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4/30/12

Homemade Ice Cream - without an ice cream machine (made in a Ziploc Baggy)

It looked so good I had to take a lick even before taking the picture!

Although we have an ice cream maker that will make 2 quarts, we rarely use it because I never buy large bags of ice at the grocery store, needed to fill the outside container.  Instead, we tend to whip up 2 or 3 portions at a time and when you can do so in about 10 minutes, it's a quick and easy snack or dessert.

Starting with a basic idea of a recipe, you can play with the ingredients and amounts to make your favorite version.  I prefer to make it sugar free, but you don't have to.   You can also play with the extracts and flavors.  Use almond, orange, lemon, maple, chocolate or mint.  Add chocolate syrup, or a teaspoon of crushed instant coffee.  When it's almost ready to serve, stir in bits of fresh fruit or chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips.  So many possibilities!  And the fun part?  Your kids (or even your spouse) will think you are brilliant for making it by shaking it in a Ziploc style baggy or by rolling a metal coffee can back and forth.  Magically, you'll end up with frozen, delicious ice cream!


Homemade Ice Cream in a Ziploc Plastic Baggy or Coffee Cans

2 c heavy cream
1 cup whole milk, Almond milk or half and half
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar substitute (such as Swerve, Ideal or Splenda) or real sugar
2 t vanilla extract or a vanilla flavored syrup (likeTorani)
Ice
Rock Salt (available at your grocery store, walmart or here; Rock Salt)
2 gallon sized resealable baggies (or 2 metal coffee cans - one small enough to fit inside the other)

In a large gallon sized baggy or the smaller coffee can if you are using;  pour in the cream, milk or half and half and the sweetener and flavoring or chocolate syrups of your choice.  Now taste it.  Add more extract, sugar or sugar substitute at this point, or if it's too much for your taste, add another half cup of heavy cream. I like vanilla and I feel the flavor mellows a bit upon freezing so I make it nice and strong with both vanilla extract and sugar free vanilla syrup.  When you are happy with the flavor, seal the baggy or coffee can.  Place it inside a  second gallon sized baggy or large coffee can.  Now fill the outside container with ice, layered with rock salt and more ice.  Seal tightly.  Now shake, roll, jiggle and move the container without breaking the seal and spilling salty ice water everywhere of course!  In about 7 - 10 minutes your ice cream will be ready.  Remove the inside baggy or can and rinse under cold, clean water to remove all the salt (or you'll end up with salty ice cream).  I like to clip the corner of the baggy with scissors and squeeze it into serving dishes like soft serve.  If you want to add nuts, fruit or chocolate chips, feel free!  Play with your food!


The first bag holds the ice cream mixture.  The second is the rock salt and ice

Ice and salt - a freezing combination

Shake, jiggle, move and massage for about 10 minutes

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