I got an ice cream maker a while back. When I first got it, I was excited about all the great ice cream I would make and the flavors I would try. Then I actually started reading through some of the recipes. So many of them required you to use eggs and cook the mixture, then chill the mixture ... all before even getting to the ice cream maker! It was so disappointing.
So, it sat unused for a long time. Until I discovered the key to good no cook ice cream. It's a two step process for me. It starts with a sweet concoction in a prepped ice cream maker and then you add whipped cream to add air and a lighter texture to the result. Suddenly, you've got a smooth, delicious ice cream that can take less than an hour to get to soft serve consistency if you are using an ice cream maker. That's not instant gratification, but when you are craving fresh peach ice cream studded with candied ginger, it's a perfect fit :)
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
No Cook Ice Cream
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup heavy cream
Blend the sweetened condensed milk, water, and vanilla thoroughly, pour into a freezing tray and freeze until ice crystals form around edge of freezing tray. Or you can add the mixture to an ice cream maker and run until the same consistency is achieved. Whip the cream until it is soft enough to hold a soft peak. Fold the whipped cream into the milk mixture and freeze, either in the freezer or in the ice cream maker. If using the freezer, when half frozen, scrape the mixture from the sides and bottom of the tray, beat until smooth but not melted and freeze until firm.
Variations:
- Apricot -- Use 1/2 cup crushed fresh apricots and 1/2 cup apricot juice instead of water. Reduce vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Cherry -- Use 1/2 cup minced cherries and 1 cup cherry juice instead of water. Use 1 teaspoon lemon juice instead of vanilla.
- Coffee -- Use strong black coffee instead of water. Reduce vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Coffee Rum -- Use strong black coffee instead of water. Use 2 teaspoons rum instead of vanilla.
- Orange -- Use orange juice instead of water. Use 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind instead of vanilla.
- Peach -- Add 1 cup crushed fresh peaches sweetened with 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar to milk and water; omit vanilla.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes to 4 hours, depending on method used