Summer Ice Cream Recipes

We all scream for ice cream!

When ice cream was first starting to cultivate in the 1600's, it was done so through the invention of an automatic pail or metal can that used a mixture of salt and ice to freeze ingredients.  Later, in the 1700-1800's, sorbets and "ices" became highly popular through Europe's high class, and were mainly made out of almond milk due to its long-standing use in the country.  Instead of being stored in cartons, these frozen treats were formed and served in fancy molds.  Interestingly enough, it was not until 1968 that dairy free ice cream was even allowed to be sold in New York, and not until 1978 that California let up on its prohibition of banning dairy-free soft serve.  You will also notice that, due to the state departments of agriculture, the term "ice cream" will not be seen on any non-dairy dessert. Instead, "frozen dessert, "coconut bliss," or "rice dream," is used in place of the original term. 

So what is the difference between ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet, and granita? Mainly, it has to do with the amount of air whipped into the finished product.  Regular ice cream can have 60% air content, and 10-11% butterfat.  Soft serve is the same as ice cream, except for it is served at a higher temperature, tricking your taste buds into believing it is tastier.  Gelato, Italian for "ice cream," is slightly different than ice cream in that it has egg yolks for an added creaminess, and only contains 20% of whipped air, therefore is denser and truly more flavorful. Sorbet, and sherbet, both of which are close cousins, are almost identical due to the very light whipping process involved.  However, sherbet has an added 2% (no more) of butterfat, where as sorbet is all fruit puree with no dairy. Granita, originally from Sicily, is similar to sorbet but is made by hand with no whipping processes, therefore allowing large ice crystals to form into a harder block.

Strawberry Cream

Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Mango sorbet

Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Grape Sorbet

Whether making ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet, or a simple granita, homemade takes these treats to a whole knew level.  When I was younger, my Nanny and Papa gave me a Cuisinart ice cream machine as a Christmas present.  I was intrigued by the kitchen device, but had yet to begin my true journey in the kitchen.  Even though it was still mid-February, dreary, and cold, I decided to make my first raspberry sorbet.  After anxiously waiting for the sorbet to freeze, and finger-testing the consistency every five minutes,  I finally was rewarded with my finished product. Let me tell you, it was nothing like I had ever had in my life! Ever since that day,  I have been experimenting with different ice cream and sorbet recipes.  Some with egg yolks, some without, some dairy based, some non-dairy.  The key is to have enough sugar and fat in the recipe, whether naturally occurring or not, to make sure that it does not freeze into one solid chunk of pure ice.  Buying an ice cream maker is a rather cheap investment, and pays itself off after using it just a few times.  Below are my own recipes for some decadent ice creams and fruity sorbets.  The basic ice cream base is adapted from this recipe, created by the one and only Jeni Bauer from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.  Instead of using corn products, I substituted potato starch and maple syrup for the corn starch and syrup.  If you do not have potato starch, tapioca starch is another great option. Depending on if you can handle dairy or not, I encourage you to either order Jeni's online, or search for the nearest store location. You will not be disappointed. 

*This is your basic ice cream base.  From here you can add anything to create your own flavor. 

You can, and I have, easily remove the cream cheese and substitute the heavy cream and raw milk for a full-fat coconut milk and (or) nut milk blend. Don't be afraid of trying this, the result is delicious and incredibly creamy due to the natural fat in the coconut milk. 

Vanilla Ice cream

Print Recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raw milk
• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 coconut sugar (or cane if tolerated)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 tbsp cream cheese, soft 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or heavy cream 
• Blender 

Process:

• Whisk 2 tbsp of milk with the 2 tbsp of potato starch in a small bowl and set aside.
• Add cream cheese, vanilla, and salt to a blender for later.
• In a large pot, combine the rest of the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and maple syrup.
• Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes.
• Turning the burner off,  whisk in the potato starch/milk slurry into the milk mixture, and return the burner to medium-high heat until it begins to boil again.
• Once boiling, stir for 1 minute, or until slightly thickened from the potato starch.
• Add the hot mixture to the blender containing the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt, blending until fully incorporated. 

