You Scream, Ice Cream

"Ice cream is exquisite.  What a pity it isn't illegal"
--Voltaire (1694-1788)

Summer.  Where we live, summer is indoor-season, just as winter is for so many others.  It is hot!

We have a Father's Day tradition of making homemade ice cream.  Breakfast for Mother's Day.  Ice cream for Father's Day.  A couple of years back I decided to create an ice cream recipe from my favorite childhood dessert -- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert -- or that's what my mom called it.  Huge success!  The mere fact that I love this ice cream as much as any chocolatey ice cream speaks worlds of it.  I think it's those salty pretzels in there (they're candied too).

One year we invented Pumpkin Cockroach Cluster ice cream in honor of the latest Harry Potter release.  Candied pecan clusters for cockroaches.  Yummy.  But, no where near as remarkable as my Strawberry Pretzel Dessert ice cream. 

If you're new to homemade ice cream, don't be intimidated.  You won't believe how straight- forward & easy it is to use an electric ice cream maker.  Your ice cream ingredients go in a metal cylinder that fits down into a bucket you fill with layers of ice & salt.  A paddle is inserted into the cylinder, then a motor fits onto the top.  The motor spins the cylinder around and around in the bucket, mixing the ice cream with the paddle and chilling the mixture until it's at a soft-serve consistency.  When the ice cream hits this stage, our machine turns off (it's designed to).  We then mix in the remaining ingredients & freeze the container over night. 

Ice cream machines come in different sizes.  Ours is 4 quarts, I believe, and I picked it up at Walmart for $25-$30 a few years back. They may be seasonal items though, so don't assume you can find one at Christmastime.  The salt can be found in the baking aisle usually, or on display with the ice cream makers.  It's a coarse, gray salt usually labeled as "Ice Cream Salt" or "Rock Salt."

That about summarizes the technical stuff.  Read your ice cream machine's own instruction manual for more specific info.

Onto the fun part.  Check out these recipe cards.  I must have needed a work break, cuz I had perhaps too much fun with these.  I designed the Vanilla Ice Cream recipe card in the style of an old-fashioned ice cream container.  And the Strawberry Pretzel Dessert ingredients are on the the floral card. 

Click here to download the print-ready pdf.  It's a two-page document.  Print one side onto cardstock, then flip the sheet over & print the stripes on the back.  Then cut out the recipe cards, using the crop marks on the front as cutting guides.  The printed area that extends beyond the crop marks is called 'bleed.'  It's meant to be cut off.  Laminate, if you like.

Once you're familiar with the general ice-cream-making process here, you can get creative & come up with your own crazy ice cream concoctions.  My Vanilla Ice Cream recipe makes a great base for all sorts of experimentation.  I'm wanting to see what I can do with brownie mix next time.  And wouldn't it be neat to make a batch of ice cream as a birthday present -- in a flavor that's specific to the person you're celebrating.

Speaking of, I need to do some research on lactose-free ice cream for my younger brother.  He's been missing out on ice cream for a few years now.  I'm going to fix that for him.  "For you, this year, I give the gift of... ice cream."

What are some original ice cream combos you're dreaming of?  Like I said, it's mighty hot here.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Yum! Sounds delicious. I love the combo of pretzels and strawberries. . . thanks for sharing!

[Kat]

Love the recipe cards. I think peanut butter and pretzels in vanilla ice cream would be yummy.
HUGS,
Kat

[Liz]

Dang it. Now I want an icecream maker. The recipes are great! Thank you!

[Dariela]

This looks so yummy! Thanks! Cute cards too!! I like making aomething a tradition, I want to start a little tradition on a celebration day too! Now let's see which day and what tradition!

[kari]

mmm....I've been dreaming up a blueberry coconut ice cream. Dunno why but always thought that would taste good (as well as lemon blueberry with graham crust pieces). I just keep eating the blueberries before I can get to ice cream making. I can't wait to try the strawberry pretzel though! YUM.

[Amanda in GA]

Thanks for sharing the cards are super cute and I can't wait to try the recipes.

For me growing up in the South homemade peach ice cream just ment it was summer. Having said that what I am dreaming of is a Banana, Peanut butter, Chocolate ice cream....it is my favorite combo for a smoothie in the morning. I use Chocolate Silk, banana, peanut butter and a few ice cubes.

[Renee]

One time, in Kuaui, I had the most amazing ice cream combo at Lappert's. I nearly passed out after eating it. I have tried to replicate and this is what I made: cocnut ice cream with shredded coconut, mini-chocolate chips, banana, and chopped macadamia nuts. It was delicious!

[kim@campwhimsy.com]

Ohhhhh. Yummy. Thank you for this lovely treat and the beautiful recipe cards. Love,Love,Love it!!!!!!!! Strawberry Pretzel Ice Cream will surely be on next weekend's dessert menu. Lovely.

[Mama Urchin]

The pretzel sounds great. We've made peppermint ice cream with crushed mints in it and it was so good.

[jennalou]

cute! Thanks so much for sharing!

