Summer’s here and the ice cream man seems to have skipped your neighborhood. No worries. If you have two coffee cans (one larger and one smaller), you’re ready to make your own ice cream. This idea is pretty simple and involves something called “super-chilling.” It’s not as complicated as it sounds and is the result of an ice cube and rock-salt combination.
The Recipe
The Standard recipe for most ice cream is milk, sugar and a flavoring. Sometimes cream is added but it’s up to you. If you want you can even use skim-mile for a low fat version.
The Concept
Here’s the way it works. You need two metal coffee cans. One large and one small. An empty 3 pound and 1 pound combination of cans is perfect. Just put all of the ice cream ingredients into the smaller can, tightly affix the lid and secure the lid to the can with duct tape around the rim.
In the large can, pour about an inch of ice and sprinkle a 1/8 cup of rock salt on the top. Place the smaller can in the larger can making sure there’s enough room to secure the lid on the larger can. Pour more ice and rock salt around the small can until the larger can is filled. Affix the large lid and seal this tightly to the can with the duct tape. Now you’re ready to roll.
The Process
You want to roll the can on its side for about 20 minutes. You can do this by playing a game with a friend by pushing it back and forth, or simply roll it under your foot while you watch TV or chat it up with family and friends. After 20 minutes, open the larger can, remove the smaller one and open it and you’re ready to eat.
A few tips
- Follow the recipes closely in terms of quantities. Too much or too little of any ingredient could affect the freezing.
- Make sure you have a good seal with the duct tape, especially on the smaller can with the ice cream ingredients.
- Salt and ice cream really don’t go together that well.
- Make sure you layer the ice and salt. The salt does not melt the ice as much as cause it to get very cold.
- Experiment with flavors and ingredients like chopped fruit, nuts and chopped chocolate chunks.
Before you know it, you’ll be an ice cream artisan. Here’s your secret recipes:
Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
(2 Servings)
Ingredients:
1 cup half and half
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
-for ice and salt mix
crushed ice to fill larger can
1/3 cup rock salt
Directions:
Pour half and half, milk, vanilla and sugar in small can. Seal with lid and duct tape and shake. Place small can in large can on 1 inch of ice and some salt and then surround with more ice and salt. Seal large can with lid and duct tape and roll back and forth for 20 minutes. Serve.
