Ice Cream

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Who doesn't love ice cream? And when it's homemade, it's even better.

Here are six ice cream recipes to finish up the summer with, including Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream and No Churn Ice Cream. Enjoy!

VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

This is from Silk. Makes 8 servings. Total Time: 45 minutes + processing.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups Silk Original or Vanilla Soy, Almond or Coconutmilk

2 cups Silk Original or French Vanilla Creamer

1/2 cup honey, agave or sugar

1 vanilla bean

2 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch

Special tools: ice cream maker

Directions

Place Silk and Silk Creamer in a medium saucepan and whisk in honey, agave or sugar.

Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and use the tip of a knife to scrape the seeds from the bean into the saucepan. Add bean pod as well.

Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove about 1/4 cup from the pan and whisk it together with the arrowroot in a small bowl. Whisk the arrowroot mixture back into the pan, cover and let the mixture infuse for 20 minutes.

Cool completely and process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: If you don’t have a vanilla bean, add 2 tsp vanilla extract when removing mixture from heat. You may also add fresh fruit or any other flavorings you desire.

STRAWBERRY SWIRL ICE CREAM

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (from June 4, 2008), and begins, “Thanks to the chilling effect of frozen strawberries, this recipe freezes faster than other homemade ice creams. The strawberry jam makes a beautiful swirl of sweetness, but you can leave it out if you prefer.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 10-oz. bag frozen strawberries

6 oz. silken tofu, drained

1/2 cup plain soy creamer

1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. lemon zest

1/4 cup all-fruit strawberry jam

Preparation

Purée strawberries and tofu in blender or food processor until smooth. Add soy creamer, agave nectar, vanilla, and lemon zest; purée until smooth.

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When ice cream is ready, swirl in strawberry jam while machine paddles are still going, then serve, or transfer to tub to freeze.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 169; Carbohydrate Content: 34 g; Fat Content: 2 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 20 mg; Sugar Content: 30 g

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC ICE CREAM

This comes from Audra (otherwise known as The Baker Chick). I absolutely love her site; it’s one of the ones that I go back to time and again. If you haven’t signed up for her emails, I highly recommend doing so. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

Yield: about 1 quart

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the strawberries:

3 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered

2-1/2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

For the custard base:

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1-3/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup milk (any fat content besides skim will be fine, but I used whole.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon vodka (optional but recommended)

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries and 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until berries are cooked and soft, about 5 minutes, stir in 2 teaspoons of balsamic and pureé with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Set aside.

In a larger saucepan combine the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, heavy cream, milk and salt. Cook on low heat, stirring with a whisk constantly until it starts to thicken.

Continue to stir with a spoon until the custard coats the back and a line remains when you run your finger down the spoon.

Stir in the strawberry pureé and the remaining 2 teaspoons of balsamic and the vodka if using. (It helps keep the ice cream from getting too frozen.)

Cool thoroughly (ideally overnight.)

Churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions and enjoy right away (soft serve consistency,) or freeze for a few hours to firm it up.

Notes: Recipe adapted from the cookbook: Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones.

STRAWBERRY SORBET

This comes from Amanda Hesser in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This mouthwatering summer sorbet is an adaptation of one served at the River Café in London. Yes, it calls for an entire lemon (rind and all), but trust us: the sweet of the strawberries and sugar, the tart and bitter of the lemon – it all works together beautifully.”

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 quarters; Time: 10 minutes.

This was featured in “The Arsenal” and can be viewed online here.

By the way, I highly recommend The Times’ Melissa Clark’s “How to Make Ice Cream”. I dare you to check it out and not want to immediately start making ice cream!

Ingredients

1 whole lemon, seeded and roughly chopped

2 cups sugar

2 pounds strawberries, hulled

Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

Preparation

Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl.

Purée the strawberries in a food processor, and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

NO CHURN ICE CREAM

This comes from GE Appliances’ email list. It begins, “No one will believe that this ultra-creamy ice cream is so easy to make. No fancy ice cream machine required.”

12 servings (6 cups total)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch fine sea salt

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside.

In a large metal bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.

Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid and scoopable, about 3-4 hours.

Chef’s Notes:

For best results, chill both the metal bowl and loaf pan before starting this recipe.

Try adding in additional ingredients after the ice cream has set for a few hours. Crushed up chocolate sandwich cookies, toasted nuts or chopped up candy bars are all great additions. Stir them in and place the ice cream back in the freezer until firm.

FROZEN BERRY ICE CREAM

This is from Diabetes Self-Management, and can be viewed online here.

Yield: 8 servings. Serving size: 1/2 cup.

Ingredients

8 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, partially thawed

8 ounces frozen unsweetened peaches, partially thawed

4 ounces frozen unsweetened blueberries, partially thawed

6 packets sugar substitute

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups sugar-free, low-fat vanilla ice cream

16 blueberries (optional)

4 small strawberries, halved (optional)

8 peach slices (optional)

Directions

Combine partially thawed strawberries, peaches, blueberries, sugar substitute, and vanilla in food processor. Process until coarsely chopped.

Add ice cream; process until well blended.

Serve immediately for semi-soft texture or freeze until ready to serve. (If frozen, let stand 10 minutes to soften slightly.) Garnish each serving with 2 blueberries for “eyes,” 1 strawberry half for “nose,” and 1 peach slice for “smile.”

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 69 calories, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 23 mg, Fiber: 1 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 Bread/Starch.