[Sarah]

Very cute cards. I need to dust of my ice cream maker, the best wedding gift I didn't register for.

sadly I only bring it out a couple times a year. At Christmas, for my favorite peppermint ice cream. And then once in the summer when I remember it's the perfect time for homemade ice cream.

[natalie]

mmmm YUM! it's recipes like this that have been making me crave an ice cream maker for the last two months!!! i've been buying fresh strawberries each week, and every time i make a trip to target i pick an ice cream maker up, then inevitably put it back down...vicious cycle! my kitchen cabinets are filled as it is!

[Emma]

Yummy! For your brother: Trader Joe's has just begun carrying a brand called Soy Creamy (which in Spanish translates to I'm Creamy, ew). I devoured the better part of a chocolate cherry half-gallon over the weekend. Very tasty!

[Kristin]

I make completly dairy and soy free ice cream for my son with food allergies. The product is Rich's Whip. I can find it at Wegman's periodically in 2 cup containers in the freezer section but I usually get a case from a local food supplier. (I use this for EVERTHING) The ice cream ends up tasting like Breyers, it's super creamy with no after taste. (I have a think with artifical sweetners, we don't get along).
2 Cups Coffee Rich-Contains soy but if he is only avoiding Lactose, should be fine and you can get this at any grocery store in the freezer section by the waffles and breakfast stuff.
2 Cups Rich's Whip
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Super Fine Sugar
Follow Manufactor Directions for machine.

This is my base and then I add other flavors depending on how we are feeling. Strawberries are great in this and I let it sit in the fridge for about an hour before putting it in the machine. I've put instant-decaf-coffee with leftover brownies or cookies. I just made cookie dough ice cream by mixing the dough with only the good stuff-butter, vanilla, sugar, flour and choco chips and then froze them overnight before adding them to the mix in the last five minutes.
Good Luck and if you find any ice cream cartons let me know, I want to find a cute way to package it so it looks like it's from the store on days when the ice cream trucks comes to my son's preschool. kck182@comcast.net

[Helen]

Moonmist ice cream. You can't go wrong with it!! I have yet to see it in the States. It is lovely to look at as well as taste. For the look; think Neapolitan ice cream except with the colours yellow, purple and turquoise (all soft). Taste wise...banana, grape and bubblegum all in one and it is pure heaven.

[April]

You can make anything look delicious!

I can't own an icecream maker... just like I can't go near the icecream isle, or I'll eat til I'm sick! Its a bigger weakness for me than chocolate. Unless its chocolate icecream and then I really am doomed :)

ENJOY!!

[Lisa]

My uncle makes ice cream for us on the 4th of July, and it's always strawberry with a little bit of pink lemonade concentrate in it -- very delicious! LOVE your recipe cards, thanks for sharing!!

[Connie]

Heather,

Love your new fabric line and your pin cushions! These are amazingly fabulous. I adore that they remind me of the beautiful vintage fabrics from the fifties and I can't wait to get my hands on them!

Also, I adore your strawberry pretzel dessert ice cream. My husband is an ice cream lover, and I've been wanting to ge thim a new ice cream maker this summer. So this is a perfect first recipe!

[Abigail]

The recipe cards are so darn nifty! Reminds me of some in my grandmother's recipe box.

[Ellen Patton]

I always make vanilla! A friend is sending me an ice cream maker today so I'm going to try your recipe when it arrives! Thank you!!

[shannon]

That strawberry pretzel ice cream sounds so amazing. Thanks for sharing the recipe and with cute recipe cards too! Can't wait to try it out.

[lisa lynch]

THANKS SO MUCH, my 40th birthday is July 1st and now I know what I want!!!

[amanda]

love these! thanks!!!

[Meredith]

When I lived back east, I used to get oreo ice cream in a pretzel cone...SOOOO Yummy!

[Susana Avilez]

love the recipe & cute cards Thank you - now I just need to buy an ice cream maker- YAY!
as for the recipe with brownies, I like to add brownies with coffee ice cream it taste yummmmy :)

[Betsy Pratt]

Beautifully designed recipe cards, Heather - and boy oh boy does the ice cream recipe with pretzels sound yummy!!!!

As for a flavor I'd like to try, how about cherries with white chocolate chip? I've never seen ice cream with white chocolate, and I *love* some good Lindt white chocolate!!

[Kasie@~The Art of Life~]

Thank you so much for sharing!
I will have to give it a try.
Sounds DELICIOUS!!
Have I mentioned that you are just awesome, lol!

[Bean Paulson]

Yum! It's HOT here, too - we don't usually go outside until after 4pm and it starts cooling off a bit ;)

[Molly]

How funny, I just made strawberry pretzel dessert today for a friend who just had a baby. The ice cream looks equally delicious. I am off to buy an icecream maker.

[Lisa Clarke]

I absolutely love the combination of pretzels and ice cream! Mmmmm.

[ellen Crimi-Trent]

If I made homemade ice cream I would weight 200lbs!! I recently had a very strange flavor at Cold Stone Creamery which is cake batter! I tell you it was very weird to say the least because it tasted just like cake batter, which I love!

[Cheryl M.]