Strawberry Ice cream (With Maple Balsamic Strawberries)

Ingredients

• 4 cups of hulled strawberries
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 balsamic vinegar

Process:

• Preheat the oven to 350 dg (375 convect).
• Either on a parchment lined baking sheet, or a Pampered Chef pan, mix strawberries with syrup and vinegar.
• Roast for 30 minutes. 
• Once the berries have roasted, they will equal to around 2 cups. 
• Make the plain ice cream base as instructed above
• Add the roasted strawberries and 1/4 cup of extra heavy cream to the basic ice cream base in a blender and blend until pink.
• Let mixture cool completely. 
• Pour mixture into ice cream maker and church for 20-25 minutes.

Rum Raisin Ice cream

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup rum
• 1/3 cup maple syrup + 2 Tbsp
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 4 Tbsp cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp potato starch
• 1 1/2 cups of raw milk 
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream +1/4 
• 2 Tsp vanilla extract
• Blender

Process

• Soak 1/2 cup of raisins (I used currents) in 1/2 cup of rum over night.
• Once soaked, strain the dried fruit from the alcohol and set aside in two separate bowls.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the potato starch with 2 Tbsp of raw milk and set aside.
• Place cream cheese, vanilla, and salt in a blender for later.
• In a large pot, combine the raw milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and 2 Tbsp of rum, previously used for soaking raisins.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, letting boil for 4 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat, and fully whisk in the potato starch slurry.
• Over the medium-high heat once more, bring the mixture to a boil for one minute, stirring until slightly thickened.
• Pour the hot mixture into the blender containing cream cheese, vanilla, and salt.
• Add 1 Tbsp of rum, and 1/4 heavy cream to the blender as well, and blend until fully incorporated.
• Let mixture cool completely and then process in an ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes.
• During the last 5 minutes, sprinkle in the 1/2 cup of previously soaked dried fruit.

Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raw milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream + 4 Tbsp
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar
• 3/4 pure orange juice concentrate
• 2 Tbsp potato starch
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Blender

Process

• Blend raw milk, 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, vanilla, sugar, orange juice together.
• In a separate bowl, combine 2 Tbsp of potato starch with 4 tbsp of heavy cream.
• Whisk (or) blend the slurry into the ice cream base until smooth.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker, and churn for 20-25 minutes. 

*If your mixture is most like a milkshake, put mixture into a container and freeze overnight to obtain a firmer ice cream. The result will be creamy and delicious, not icy like a sorbet. 

Grape Sorbet

Ingredients

• 12 oz pure grape juice concentrate, no sugar added
• 3 Tbsp red wine
• 1 1/4 cups of red grapes
• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 lime
• 1/2 cup water (*optional, but helps balance the sweetness)
• Food processor 

Process

• In the food processor combine 12 oz grape juice concentrate, red wine, 3/4 cup of grapes, coconut sugar, and juice of half a lime.
• Taste, and if using the water, blend into mixture now.
• Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
• In the processor once more, add the remaining 1/2 cup of grapes, and pulse until chopped.
• Mix the grape chunks into the sorbet base.
• Pour mixture into ice cream maker and process 25-30 minutes. *For a firmer sorbet, place in a container in the freezer for at the least 4 hours. 

Citrus Mango Sorbet

Ingredients

• 2, 16 oz bags of frozen mango (thawed)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp honey *depending on tartness of lemon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric *optional, adds to the great orangey color. 
• Food processor

Process

• Process mango until a thick liquid.
• Add water, juice of lemon, 2 Tbsp honey, and coconut sugar, processing until fully incorporated.
• If the sorbet is too tart, add an extra Tbsp of honey.
• Add turmeric for extra color.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and churn for 20-25 minutes.

Cherry Root Beer Sorbet

Ingredients

• 2, 16 oz bags of pitted, frozen cherries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Virgil's Root Beer
• Food processor

Process

• Mix cherries in food processor until a thick liquid.
• Add maple syrup and 8 oz of root beer to the cherry mixture, pulsing until fully incorporated.
• Place mixture into ice cream maker and churn for 30 minutes.

*The sorbet may turn out more like a slushy, however, if you put it in a container and place it in the freezer for at the least a couple hours and it will become firm.

*With any sorbet, for best results, take it out of the freezer at the least 30 minutes before eating, or in fridge if longer. 

Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”