Nothing screams SUMMER like an ice-cold ice cream cone melting and dripping down your chin and hands. We are trying to teach our oldest the ways when it comes to catching those drips, but inevitably she still ends up a sticky mess.
But I’m not here to talk about messes…I’m here to talk about homemade ice cream and all its glory. I’m not talking about the mixes you buy in the store either. I’m talking the real deal–milk/cream, sugar, egg yolk–from scratch. Seriously, if you haven’t made your own before you are missing out on something beautiful. If you followed my Instastories earlier this week you might think there are about 150 steps to accomplish this, but there are not! Though it does take a little bit of effort (more than just buying a tub at the grocery store) but I promise you (pinky promise!) it’s so worth your time. If anything, for a special occasion or person you want to make some extra special for!
My extra specials here lately were my husband and my Grandma. <3
My husband’s hands down favorite ice cream is pistachio and we have a hard time finding it in our local grocery stores. Not sure why, but there is like maybe one option. So dumb. So for his birthday this year I made a batch and let me tell you, it didn’t last long! This is my second time using this recipe and it does not disappoint. So much so that my husband ate it all before I could get a picture for this blog post!
For my Grandma, I made her a classic vanilla bean, which is one of my favorites. Breyer’s, to be exact, is my favorite because of those little black vanilla bean flecks. I’m convinced that THOSE are what make it so delicious! Vanilla beans, however, are NOT cheap. Plan on spending $15-$20 for two little beans in the grocery store…but again, so worth it! You can get them cheaper here on Amazon–just FYI. This is also the second time I’ve used this recipe, so you I can attest that this, along with the pistachio are both tried and true!
See those flecks?! They bring joy to my life!
Personally, I think that homemade ice cream just tastes more rich and decadent. Maybe it’s because I take a little (lotta) pride in making it as close to perfection as possible, or maybe its all the heavy cream and sugar. 😉 Though I really enjoy cooking/baking and trying new recipes so if that’s not your style, you’ll probably through in the towel pretty quick on these recipes. But there is also something to be said for the extra effort and seeing it all come together in the end. You can do it!
AND… it’s just fun! Even my five-year old likes helping to measure/pour all the ingredients in. She’s a little chef in the making, I tell ya!
I have this attachment for my KitchenAid Mixer which makes the process easier, or at least I think it does–haha–I don’t know any other way!
But here are some other ice cream makers I found in case you do not have the same mixer. Either way, the quality of your ice cream comes down to the preparation steps, not the churning/freezing. So it’s more important to focus on getting the cream just right over anything!
I’ll probably make another batch or two before the end of the summer. Maybe chocolate and another vanilla bean. Or maybe I’ll even try a sherbert. I’ll have to consult my little chef to see if she has any special requests!
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Or are you a froyo or custard lover or hand-dipped ice cream?
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