Helping my dad make ice cream, 1968
One of my favorite things about summer is homemade ice cream! When I was growing up, homemade ice cream was a bit of a production. We had an electric ice cream churn, which was an improvement over the crank version, but it required constant supervision to add rock salt and ice as needed.
Nowadays, however, the process is much simpler. I have used a Cuisinart ice cream maker for over 15 years. The canister stays in my freezer so it is ready anytime.
My favorite ice cream recipe came from my mother. I made it for a long time using raw eggs without issue, but about five years ago I began heating the eggs to a temperature of 160° to kill any salmonella bacteria that might be present so that I could serve the ice cream with a clear conscience!
Mom's Ice Cream
4 eggs
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
6 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
***I halve this recipe for my Cuisinart ice cream maker
Heat the eggs with a cup or so of milk over low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer measures 160°
Combine eggs with other ingredients in a pitcher. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Turn on ice cream maker and pour mixture into chilled canister. Churn until the ice cream reaches desired consistency (about 20-30 minutes). Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, drape a dishtowel over the canister and put it in the freezer for a little bit if you want the ice cream to be firmer.
Yum!
My sister Marian hangs out in her stroller while I help our dad with the ice cream