I do not need to read this post....I power walk 5 miles 5 mornings per week to attempt to "keep it off"......sigh...I love homemade ice cream...cherry vanilla is my favorite!!!!!! :)

[Kellie H]

I am with some of the pp..I think if I owned an ice cream maker I wouldn't eat anything else. For fav flavors, any ice cream with peanut butter as an ingredient floats my boat. The pretzel & strawberry recipe sounds real yummy. I do like sweet & salty mix. Now kettle corn ice cream would be interesting.hmmm....

[danni perez]

yummo!
this sounds really great for a summer treat.
~danni

[Amy]

Breyer's makes a really yummy lactose-free vanilla ice cream...

[Oreo Fairy]

That looks delicious. Has your brother tried Lactaid? I am able to eat all sorts of lactose filled treats if I take Lactaid.(tmi I know but I figured I'd share) I am going to try this recipe as soon as I get back into my house. The summers where I live are also an indoor season. It reaches 125+ here. So going outside to play for the kids, unless it includes water is out of the question. Thanks!

[Amy Ragland]

Those are adorable!!! Can't wait to try it!! :)

[Bibi R.]

I love Strawberry Pretzel Salad. One of my favorite desserts!! So, this ice cream sounds YUMMY!!!! I'm prego and now want some......huby might have to buy an ice cream maker and make me some, lol.

[kim]

thanks for the recipe! can't wait to try it out. I haven't seen a ice cream recipe that doesn't have eggs in it and have to be cooked on the stove first. I bet this is a little lighter in that sense. Sounds yummy.

[Andrea Q]

My friend makes ice cream from coconut milk for her family with food allergies.

http://ourgaggleofgirls.com/recipes/2007/12/07/coconut-milk-ice-cream/

[Shanna]

i'm dreaming of big red ice cream! it's just a 14-16 oz. box of frozen strawberries, 2 liter of big red soda (or strawberry soda) and 1 can of eagle brand condensed milk. you just mix it all together and run it through the ice cream maker. it's so refreshing! my grandmother used to make it for me wheni was little; i remember her making individual portions in old plastic butter containers.

[sheree]

Hi Heather,

This looks yummy! I love homemade ice cream--it really is best! My daughter was allergic to milk/dairy for the first 2 years of her life and since I was nursing, I had to give up milk/dairy also. That is when I bought my icecream maker! I could not give up everything, so I started making ice creams and sorbets that Leah and I (and my husband ending up loving it too!) could enjoy. You could try lactose-free milk as a direct substitute for your brother. Or you could use goat's milk also. Rice milk might be a good substitute also, though with the low fat content, you might have to play around a bit. Soy milk would be good too, if he likes the taste? My daughter and I never got into soy.

Good luck and have fun whipping up some new combos!
sheree

[Lisa]

The recipe cards are delightfully retro. Too cute. What a nice idea.

[jan]

thanks for the lovely cards! i've always wondered how coffee ice cream and cookies n cream would taste together. they're my 2 faves, but i've never seen it mixed. now i'll have to buy an ice cream maker and try it out! LOL :)

[Sarah]

Our ice cream maker is one of our favorite wedding gifts. Now we give one to all our friends who get married! We haven't made ice cream in ages but the strawberry-pretzel recipe sounds too intriguing to resist. Thanks!!

[Beth]

Wow - CUTE recipe cards, Heather! How fun - and the recipes sound just right for those hot summer days. Wish we could get a few of those up here in the Colorado mountains! Waft some of that heat this way! Thanks again!

[Donna]

My mother use to make homemade ice cream when I was a child.As I got older I began to hate it...too sweet.
I've often been tempted and many tell me its not same like when I was younger.Strawberry is my fave of all flavors and I'm so very tempted.Is it still sweeter than regular ice cream?

[Tonya]

Yum! Thanks so much for the recipes. I don't have an ice cream maker...yet. Its been on my list for a while though. And my almost 3 year old daughter is quite insistent that her favourite ice cream is blueberry-peach even though she's never had it, so I think our first homemade ice cream will be that, followed by strawberry pretzel dessert flavour.

[farmgirl]

Yummy flavors and/or add-ins...

Chai or other tea flavors (Earl Grey)
S'mores
PBJ
Choc. covered, Peanut-Butter filled pretzels
Flowers or herbs would be fun to try- (Lavendar)
Gingerbread with butterscotch ripple
Cheesecake (with any flavor)
Cereal- Cocoa Pebbles, Capt. Crunch, Granola
Leftover dessert (when you have 1 piece and 5 people)
We have popcorn on top of our ice cream, but the Kettle Korn sounds even better!

This is kinda like naming the dogs, very fun, but could add pounds. Enjoy!
Farmgirl "Mindy"

[Valerie]

Costco has a great 2 quart ice cream maker for $50 - It's the kind where you freeze the bowl and it makes the ice cream in 25 minutes - so for any of you who don't want to mess with the ice and salt!! (I think it's made by Cuisinart)

It's great, we've made ice cream 3 times in the last few weeks! But sadly, only vanilla - you've inspired me to branch out!!