Homespun

July 11, 2001

Happy Ice Cream Month!

July is Ice Cream Month. What better time to enjoy that great American favorite, either one of the many commercial creations or homemade.

The popularity of ice cream is due not only to its read-to-eat convenience, its widespread availability, and its nutritive value, but also its appealing forms, colors, and flavors.

This year, American will eat their way through millions of gallons of ice cream. They will sip on sodas, spoon it in parfaits and sundaes, lick it on cones, and nibble it on sticks. And, they will consume it in several hundred flavors and combinations.

Although no one really eats ice cream for its nutritive value, it is loaded with protein, calcium, riboflavin and other vitamins and minerals. Ice cream makes a good dessert or snack because its nutritional value helps meet daily needs and its caloric value is moderate for a suggested serving size.

One thing that has remained constant about ice cream is the popularity of vanilla. Year-in and year-out, it accounts for about half of all sales. Chocolate is second and strawberry is third. No one knows for sure how many ice cream flavors there are, as new flavors pop up all the time.

Try one of the following homemade ice cream recipes or one of the toppings on either homemade or commercially made ice cream during Ice Cream Month!

SIMPLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

½ gallon whole milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring

Mix part of milk with other ingredients. Add remaining milk. Blend well. Freeze in six quart hand-turned or electric freezer according to manufacturer's directions. Let ripen before serving.

FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM

1 quart milk

6 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Combine milk, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan; blend thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a spoon (about 15 minutes). Do not boil. Cool. Add cream and vanilla. Chill 1 to 2 hours. Churn-freeze. Yield: approximately 3 quarts.

ROCKY ROAD SAUCE

1 bar (4 oz.) sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

½ cup whipping cream

8 oz. miniature marshmallows

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Miniature marshmallows, if desired.

Melt chocolate in whipping cream in medium-sized saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Add marshmallows and continue heating and stirring until melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Cool. Garnish with miniature marshmallows and serve over your favorite ice cream. Store remaining sauce in refrigerator. After chilling, the sauce will need to be heated slightly to produce a spoonable consistency. Yield: 1½ cups.

SUMMER FRUIT SAUCE

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1½ cups unsweetened pineapple juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup fresh sliced peaches

½ cup fresh blueberries

½ cup fresh raspberries

Combine cornstarch, sugar and ginger in 1½ quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pineapple juice. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Stir in fruit just before serving. Serve over ice cream. Yield: 3 cups.

ORANGE SHERBET

1 2-liter bottle orange soda

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

Mix all together and put in gallon can. Freeze.

This page created by Margie Yarnell, Extension Secretary/Webmaster.
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