
Juice of 8 lemons
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Freeze in your freezer, stirring once when partially frozen. Serves 12-14.

Donna Verser’s
Homemade Ice Cream

4 eggs, well beaten
2 cups sugar
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 large can evaporated milk
Milk
2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring

Mix Eagle Brand milk and evaporated milk. Stir in eggs, sugar and vanilla flavoring. Add 1 quart of milk and mix well. Pour the ingredients in the freezer can and then add additional milk to fill line on freezer can. Mix well. Put the paddle in the freezer can. Pour crushed ice around the freezer in the bucket and then put rock salt on the ice. Start the freezer. Keep adding ice and rock salt while the ice cream is freezing.

Gingerbread Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups molasses
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 eggs
2 cups (1 pint) half & half
6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) heavy cream
1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
Hot applesauce (optional topping)

In a blender, combine brown sugar, molasses, coffee, eggs and half & half and blend until sugar is dissolved. Stir mixture into heavy cream. Freeze as desired. When ice cream is half frozen, stir in ginger. Freeze until hard; store in freezer until ready to serve. If desired, top each serving with hot applesauce. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

Bingham’s Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon snow
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups Pet milk

When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, and then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency. Serve at once.

Very Chocolate Ice Cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs yolks, lightly beaten
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, salt and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid and return to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted. Pour into a chilled bowl and refrigerate for about two hours until cold, stirring occasionally. When chocolate mixture has completely cooled, stir in the cream and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serves 8.

Bonnie’s Vanilla Ice Cream
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cartons whipping cream (or one large carton)
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 tablespoons vanilla extract
Additional whole milk as needed to fill canister 2/3 full

Beat eggs until fluffy; add sugar and beat until thick. Add remaining ingredients except whole milk; mix well. Add whole milk until ice cream canister is 2/3 full. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. Makes 6 quarts.

Peach Cobbler Ice Cream
1/2 gallon milk
1 large can Pet milk
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
A little salt
8 eggs
6 peaches, peeled, sliced, sugared, crushed
1 box cinnamon Teddy Grahams, crushed

Mix first six ingredients; add crushed peaches and cinnamon Teddy Grahams. Freeze according to your ice cream freezer directions.

Top 15

Favorite Ice Cream Flavors

15.    Chocolate Marshmallow
14.    Rocky Road
13.    Coffee
12.    Chocolate Almond
11.    Cherry
10.    Praline Pecan
  9.    Vanilla Fudge Ripple
  8.    Cookies and Cream
  7.    French Vanilla
  6.    Chocolate Chip
  5.    Neapolitan
  4.    Strawberry
  3.    Butter Pecan
  2.    Chocolate
  1.    Vanilla

 


Recognized throughout the state as an accomplished chef, Don Bingham has authored cookbooks, presented television programs and previously served as the executive chef at the Governor’s Mansion. He is now the director of special events at the University of Central Arkansas.

Don Bingham
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