Ice Cream Finally (and Oh So Easy!)

Last weekend I was craving creamy, rich, homemade ice cream and it didn't happen so I ended up with a refreshing tea granita (find it here) and a still strong craving for ice cream. The craving only got worse when I saw this post on the Prudence Pennywise Blog. As much as I love making ice cream in my handy Ice Cream Maker, there are times when you just don't want to hassle with cooking the eggs, putting them through a strainer, letting everything sit in the fridge--sometimes overnight even. Sometimes you want your ice cream fast and easy but still creamy and delicious. When I saw this recipe for a mix in one bowl or even your ice cream maker itself, no cooking, no waiting, no eggs, super easy but still creamy ice cream, I had to try it.

"Stephanie's Easy Vanilla Ice Cream"

from Prudence Pennywise

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2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6-8 cups milk (Fat content of your choice--Stephanie & I used 2%)

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In a bowl or the freezing container from your ice cream maker, combine condensed milk, cream, and vanilla. Add milk just to fill line and stir again. Process according to manufacturer's instruction.

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The result? Prudence Pennywise is right again! (I never actually doubted it--I just wanted ICE CREAM!!!) This simple recipe makes a delicious, creamy cloud of vanilla goodness. So easy, such little effort for such big results. The ice cream's vanilla flavor stands up well on its own and was incredible with some blackberry topping I threw together with some frozen blackberries and a bit of sugar.

Prudy and her friend Stephanie must have big ice cream makers--I had already started mixing everything together when I realized there was no way the recipe as written was going to fit in my little Cuisinart. (What was I thinking? Oh yeah--ICE CREAM!!!) Being the resourceful person I am, I just saved half the mixture and made ice cream again tonight.

As much as I love vanilla, one of my favorite ice creams and gelatos is "Stracciatella", similar to chocolate chip but instead of chocolate chunks, it has shaved chocolate in the vanilla base. Happening to have a Green & Black's Milk Chocolate Bar hanging around, I quickly "shaved" it with my vegetable peeler (so I could get some bigger pieces than grating would create) and added it to the ice cream mixture about half way through. Just as delicious as the vanilla--you get the little flakes of chocolate mixed in. (It didn't have much opportunity to set up before I took this picture--but the taste--yum!!!).

Many thanks to Prudence Pennywise and her friend Stephanie for a great little recipe that I have a feeling I will be using a lot. (Maybe I'll add strawberries, or bananas, or maybe blueberries, or maybe I'll just have the vanilla again--the possibilities are endless!)

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Here's the Stracciatella once it set up. I really love the shaved chocolate bits with the vanilla in this one.